Two more Lady Skater Skirts. That'll do pig!

I've busted out two more Lady Skater Skirts over the weekend - I probably need to stop now otherwise I'll have 55 more of these before the month is out!

I'm a bit under the weather so instead of my pretty self all dressed up in my latest makes you get "floor flat-lay" which I believe is quite the thing with all the young fashion bloggers these days (and sick 40 something year old sewing bloggers).

I found this fabric at Lincraft recently and bought it specifically for this skirt (I also have another piece in the stash for a shift dress). The elastic is 5cm thick, bought from Tessuti. This elastic is not as soft (so not as comfortable) as the elastic from the Remnant Warehouse used on my last Lady Skater Skirt. I used this elastic on my Butterfly Ponti Mabel (that I've only worn once as the waistband bugs me and feels a bit sweaty on a hot day).  The overlocker also skipped a few stitches whilst attaching the waistband and I guess that's also due to it being a bit more...stiff. The hem is rolled on the overlocker, same as before!

Verdict = I like this skirt, but I don't love it like I love my other floral Lady Skater Skirt as it's not as comfortable and the fabric is not as "floaty". That said I wore it out of the house today and it served its purpose.

This fabric was bought at Tessuti well over a year ago and is a swimsuit fabric that I intended to use for a swimsuit class (that I obviously never went to).  I think it might be Tigerlily, but I'm not sure.  I figured sewing swimsuits is not in my distant future SO I sacrificed this for another skirt.

I LOVE this skirt - the fabric is so pretty and I love that it has Australian flora printed on it (I have Kangaroo Paws right below my lady garden - what could be better than that)? The fabric is quite drapey and has a bit of a shine to it. The fabric really works as a skirt (I wasn't sure how swimsuit fabric would work as a pierce of "dry land" clothing), but as a dress it would be sweat city. I'm liking the idea of wearing this sort of fabric as a floaty skirt with a cotton t-shirt for summer; a departure from my usual summer garb of knit dresses made from not-so-breathable fabric.

I haven't rolled the hem on this...I'm not sure if I will as it hangs so nicely left as is. I just have to be careful that the sides don't unravel as I cut the overlocker threads too short to sew back in.

I'm looking forward to wearing both of these makes over summer, but especially this second one.

Pattern: "Lady Skater Skirt" by Kitschy Coo
Size: 8, sewn with 3/8" seam allowance
Modifications: elastic waistband and skirt piece lengthened by 7.5cm
Fabric: as mentioned above
Changes for next time: nothing

Grey Linden Sweater

Yes yes, another Linden! I wasn't 100% happy with my last Linden so I wanted to make another one so I have options for what to pack on my upcoming holiday to Japan.

I really like this make, well as much I ever like anything I make. This time I removed all the additional length I had added to previous versions (which was about 5cm) and added back 3cm to the length. I also removed 1" from the sleeve length. I think both of these small changes have worked out quite well - the sleeves are a much more normal length now!

The fabric is from The Remnant Warehouse - somewhere I don't go very often as it's a bit of a schlep from my house.  It's a poly/viscose/elastane knit that feels a little bit like wool so I thought it would be warmer than the butterfly ponti Linden for Japan.  The price was great at $12/pm - bargain!  The white print on the fabric feels like puffy paint and is raised up off the material. I had to iron this with a pressing cloth (translation: a chux cloth) as otherwise the iron would've melted my fabric! I also sewed in all my overlocking tails so I'm getting much more neat with my sewing - go me.

I got a bit lazy with the sleeve band and didn't want to add it "in the round" after I'd sewn up the sleeves as it's a bit of pain and things do tend to get a bit stretched out of shape. This time I sewed them onto the end of the sleeves before I sewed the sleeves up. I think it's worked out fine, but I can feel the exposed seam on the inside of wrist (where as with the other method the seams are all nicely sandwiched between the two pieces of material).

After extolling the virtues of the Linden neckband in my last post I had a bit of trouble with this one. It turned out it was too short for the sweater (no idea why as the fabric is pretty stretchy) and I had to unpick my overlocking (or the 3/4 of this that I had done) - there goes a good 90 minutes of my life I'll never get back. I then recut a longer neckband (added about 3cm) but I think it could be smidge tighter - as evidenced by it lifting up on the shoulder. I also added 1cm to the width of the neckband just so I had a bit more width to play with.

...and the view from the back...sufficient butt coverage I think...

The Linden is such a great pattern and the possibilities from changing it up each time are endless. I could've had contrasting sleeve/neck/hem bands this time, but also really wanted a sweater that was 100% the same all over. I'd like to go a bit fancy next time and use some lace on the front panel somehow.

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Pattern: "Linden Sweatshirt" by Grainline Studios
Size: 16
Modifications: lengthened by 3cm; sleeves shortened by 2.5cm, different method of attaching sleeve bands
Fabric: Knit from The Remnant Warehouse
Changes for next time: none.

Floral Lady Skater Skirt

After the success of my experimental Lady Skater Skirt I was dead keen to make myself another skirt asap, this time with the added length I think the skirt needs on me.  I'm pretty happy with the way this turned out...I finished it on Sunday morning and wore it out to Sydney Spoolettes lunch/movie outing that afternoon.

