moss mini AND dolman tee

so i made a green corduroy skirt eons ago and never really liked it all that much. (i hesitate to link to it, but here you go) i think i wore it once, altered it a bit, then chucked it into the closet never to be seen again. until recently... i unearthed it from the bottom of a pile of sweaters and thought maybe i should do something with it. there was a decent amount of fabric and the moss mini from grainline studio came to mind. i bought the pattern and lo and behold, it just fit! the original skirt had buttons down the front so i decided to keep them and not mess with a zipper.

i didn't bother to muslin this, i figured if it didn't fit i can call this my muslin and still be okay with that. happily it does fit well enough to be worn. yay! i measured a size 8 so that's what i cut. it still seems a little snug in the hips, but it is a mini skirt, so i think it's okay. the waist was a little gaping in the back so i took in the back yoke by a small amount to curve around le boo-tay.

as you all know, this skirt lives up to it's name as a mini skirt. i cut the skirt to the longest length then made a faced hem with bias tape i reclaimed from the original skirt. also—polka dot pocket lining! 

the only other fitting tweak i need to work out is that space below the waist but above my hips. i'm not sure if i have proportionally low hips or what, but that area above the pocket is just kind of floating out there. i've had this problem before, so i guess i need to pay more attention to it. since i was using an existing button down skirt i couldn't sew the pocket lining into the fly as the pattern instructs and i think that would have helped to pull that part in closer to the body. no worries, there will be a next time with this pattern.

i had to piece the waistband because it was a hair too short... we'll just call it a design feature. oh, and i added back pockets and belt loops because i thought it needed them.

fortunately the small fit issues i have don't render the skirt useless. i had some purple cotton lycra knit so i decided to make cation designs dolman tee. i've seen these pop up over the past months and while i liked it, i wasn't sure if it was the right style for my figure. i always feel like my shoulders stick out funny and the lack of shoulder seam can exaggerate it. however, i am happy to say i think this top is not only supremely comfortable, but also flattering! 

when i printed the pattern the scale was off (i got 3.5" for the 4" square) so i took an existing knit tee pattern and picked my size based off that. it all worked out and i think this is my new favorite tee! it was wicked fast to sew and would have been even faster to cut, however i had less than a yard of fabric so i had to do some fancy maneuvering. i cut the hem band in two pieces and had to cut the sleeve bands with the grain. i had plenty of stretch going both directions so it worked out fine. also i did a neck binding instead of band. i like the wide neck slouchy look for this.

so look at that, a whole outfit in one weekend! both projects were super fast and i love how they go together. can't wait to try more grainline patterns, i just bought fabric for an archer blouse. so excited for that one!!!

—lisa g.

polka dots

i made this dress quite a while ago but it never made it to ye olde blog. mostly because i wasn't that excited about it. i used mccalls 6503. now, i really, really loved this pattern. the minute i saw it i knew i wanted to make it. then it was always sold out at the fabric store (i'm too lazy and stingy to order directly). i think my mom 1600 miles away in kansas ended up buying it and sending it to me because i just couldn't get my hands on it here. then, i had this super cute drape-y rayon polka dot material i just knew would be a perfect match.

i even added piping to the waistband!

i did a narrow straight ruffle instead of the
circle ruffle thing as on the pattern.

then, i had all the pieces months before i had a chance to make it. finally when i did, i just didn't like it all that much. the fit was acceptable (i had even done a muslin!) but it just didn't do anything for me. this style of bodice left my top half a bit err... deflated looking. then the polka dot thing happening just looked a little too retro for my tastes. don't get me wrong, i love this style. but it really illustrated to me the difference between what i like to look at, and what i like to wear. 

the skirt was a little on the long side, so that wasn't helping either. i wore it once (and even heard whispers of admiration behind me: did you see her dress? so cute!). in the end, i still loved the fabric, just not as this dress. it wasn't me. so i took it apart. I'M SORRY. i know some of you just gasped in horror, but it was the right thing to do. i shortened the skirt and added a simple waistband with a double hook closure. hey, it even has pockets!

made that knit top months ago.
never blogged it. sorry.

believe you me, i love this as a skirt sooooo much more than as a dress. oddly enough, i've had trouble finding tops that match it. apparently i don't have many solid colored tops. working on remedying that. i've worn it once with a black cardigan and black tights, but that's so expected. i thought i'd try it out with some patterned tops in the privacy of the entire interwebs before wearing it out in public. yay or nay?

i'm currently on the hunt for a nice lightweight emerald green or fuchsia/magenta or teal knit to make a renfrew to pair with it. apparently those pantone people just named emerald green "color of the year" or some such nonsense (seriously. their declaring what the on-trend color is annoys me to no end). but maybe it's a good thing, cuz it happens to be one of my favorite colors and i can never find fabric that color. maybe something will pop up now.

oh, and lest all the work i put into the bodice go to waste, i've saved it to add a different bottom half for later. i think if i have a nice fat midriff and pleat the skirt (like on this dress) i can eliminate some of the excess fabric to make it a little more flattering. i'm thinking a lightweight denim skirt would be crazy awesome, but that's gonna have to wait for spring. i have too many cold weather makes to get to!

