Everyday Skirt #4 : the denim version

Thinking ahead to MeMadeMay, and my first time participating in the event, I was wondering what basic items I could add to my wardrobe.  A staple for me are denim skirts that I wear once or twice a week -- so it was a foregone conclusion that I would need to add a me-made denim skirt to my handmade wardrobe.  It was an equally easy decision to use my favorite skirt pattern -- the Everyday Skirt!

Being a heavier denim (8oz?), the skirt is rather full and does not drape terribly well.  Without the elastic gathering in the back, I think this would be a perfect weight for this skirt.  With the fabric gathering, however, the skirt comes off as a little too large.  Not so large that it will keep me from wearing it, of course, but something to consider for this pattern.  

Overall, I still feel very pleased with the fit.  My husband snapped this shot in our garden before we left for work one morning.   (Here I'm wearing it with my color affection scarf, tied as an infinity scarf.)   I still need to figure out how I am going to manage a daily photoshoot of my Me Made outfits, if I decide to even go the daily-photo-route.  (But, why not try?)  I'm not so sure the "early morning photo in the garden" is a strategy I'll be keeping, however.  

I don't have a lot to add about this pattern that I haven't already said, except that in going with the denim-clothing theme, I added a gold thread in a wide zig-zag stitch.  Though my zig-zag is a little uneven, it turned out pretty well and was a fun addition to this skirt.  I think I'll keep the zig-zag topstitching around!

Notes :

Pattern : Everyday skirt by Liesl & Co

Fabric : Heavier denim (I'd like to try this in a chambray!)

Notes : Size small 

{{on kollabora here}}

Finished skirt! : Everyday Skirt #3 : the "far out" one

I made a skirt a while ago but haven't blogged about it yet -- it's an outer space skirt. 

The Everyday Skirt by Liesl & Co. has become just that for me -- an everyday skirt.  This was my third, and I've settled in on the size small as the best fit -- though I am generally a solid medium in RTW.  I have a fourth everyday skirt to blog about, and I actually just showed you my fifth version as well.  I have even more planned!   Though I haven't made seven of these (yet) -- when I do, I'll have one for every day of the week.  (Here I come, MeMadeMay!)  

My son snapped a shot of me wearing the skirt in the morning on the way out to work.  I might need to come up with a better plan of taking photos of my Me Made outfits ... In this photo I am wearing the skirt + my "winter bandit" scarf.  Though it's hard to take photos of a black scarf, it's a great addition to my wardrobe.

What is my most favorite thing about this skirt?  The weird looks I get when I'm wearing it!  ("Are those ... planets on your skirt??") And, the fact that all my girlfriend science teachers at my high school want one.   Geeks unite!

Project notes :
Pattern : Everyday Skirt by Liesl + Co.
Fabric : Something from Hobby Lobby
Mods : Size small
{{On Kollabora here.}}

Easter coord : Sorbetto Top #3 and Everyday Skirt #5

I came across a post on Ada Spragg with coord inspiration a while back ... it's not a new concept, but the general idea is to make a matching top/bottom set that look cute together but can be worn separate.  It came in very handy recently when I ordered 3 yards of fabric from a vendor on eBay at a super bargain price ... but what came in the mail were two pieces of fabric -- one a single yard, the second only two yards.  This didn't really work out with the pattern I had in mind -- but when I considered the option of a coord outfit, I felt like I could make it work!

I cut out the two patterns and made them in time to wear for Valentine's Day ... and then we had a blizzard and I ended up wearing something totally different for my special date night with my husband.  I've been wearing these pieces independently (the color looks great with denim or chambray), but decided to wear the outfit out for Easter today.  (Happy Easter!)

I ended up cutting a Sorbetto Top (without the front box pleat) from the one yard piece, and an Everyday Skirt from the two yard piece.  I had enough fabric to cut sleeves for the top, as well, so I added those.  I also added a commercial bias binding to the edge of the top, and I like the little pop of color it adds.

The skirt, which has become a real go-to pattern for me, turned out super cute (I think).  If I had paid more attention to the cutting of the pattern, I would have lined up the sides with the front/backs.  It's wearable, of course, as it is, and I kind of think that had I tried to match them it might have been a disaster and it would have been more obvious.  So - I'm going with the flow and ignoring that detail for now!

Though I'm wearing the top & bottom together here with the top not tucked in, it's also a cute outfit together with a big belt to make the outfit look like a dress.    However, I think the pieces are even cuter worn separately -- again, the color of this fabric looks great with denim or chambray.    So, three different outfit possibilities in one outfit -- gotta love that!

As for the fabric itself, it's an Anna Maria Horner quilting cotton called "Banner Days," celebrating the Mexican art of papel picado.  I'll admit I also have this fabric already in blue, in voile weight.  What can I say? ... It's perfect for a Spanish teacher to wear!  I love the design.  (I see there's another colorway I don't own yet ...)

Notes :
Pattern : Sorbetto top by Colette and Everyday Skirt by Liesl & Co
Fabric : AMH Banner Days in magenta
Mods : no box pleat on the top, and added sleeves to the Sorbetto (instructions here)
{{On Kollabora here}}

I'm linking up to GrayAllDay.com's Sew It Chic link party -- check out what other sewists have been up to if you get a chance!

Portfolio tunic #1 : the crazy calacas + marionetas version

I'm back today to share something I made recently that I'm super pleased with : my (first) Lisette Portfolio tunic.