The fabric is a soft, floaty Nylon/Elastane from Parramatta Lincraft. I randomly popped in there recently after months of avoiding the place as it was always a messy, depressing pigsty. Well, I'm pleased to report that things have changed. The fabric section is tidy (not a bolt of fabric rolling around on the floor anywhere) and they have quite a few nice pieces if you poke around a bit. I picked up 1.5m of this very pretty fabric with this skirt in mind.

Like the previous version of this skirt, there's not much to report. The skirt has a rolled hem, 5cm elastic waistband and just two pieces - a front and a back. With cutting out and faffing around with the overlocker setting it probably took 90 minutes from go to finish.

I lengthened this version by 5cm and I like it much better. It definitely sits much better at the back now that it has a bit more length though it is still a bit higher at the back...due to the butt factor!

And the best part of all - this skirt looks GREAT with my new red clogs which is what sewing is all about really...making clog-worthy outfits.

Here is a little snapshot from the skirts first outing - with the Sydney Spoolettes - for lunch at Jamie's Italian in Parramatta followed by an afternoon viewing of the Australian movie, The Dressmaker. A great movie - typically Australian in many ways, and so enjoyable.

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Pattern: "Lady Skater Skirt" by Kitschy Coo
Size: 8, sewn with 3/8" seam allowance
Modifications: elastic waistband and lengthened by 7.5cm
Fabric: 80% Nylon, 20% Elastane from Lincraft Parramatta
Changes for next time: nothing

Butterfly Ponti Linden Sweatshirt

I've never been one to sew anything for a holiday, let alone consider wearing "me-made" whilst gallivanting across the globe. So this sweater is a bit of a first for me - sewn specifically with my upcoming Japanese Christmas holiday in mind.  I gave myself a lot of time to make this as I never understand people who want to sew a complete holiday wardrboe 3 days before they're due to fly out. Too. Much. Stress!

Now that it's finished I'm not sure I'm going to take it...but, that's not the point.

The front panel of this Linden Sweatshirt is sewn with the leftover piece of butterfly ponti from my recent Mable Skirt of doom - I'm glad I had a decent remnant leftover as the fabric is just so pretty. The rest of the sweatshirt (or jumper as we say here Down Under) is simple black ponti from Tessuti. Something I pretty much always have in the stash.

The last time I sewed the Linden I added 1" to the length as I felt it was a bit short for me to wear with slim jeans. This time I added another inch as I felt it still needed a bit of length...now I kinda think it's a bit long. Opinions welcome!

...and from the back. Much butt coverage, but I'm not 100% sure it's the right length (hence my uncertainty if it'll get a spot in the suitcase for the Japan trip).

The sleeves on the Linden are REALLY long...like Gorilla-arm long. I had meant to remove a bit of the length but forgot in my haste to get sewing (d'oh) so I'll need to be careful that my sleeves aren't dragging in my ramen. The overly long sleeves makes this jumper feel a bit...sloppy for me.

I'm pretty pleased with the neckband on this make - though it's not quite centered at the back (what I can't see can't hurt me, right)? I'm always anxious sewing on a neckband, especially "in the round", but I find the drafted length of the Linden neckband to be perfect. Just tight enough to pull the wide neck in, but not so tight that it feels like you're stretching the bejesus out of it whilst sewing it on. I haven't top-stitched the neckband down as after a good iron it's staying put. I'll throw this into the wash and see if that's still the case.

...and that's all she wrote folks.

Pattern: "Linden Sweatshirt" by Grainline Studios
Size: 16
Modifications: lengthened by 2" or 5cm
Fabric: Ponti (again) from Tessuti (again)
Changes for next time:SHORTEN THE SLEEVES YOU NUFTY!

Lady Skater Circle Skirt

This skirt was actually meant to be a Lady Skater Dress but a fail with the neckband (me be sloppy in my sewing and not really caring about the dress as the material was looking a bit "too much for a dress") has resulted in a Lady Skater Skirt. I cannot say that I'm unhappy.

This is a pretty simple make....the skirt portion of the pattern, a 5cm elastic waistband and an overlocker rolled-hem.

I don't think there's an easier skirt I could've made. That said I did spend quite a bit of time adjusting the settings on the overlocker to get the rolled hem looking as good as I could -- it's still not 100%, with a bit of pulling/gathering down there that I hope will work itself out ASAP.  I'm paranoid about elastic waistbands being too loose...or too tight so I faffed with this for a while too.

Because I had shortened the bodice of the Lady Skater Dress previously I had already added 2.5cm to the skirt to compensate for the loss of length. I will be making this skirt again and I'm going to add more length - perhaps 5cm. As you can see from the side shot my well-sized bum is making the skirt ride up at the back...more than I find acceptable.

I thought this skirt would give "good twirl" but nope...

There's not much more to say about this make other than I'm pretty chuffed. I really like circle skirts and I've wanted to make one ever since I started sewing but my waist is pretty big so patterns didn't tend to fit me. I'm so terrible at maths I my brain melted when I had to figure out the numbers to make my own pattern, and yes, even the By Hand London circle skirt app failed me (waist too big Miss Jane)!

Pattern: "Lady Skater Skirt" by Kitschy Coo
Size: 8, sewn with 3/8" seam allowance
Modifications: elastic waistband and lengthened by 2.5cm
Fabric: some sort of knit from Addicted to Fabric (Canberra)
Changes for next time: Will add some more length to the skirt, maybe 5cm?