—lisa g.

meringue skirt pt 2: finished!

so this skirt has been done for a couple weeks now and i finally get to show it off! despite the fact that i'm not totally in love with the fabric color, i do love how the skirt turned out. if you've been following along, i made a couple changes to the pattern. first i eliminated the hem facing and fully lined the skirt instead, then i replaced the waistband facing of the pattern with my own elastic band version.

this really works out great and provides a little movement. i find non-waistbanded skirts to be very hard to fit. if it's too tight it digs in uncomfortably. too loose and there's just no way to keep it in place.

according to the size chart i was in between a size 4 and size 6. just to be on the safe side i cut a 6, but in hindsight a size 4 would have fit better. not a big deal, the elastic waistband facing still keeps everything snug and comfortable. plus, my addition of belt loops and a belt give my waist the proper definition it needs.

you can see i have a bit of extra room causing minor bunching around the waist to hip area. for some reason i have it in my head that my hips are super wide. hmm... maybe they're not. i could probably add an inch or two in length. i have a freakishly mis-proportioned dimensions.

even though this skirt isn't something i would ordinarily want more than one of, it is so cute i just might have to make a more summery version as well! i love the classic shape, the unique hem detail and (done my way...) the total comfort! plus, it's a fast, instant-gratification project. and who doesn't love that?


—lisa g

meringue skirt pt. 1: you call this grey?

i'm very excited about the two colette pattern pieces i'm working on! first up: the meringue skirt.




okay, this skirt is just darling. initially the idea of a scallop hem seemed a little too cutesy for me but it totally grew on me and it's really the perfect detail for a no frills skirt. i decided to make it in wool for a classic look. now, to be honest when i ordered my "grey wool" i kinda expected it to be "grey." not decidedly "brown."

i guess my brain went straight to grey and overlooked the fact that indeed the online picture does look brown... sigh. 


cue disappointment upon reviewing online purchase... 


it's not that i have a problem with brown. brown is perfectly fine, i just thought black/white grey would transition me into spring a little better and not scream "autum!" okay, i'll live.


for this skirt i digressed from the instructions just a little. first i feel like i need some sort of waist definition. usually i'd just modify a pattern and add a waistband, but i decided instead to just add belt loops so i could belt it. it worked out great, though can i just tell you how much i HATE making and sewing on beltloops? it ranks very high on my list of things that i do not enjoy doing. fortunately, in this case it was well worth the effort, because they turned out perfectly. whew!


another change i made was fully lining the skirt instead of using the scalloped facing. two reasons: one—this is wool, wool is itchy for me. two—i really don't like doing a blind hem. not out of laziness or anything, but i don't like seeing the distortions from a mediocre blind hem job. it can cause the skirt to hang funny and i just wanted to avoid that. plus, adding a lining was very easy to do! i simply cut my lining identical to my wool. 

i did take the time to chalk out my stitching line which made this so much easier!

i stitched the hem with the wool and lining together, then trimmed the seam allowance and pulled the lining to the inside and pressed the edge.

on a side note, i highly recommend  trimming the seam allowance very narrowly and notching in between the scallops only rather than notching the entire edge of the curve. since most of the curve is along the bias of the material, it will easily press into place. notching around the curve tends to give a lumpier edge.

okay, so to further make sure the scallop edge is perfect, i top stitched the entire hem, which sounds much more tedious than it actually was. i simply followed the edge of my pressor foot and traded out my regular thread for a heavier topstitching thread so it shows up better.

it keeps the lining from trying to peek out the bottom and gives nice definition to the scallop. i also basted the skirt fabric and lining together at the waist just to keep them from shifting around as i finished the waist.

the other change i made to the pattern was swapping out the waistband facing for some of that fat belting elastic. now, this was pure genius on my part, if i do say so myself. i cut the skirt a sz 6 because i was kind of in between the 4 and 6. but, to make sure i got a snug fit, i cut a piece of elastic about 1/2" smaller than my actual waist. i pinned the elastic to the skirt, evenly distributing it.

 then using a zig-zag stitch i stitched the elastic to the top of the skirt.

then i turned the elastic to the inside and hand stitched the elastic edge to the zip.

then i stitched in the ditch at the right side seam through both the skirt fabric and the elastic. 


wool (i have read) tends to stretch out as it's worn, so the elastic makes sure this doesn't happen! i love this elastic thing because it keeps the skirt comfortable and the elastic undetectable from the outside when you wear it. how nifty is that? this is perfect for any non-waistbanded skirt. seriously, i hope you try this!!!


okay, so that's it for the construction... pics of me wearing it to come!