Though I finished my first Lisette Portfolio top as practice for this tunic, I dove straight into my "nice fabric" to make this as quickly as possible.  Officially, this was supposed to be one of my February sews -- my colors of the month to add into my handmade wardrobe were pink + red -- but I just finished this up this week.  Actually, I think I would have made my self-imposed February deadline but I unfortunately dropped my Rowenta iron in exactly the wrong way and it exploded.  (Or, it at least broke into too many pieces to fix.)  This left me agonizing over what kind of iron to replace it with for several days, and then waiting for Amazon Prime to deliver it.  Needless to say, I was able to finish it finally.   I made it out of a Day of the Dead Alexander Henry fabric that only a crazy Spanish teacher would wear. (Enter me ...) :)

There's not much to say about this amazing tunic that I will love for years on end -- except, did I mention how much I love it??  The fit is perfect -- thanks to the experimental top I was able to size down confidently and I think my smaller size fits well.

The pockets are sublime.  They are perfect for my days spent running around as a teacher with euros stuffed in the pockets (my classroom equivalent of participation points), white board markers, and remote control powerpoint clickers.

I think my little front detail turned out great - I used a gold top stitching and I managed to sew it all rather straight so it looks pretty even all the way around the neckline.

And, I love the button detail on the back, once again.   I see myself making many more of these tunics ... though I'll perhaps vary the fabric choice (dark linen would be nice?) or sleeve length (longer sleeves for the winter, perhaps?).  We'll see ...


Notes :
Pattern : Lisette Portfolio (unavailable but the updated Cappuccino dress is here)
Fabric : Alexander Henry Marionetas in Pink
Mods : none - size 14 made.
{{on Kollabora here.}}

Portfolio shirt #1 : the steampunk mardi gras version

I've found a new pattern to obsess over : the Lisette Portfolio shirt (Simplicity 2245 View C).  I'd been eyeing the Cappuccino Dress (which is the updated, available version of the Portfolio dress) when I remembered I'd purchased this Lisette pattern a while back before I had my sewing mojo going.  I figured I'd give this pattern a go with some fairly inexpensive fabric I had sitting around in my stash.  

I was glad I gave it a first shot in this fabric because it turned out a little large and there were definitely some tricks I had to figure out before I attempt this in a more cherished fabric.  

However, I am definitely pleased with the shirt overall, though the fabric admittedly is quite strange ... it's like a steampunk version of mardi gras : fleur-de-lis + spectacles with floating eyebrows + pocketwatches-cum-moths ... in a mardi gras colorway.  I don't know what I was thinking when I purchased this fabric, but I will admit that the busy pattern totally hides my learning curve mistakes.  This was officially my first version of a self facing neckband, which was tricky for me to figure out but it seems to have come together!

The little button tab detail in the back was brilliant -- also a first -- and if I continue to make a gazillion Scout Tees then I will definitely consider this as a modification.  

In these pictures I'm wearing the shirt (on two different occasions) with my 2014 Pantone scarf, my so-called "radiant orchid streak."  If you're a knitter, I totally recommend this quick infinity scarf pattern, the Blue Streak.  

Now ... the Portfolio Tunic is definitely an upcoming project !

Notes :

Pattern : Lisette Portfolio shirt, view C

Fabric : random fabric purchased at Hobby Lobby

Mods : none, size 16. Turned out large so next time I'll make a 14. 

{{on kollabora here.}}

continental blouse #1 : the wearable muslin

So, now that I'm sewing for myself more (and a 2015 goal is to put more wearables into my handmade wardrobe), I thought I'd venture out of my scout tee and everyday skirt comfort zone into the world of the umpteen patterns I've purchased but not used.  There are several patterns I'm dying to try in the Liesl & Co range -- the Cappuccino dress, Bistro dress and Late Lunch Tunic come to mind.  Some digging around on the internets led me to the fact that the Cappuccino dress is an update to the now-out-of-production Liesette pattern for Simplicity, pattern 2245, the Portfolio Tunic.   I realized, then, that I had bought this paper pattern ages ago -- and while digging around my stash I also found the Simplicity pattern #2059, aka Continental pieces, as well.

I thought I'd start with the Continental blouse ... then move on to the Portfolio outfit ... and then start sewing through the Liesl & Co. patterns that I still want to make.  (This might take me the better part of 2015!)

So -- here is my first version of the Continental blouse, in a wearable muslin (aka, Country Classics navy blue purchased for $2.50/yard).  I'm pretty please that it turned out pretty well on my first try, and was incredible easy to put together.  If it doesn't work out, the two yards or $5.00 investment won't be too much of a disappointment.  I think that in a different fabric, the gathering at the back will hang very nicely -- until then, in a heavier cotton, they do have a bit of a poofy look.

However, given that this is such a super easy sew and that I love the look of the gathers on the back, I think I'll stick with this for a few more garments before moving on.  I loved that I was able to use certain details that I learned from my Scout Tee(s) such as french seaming the insides (including the armscyes), as well as the bias binding on the neck.  A different print on the bias binding on the neck gives a nice, special touch.

I'm also so glad that my 2011-self thought of purchasing these Lisette patterns on a super craft store sale, so that my 2015-self could make them up.  Sometimes it pays off to be a bit of a hoarder! :)

I'd like to make this longer in the future (more of a tunic length) and maybe try some of the Liesl-suggested variations.  I also think I'll size down next time around - this one is rather roomy.

Notes :
Pattern : Continental Blouse by Lisette
Fabric : Country Classics cheap cotton
Mods : None - Size 16 made.  Next time - I'll cut a size 14. 
{{On Kollabora here.}}