FO: Blue Beignet Skirt

I have a new finished project that has (sort of ) been 2 years in the making! The Beignet Skirt!

This is a project that I actually planned out and bought fabric for 2 years ago (possibly longer) - I loved the style of the Beignet skirt and this was one of the first Colette Patterns I acquired (it was given to me for my birthday). When I was super new to sewing clothes, I was really gung-ho and planned all these projects I really did not have the ability to fit and make. That didn't stop me from buying fabric before I figured this out though, so the fabric and lining have been in my stash ever since.

A few weeks ago, I decided I was finally ready to tackle this project. The funny thing is - I have no idea why I was so obsessed with this fabric, lol. Not only is it a fairly light color, which I try to avoid on my bottom half, it's also polyester. This is a suiting that I got from Joann's and I remember that I was so excited about it that I would check every time their sales changed to see when this would be cheapest - I can't remember what exactly it was called, but I know it had "Rebecca" in the title. It's an ok polyester, I guess, and it's a pretty pattern (almost linen-like white streaks printed on the teal/blue), but it's pretty thick - almost 70s thick. Yeah. Needless to say, this project turned out a bit too warm for the current weather here in Florida, so this is an AC-only item. Luckily past Megan purchased the coordinating lining (Ambiance with "Rebecca" in the title too), and it just happened to be bemburg rayon, so there's that. In the outer fabric's defense, it did sew really nicely and didn't fray, so that was nice. I had to use a clapper religiously while pressing if I wanted to even be able to tell it had been pressed at all, but we got there in the end.

The best part about this project was the result of my muslin - this pattern fit great right out of the envelope! That has never happened to me before! Once this was discovered, I happily cut into my long-saved fabric and got to work. I made this skirt over the course of a few weeks since my schedule has been incredibly busy these past few months. I spent a few hours one night cutting, then marking and sewing the outer shell the next night, then had to wait over a week before I got to go any further. By that time it was my day off, so I was able to spend most of my day finishing it up and by that night I only had to pick my buttons - a major instagram related dilemma in and of itself, lol. I had always planned on using white buttons with this fabric, but when I went to Hancock Fabrics to purchase them I also came across some teal/blue and white swirled ones that matched perfectly - and I am not exaggerating that, it was an exact match. I was so torn! I put pictures up on instagram, and literally everyone said to go with the blue ones. By the time the skirt was done, I just still couldn't get my original plan out of my head, so I went with the white ones. Sorry, everyone! lol Even when the buttons were picked, it had to wait another 5 days before I had the time to sew them on. Oh, the joys of adult-ing.

Now that the skirt is finished, I can see that it's a little too big just at my hips and below, so I will be slimming that area down next time around. Other than that, I could not be more proud of this skirt! This skirt is by far the most complicated this I have sewn so far - not that it was incredibly hard, just time consuming due to all the different pieces and how it is lined.

I did make the belt and belt loops as the pattern calls for, but I figured that realistically I will probably end up wearing it with my shirt untucked as well, which would look like above. I don't really love this look now that I look at the pictures (it seems to make my hips look wider since it's a bit too big there), so I guess I need to figure out a longer white shirt that won't constantly come untucked like every other shirt I own (I have a long torso - it's unfortunate). The other issue I have with the color is that ... I literally have nothing to wear with this skirt except white shirts, lol. I think it looks super boring with just a white shirt, but none of my cardigans really go with the style of the skirt, which has lead to rather frustrating times getting dressed. So, I've technically made more work for myself, lol, but oh well. I like making t-shirts anyway. I'm more excited about the accomplishment of actually sewing this piece, so I'm not that put out about it.

Here is the true star of the show - the insides! I seriously wish I could just open up this skirt and show everyone, or wear it inside out or something - I'm so thrilled I was able to do this. The skirt has pockets, but they are between the layers so everything looks neat and finished inside. I know the edge along the buttons looks a little puckered in this photo, but that was due to the slight stretch in this fabric (again, spongy polyester suiting). I swear that everything was 100% smooth in there before I put the buttons on. Ugh. Oh well, I'm still proud. It looks so professional :) I just love it.

Details! Just take a look at that curve - gorgeous! I went really slow and pinned the daylights out of it like a princess seam, then cut lots of notches to get it like this. I was seriously amazed when I turned it right side out :) I also ended up hand picking the blind hem, and this is the first time I've ever had to do that. I'm a big fan of my machine's blind hem, but this stinking fabric showed everything like a line of puckers along the bottom when I tried to do it by machine. My hand stitches aren't perfect, but it's much more "blind" than it would have been otherwise. I machine stitched a narrow hem on the lining though. The pockets are perfectly hidden inside the side seams. And oh my gosh I cannot even describe what I went through over those belt loops. This polyester hated to press, but that is incredibly compounded when you're working with such teeny tiny pieces that are only supposed to be turned under 1/8th of an inch. Ugh! My clapper came to the rescue, but I will confess a few minor burns to my fingers in the process. They came out really well, all things considered. I also didn't include a pic here, but I posted on instagram of me using a mallet and blade from work to cut the button holes open - this fabric was so thick that my little snips just couldn't handle it, so I brought it to work with me and hammered them open. It worked very well, and I didn't have to buy yet another expensive sewing tool - score!