—lisa g

a juggling act

usually i stick to one project at a time from buying fabric to sewing the last stitch. not so much right now... so i just wanted to share with you everything i have been working on!


at christmas i received the colette patterns handbook, which i totally love. the illustrations are beautiful and the content is very thoughtful and really makes you stop to think about your sewing choices. the book includes five patterns and i'm working on the first two for now: the meringue skirt and the pastille dress.




they are both relatively simple pieces with lovely little details. the skirt has a scalloped hem and the dress has a cute neckline, cap sleeves and tucks at the bottom of the skirt. both are very practical and will fit into my wardrobe perfectly!


i also have a casual dress i made a while back (the anda from burdastyle). while i love the cozy plaid flannel i used, i just hadn't been totally satisfied with it. the dress was too wide, the armholes too big and the whole thing was a bit fiddly because i left off the drawstring in favor of simply belting it. soooo i hacked off the top, added pockets, a wide elastic waistband and... ta-da! now i have a skirt! (elastic waistband skirt tutorial here)

sometimes you just have to know when to let go of your original plan and make a change. hmm... sounds like more than just sewing advice. i do plan to revisit the pattern this summer, it was supper fast and would be a great floaty summer dress or swim suit cover-up! hahaha... like i can even think of summer when it's 30º F outside!


then i reworked a dress i made last year for one of my sisters. i've learned so much about dress construction and fitting since then—i took apart practically every seam, underlined the bodice pieces, changed out the lining and cut the bodice differently.

ahhh... nice soft cotton lining

in the end it was a ton of work but totally worth it. i'd rather put extra work into something and have it get worn instead of hanging squished and unused in the back of someone's closet. lucky for me, my sister and i are basically the same size from shoulder to waist (though i'm at least 4" taller...) so i can show off the finished product!

it's seriously 30º F right now. dedication? stupidity?
it's a fine line between the two really...

even though it's freezing right now, this dress has me totally dreaming of spring!

seems like there's one more project... oh yeah, i'm outfitting that same sister's wedding! here's a picture of the wedding dress muslin work in progress.

there's not much to show on this yet, i'm working out some cap sleeves, will have to adjust the bodice seam lines to match up with the pleats and figure out how to make a short train. i'll definitely let you in on the project as i progress! i don't know about you, but i am endlessly fascinated by the interior workings of gowns and such.


well this was a wildly schizophrenic post, i'll be back next with my lovely meringue skirt. i've already made it up, worn it and love it! i have an awesome little trick for the waist facing you WON'T. WANT. TO. MISS. seriously, sometimes i'm a genius...


—lisa g 

corduroy skirt finished!

i finished the corduroy skirt last week and i'm moderately happy with the results! i started out with burdastyle's linda skirt pattern. the pattern as printed is more of a 3/4 circle skirt. i tweaked the pattern down to a half circle and adjusted the waist and hemline to accommodate. i then added a placket for 12 buttons down the front, pockets and belt loops.

so here is the skirt, complete with a windy day and 5 year old as my photographer...

sorry if the pictures aren't great. she can't hold still more more than half a millisecond.

i do wonder if the corduroy is just too heavy for the shape of the skirt, it doesn't seem to drape quite naturally. like i said, i made it a half circle skirt and thank goodness i didn't attempt fuller!! i am considering cutting down the sides to more of an A-line shape. it may not be worth the extra work, though i think perhaps i would wear it more that way. in the future i'll save the circle skirts for lighter weight materials for sure!

maybe i'm wrong though... thoughts? comment below!! no worries, i don't need to be told something is awesome all the time. it won't crush my spirits.

11|11|11 corduroy appreciation day!!!

i've been working on this skirt. it's a half circle skirt made out of green 14 wale corduroy. i will have buttons down the front and pockets. i've thought it would be useful to have a more "everyday but cute" item in my closet and thought this would be it for my fall wardrobe. so, what's wrong? i really don't know. i've attached the waistband and i held it up to me and was struck with how bland and plain it looks.

hmmm...


here i was trying to do something i haven't really done before, and that's pick a solid color! something practical and cute that i could get lots of use out of but right now, it's just looking... flat.


maybe i've rushed to judgement. maybe attaching the buttons will pull it together. maybe i've always hid behind loud prints because i'm not confident enough to make something in a solid color. ack! plagued with self-doubt!

please excuse my unfortunate choice in wearing this top with
a green skirt... can we say "holiday elf" anyone? also the hem is
just pinned up, it won't look all weird and stiff once it's
properly sewn!

okay, perhaps i exaggerate. maybe the world won't end if i'm just not happy with the result. maybe i need to complete it before i judge. maybe i'm annoyed by other things in life and am misdirecting my disappointment and just wanted a moment of wow! i'm gonna love this!!! sigh. i'll be back with more on this later.


thoughts anyone?


