Simplicity 2449

I made this skirt back in April, and I was really happy with how it turned out!  I saw this beautiful embroidered linen/rayon blend fabric at Joann Fabrics and I knew that it would make a great skirt.  It has a nice weight to it and it flows nicely while still giving it structure.  I love the color (I seem to gravitate towards blue fabrics, it seems). The pattern was described as "easy to sew" so it only took me a few hours to make, even as a beginner!

I made view E with the cute tie in the front.  The tie is actually sewn into the side seams and only shows in the front so it's not meant to be functional.  I accidentally sewed one of the ties a bit too high so when I folded over the casing it pulled the top of the tie over too, but it's not really noticeable if you don't know about it. The skirt has an elastic waistband so it's very easy to put together (once I learned the ol' attach-a-safety-pin-to-the-elastic-and-guide-it-through-the-casing trick; that one is brilliant!).

The weird thing is I can't really remember much about making this skirt other than the fact that it was very quick to put together.  I cut out the paper pattern, the fabric, and put the whole thing together during the day on a Saturday and then wore it to dinner that night!  That's my kind of project!  I don't think I had any significant issues with it at all; because the waist is elastic, I could make it as tight as I needed so I didn't have any fit issues even though I think I was still in my making-size-12 phase.  This skirt probably set me back on my discovery of a 12 being too big since I was able to make it fit so well and it didn't occur to me until just now that the elastic is the reason why...this is why talking it out helps!  Thanks guys!  Blogging rocks!  Probably would have helped me back in April, huh?

I think this might have been the project when I first learned about the concept of finishing seams (ya know, just that little detail.  No biggie or anything).  I pinked all of the seams because I could tell this fabric would fray if left raw, and it's holding together just fine.  At the time, this was definitely the best thing I had made and it looked the most professional.  People at work would ask me if I made it and then when I said yes they were actually surprised and were like "no you didn't!"  Uh, yeah...I did.

I think I might actually bring the hem up another inch or two so that it hits right above my knee and not at the spot where my calves start.  Seeing it in picture form really helps me to see that even though I own a mirror and never really noticed that before.

If I made it again with a similar fabric, I might consider adding a lining because it is a little bit scratchy.  It's not really that bad, but I can imagine how nice a lining might feel against my legs.  I'd like to make some of the other views of this pattern, especially the gathered version because that looks fun!

Simplicity 2226

Back in April, I bought Simplicity 2226 at a pattern sale because I wanted to finally make a skirt I was happy with, and this pattern was part of the "Learn to Sew" collection (well yes, that is what I'd like to do thankyouverymuch).

I had no idea that Noodlehead hosted a sew-a-long of this exact pattern last November and that I could have found about a million examples of it on other blogs (along with trials, tribulations, and helpful hints).  Oh well, I'm not a cheater (just kidding; that's not cheating, I'm just bitter at missing out!).  I want to say though that these Learn to Sew patterns are really great for beginners such as myself because you really do learn quite a few new skills with each one (and hopefully you'll master at least one!  If you put together the fractional amounts that I mastered of each skill, I probably mastered like 1 and a 1/2 skills!)

I used a Lisette floral cotton fabric because I made this in April and I thought it seemed very "springy." This fabric wrinkles more than an 80 year-old woman who spent 8 hours a day every day of her life laying out and smoking cigarettes.  And drinking.  Lots of drinking, but never water.  That is how wrinkled this fabric gets just by my looking at it.  It is comfortable though and very cool in the hot Texas weather.

I learned a few more things with this pattern, which is good seeing as I was promised that I would "learn to sew" with this pattern.

Pockets!  I can put stuff in them!  Like...my hands!  (Have you ever noticed the abundance of patterns that are super pocket-happy?  There are like formal ball gowns with secret pockets in the seams.  Why??  I usually have a purse).  I had some frustrating times with pockets on the purse I made, but these were actually pretty easy after I figured out some of the sewing terminology (i.e. pocket vs. pocket facing, yoke, carrier, etc.  Just say what you mean!  Why the code words?  Is this a secret club?  Am I cool because I know these secret code words?).

My first zipper!  It is definitely far from perfect (I really didn't get the instructions that well, and now I am a total invisible zipper convert so I still don't know how to put one of these in), but it zips and keeps gravity from pants-ing (er, skirtsing?) me in public.  Score!  I ignored the hook and eye at the top because...I just did.  I learned so many other things; I didn't want to push it.  Do you believe that?  Me either.  I just didn't want to, ok!