Here is the only somewhat feasible looking outfit I was able to make that didn't look too crazy-pants (or does it? lol) And here's a slightly embarassed confession - this was my first time making more than maybe one or two button holes on my machine. I did have to unpick two of them, but only because I didn't get the needle exactly lined up with the others. I call that a success :) I impressed myself there as well.

Anyway, in spite of its little quirks, I am ridiculously proud of this skirt :) I also am proud to say that I managed to tick this off my list before my 30th birthday, so I was able to wear it on the big day. This project was a bit more expensive than my typical el-cheap-o projects, but I have now lived and learned, lol. I'm a total tight-ass, what can I say? 

Summary:
Fabric: 2 yards Polyester with linen print "Rebecca" - $12.00, 2 yards Ambiance Bemburg Rayon in "Rebecca" - $10.00 (all fabric from Joann's two years ago)
Pattern: Beignet by Colette Patterns - birthday gift 2 years ago
Notions: 12 buttons from Hancock Fabrics - $2.20, 1.5 yards of Riley Blake Bird Print Twill Tape - $2.99, teal thread from Hancock Fabrics - $3.00
Hours: 12 hours total (including muslin making)
Total: $30.20

So yeah, another project in my wardrobe :) I'm planning a denim version next ...

WIP Wednesday: Progress, Progress

I know it's been a while (I feel like I'm all or nothing when it comes to projects to post about), but I have managed to make some decided progress :)

 I finished the first sleeve on my Emelie cardigan! I actually managed to finish it on Saturday, which was National Knit In Public Day :) I went to Seaworld with my family and finished the sleeve on the way.

Here's a close up - I had to fudge things a bit since I wanted my sleeves shorter than the pattern calls for. I had to decrease very quickly at the end, and I actually ended up with a line of decreases on the underside of the sleeve, but it feeds right into the ribbing so no one will notice it but me. It looks like a sudden dip when it's flat, but when it's on my arm, you can't even tell. I'll take it :) I also managed to make my whole sleeve cap in church on Sunday and start on the actual sleeve itself. I can feel how close this is to finishing now so I'm trying to work mainly on this.

As far as my Outfit Along Briar cardigan - it hasn't even been started. Ugh. The Fibranatura Cotton True is sold as "sport" weight yarn, but it is more like fingering weight in person. I've tried several larger needle sizes and I still can't even remotely get gauge even when the stitches are so big that you can basically see through the knitting completely. Rrrr... Oh well. I have to figure out something else, but I may just use my Emelie as my OAL sweater. We shall see. It feels like I haven't had much time at home over the last few weeks, so I haven't been able to delve into my stash and figure out a new plan. 

In other news, My mom knitted something! My mom was always told she could never be taught to knit because she was left handed. Even her mom wrote her off as hopeless when she was young, so she just gave up on the idea. When I taught knitting at my church back in May, my mom was one of my students. She has stuck with the washcloth project, and worked on it little by little, asking me questions periodically, and she just finished binding off yesterday. I'm so proud! (sniff)

I did finish a fairly complex sewing project this week as well - a Colette Beignet skirt. I posted this pic on Instagram last week when I hammered out the buttonholes. It came out really great, and I'm super proud. I just have to take photos and whatnot, so stay tuned for that :)

I'm also knee deep in listening to A Tale of Two Cities along with a friend  of mine. Oddly enough, I've never read this book, and I never even knew what the story was about despite this being required reading in basic 12th grade English in my state. I took AP English, so I didn't have the same required reading, and this book just never crossed my path. This book is always in the top 5 of Books To Read Before You Die lists, so I've wanted to read it for the last year or so. My friend Taylor suggested the two of us read it at the same time, so it gave me a great excuse to finally mark this one off my list. I'm about 1/3rd through it, and I'm liking Madame Defarge already :) Gotta love a fellow knitter and revolutionary.

So that's it for me this week :) Head over to Gracey's Goodies to see what others are up to.

WIP Wednesday: Knitted Parts and Skirt Sewing

Knitting has occurred this week :) I managed to finish this flesh colored egg ...

This is the body for my Baby Doll I'm working on :) I finished this piece up last night, complete with a nylon stocking filled with poly pellets inside. The nylon fills up about 1/3 of the body piece and the rest is stuffed with regular poly fill. I love how the pieces feel when they have poly pellets inside - nice and hefty. I'm really glad the pattern calls for them. I can't wait to keep going on this project. Next is the head!

 I also am working on a Beignet skirt by Colette Patterns. I made a muslin last Thursday and it actually fit me perfect right off the bat - it's a miracle! I actually purchased this material for this exact project, lining and all, about 2 years ago. This project was way to ambitious for me at the time, but I know I can handle it now. I'm a bit worried about getting all the button holes lined up, but hopefully it's not a big deal. We shall see. I sewed the outside of the skirt together last night, complete with pockets, and I hope to get the lining and whatnot done in the next day or so.

In reading news, I'm halfway through The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky and I am loving it. It was slow going at first, but I am really into it now and I have a feeling it will be a favorite. We shall see.

So that's it for me this week :) Head over to Gracey's Goodies to see what others have in the works!