P.S. in full disclosure—i bought my first piece of corduroy completely unaware that 1.) corduroy appreciation day even existed (every november 11th) and that 2.) this year was the mother of all corduroy appreciation days! maybe such coincidences will bring me good fortune to complete the skirt and still love it? perhaps... perhaps... perhaps...

the summer, you-don't-need-a-pattern-to-make-this! skirt

well the introductions are over, so it's time to start a project. how about a skirt? better yet... a skirt without a pattern!


okay, summertime has come late to new england but i so despise being hot. skirts are my go-to solution to stay as cool as possible. and they must be comfy... no constraining waistbands! so, i'm going with a cotton skirt (easy to take care of and breathable) gathered onto a wide elastic waistband (fully expandable! yay!). we've all seen skirts like this but i can't bear to spend $30+ on a skirt i could make myself for half the price. they're cute and i love the waist-cinching style so it's inevitable that i would make my own. okay, enough chatter...


here's what you need:
wide, 1 1/2"-2" elastic (enough to go around your waist plus 1")
1 1/2 yd material, depending on the length of your skirt
1 1/2 yd lining, if needed


start by measuring your waist and adding 1"—this is the length to cut your elastic. if your elastic seems likely to unravel, zig-zag the cut ends first. then bring the ends together, sew using a straight stitch at 5/8", backstitch at both ends. then stitch each side of the seam to the band so the seam allowance will lie flat. slip it on, make sure all is good.






now, to determine how much fabric you need for the skirt, measure from where the bottom of the waistband will sit down to the desired hemline. add in a 5/8" seam allowance for the top and 5/8" for the hemline. since i'm working with a medium weight cotton i will use a deeper hem than if i were using a lightweight rayon or silky material. for something lighter weight you may only need 1/4" for a rolled hem, so adjust accordingly. my skirt length will be 18" so i need 19 1/4" total.


how wide to cut your fabric depends on how gathered and pouffy you want your skirt to be. a lighter material will require more fabric to look full than my choice of cotton. if you are unsure, you many want to find one of your own skirts or dresses that is gathered at the waist and simply measure around the bottom edge. this will give you a good estimate. the width of my fabric is about 42" and i will simply use the entire width. so, on the fold, cut two rectangles: the skirt length by half the skirt width (19 1/4" x 21"). when unfolded you will have 2, 42" long rectangles giving you a total skirt hem of 84". still with me? if you need a lining, cut it out to the same width but 1" shorter. 


if you've made a skirt before there is nothing new here. first, sew up the side seams and finish the seam allowances with a zig-zag stitch or serged edge. repeat with the lining material, if using.

with the right side of the fabric up, stitch two rows of basting stitches around the top edge of the skirt fabric at 5/8" and 1/4" making sure not to cross your stitches when you get all the way around. once gathered the basting stitches will need to be removed so it may be helpful to use a contrasting color of thread so it's easy to spot and remove later. if you are lining your skirt, simply pin the lining to the wrong side of the main fabric and baste through both layers, gathering it all in one step.






with pins, mark the top edge your skirt into 4 equal parts (side seams, center front, center back) and do the same with your waistband. pin the skirt to the inside lower edge of the waistband, matching your markings. the right side of the fabric will be facing the inside of the waistband. to position it correctly, line up your lower basting thread with the bottom edge of the elastic. 

pull up the bobbin thread to gather your skirt. adjust fullness and pin as necessary all the way around. 












with the gathers down, sew the elastic and fabric together with a zig-zag stitch. i set my stitch length to 1.5 and my zig-zag width at near it widest setting. do a test on a piece of scrap fabric until you have the right settings. line up the edge of the elastic with the left side of the presser foot as a guide. be sure to remove the pins as you stitch. then stitch around a second time a little farther in so as to catch the edge of the fabric to reduce any fraying.

here is the outside

here is the inside

remove the basting stitches and try on your skirt to determine the final length. hem your skirt and you're done! 

how easy was that? sure, you could add tiers, ruffles, lace, trim, pockets... this skirt could be made numerous ways and i probably will be making this one over and over again! i love having a few casual skirts in the closet to help a gal feel just a little put together because sometimes a skirt, a t-shirt, a swipe of lip gloss and a prayer is all i have. chocolate helps... but that's a story for another day.