This skirt started off a series of garments where I attempted to actually sew the size the pattern said I should.  It should not have been a series of garments; it should have only been this one, but I never said I was one to learn my lesson quickly.  Let's just say it was research and I was making sure that a 12 was too big through having more trials as proof.

Well...a 12 is too big.  You can't tell (which is a good thing), but I can see my feet by pulling my skirt away from my body.  I'd say it's like a good 3 to 4 inches out.  It's probably meant to sit closer to my true waist, but it's definitely a low-rise skirt, which I can't say isn't comfortable, but it's definitely too big.  Because it sits so low on my hips, I had to cut off a good 5 inches or so in length, and I could probably chop off some more but I want to be able to wear this to work.

All in all, I like it and it's a practical skirt that I've worn a few times. I'm sure I will continue to wear it in the future, but I might decide to make it shorter and not wear it to work; there is something about the length that I don't think I like now that I see it in pictures.  Hmmm...

Simplicity 2184 - Again

Jumping back to the past again, in March I had another go at Simplicity 2184 but opted for the full length this time for variety.

I bought fabric for it the same day I bought this pattern and the fabric for my first skirt, which was also the first time I had ever bought a pattern or fabric before.  My qualification for whether or not to purchase it was "ooooooo, pretty..." (although honestly, I can't really claim that things aren't still that way as I really don't know my fabrics all that well).  I saw this pink, flowery, crinkly fabric (I'm pretty sure that's the official term for this type of fabric: "crinkly."  You all know exactly what I'm talking about...just nod and smile).  It's certainly a beautiful fabric with a great flowyness (ok, spellcheck insists that is not a word; neither is "flowy" or "flowey" so just go with it), but it was definitely not easy to sew with and it frayed like mad!  (It's not crepe, chenille, chantilly, or chellis...ugh, what is this fabric called!  It starts with a C though, I think...and although I know how well I sold it, "crinkly" isn't actually a type of fabric.  Sorry to crush your spirit there).

I'm pretty meh about this skirt.  I did wear it to work once and got a lot of compliments and "you made thats???" (which of course I have to admit I like, although sometimes I wear things and people ask if I made it and I say yes, and then they tell me something like "seriously? I didn't really think you did I just thought I would ask since you sew." Then why ask??  Is that a compliment...? I think it's meant to be.  If I said "nope, not this one" what would the response be?  Seems like a set up for an awkward moment to me).

First of all, I wanted the skirt to go all the way to the floor, and clearly it doesn't (even with a narrow hem).  I'm 5'7" so I guess I should get used to adding an inch or two and if it's too long I can always shorten, but I can't lengthen (and I can't really shorten myself either, so that's out).  I can't remember what size I made, but I think I went with the same size as the first version of the skirt that was too small because clearly I learned that lesson so well the first time I decided to try it again assuming either I magically shrank or suddenly the size meant something different.  The fabric doesn't have any stretch to it either, so I ended up, once again, with a too tight skirt across the hips.  (Those damn hips).  I, once again, eeked out as much space as possible in my seam allowances, but I think the culprets in this skirt were the godets.

Yes, godets.  I learned what those were in the making of this skirt because there were like 50 of them (or 4, you decide which of those numbers is more accurate).  I learned that I kind of hate them and they are jerks (at least as a newby I really did...I haven't tried anything involving them again so I don't know if we can be friends yet).  Those are some tough little buggers to sew because of the odd way they come together at a point.  They also make pattern matching extremely difficult (but who am I kidding?  I didn't even try it anyway).

I also learned that this fabric is SHEER (is it crinkled gauze?  I seriously want to say challis, but I know that isn't right.  But it's see-through, crinkle fabric).  I had no clue how to line anything or even what to use, but I knew that I wanted it to be light and I knew we were coming up on summer in Texas (which runs from about March until December; it's like our only real season) so I didn't want anything too hot.  I went with a cotton muslin (still have no clue if that is the right choice) and I basically just traced the skirt laid out, cut double, sewed side seams and attached it when I attached the waistband.  Voila.  A serviceable lining by someone who had absolutely no clue what she was doing!

CHIFFON!!!  That's the word that has escaped me!  That's the fabric.  Well I feel better now.  I'm sure glad I didn't make too big of a deal out of remembering it...would be silly to make a mountain out of a molehill.  Yeah...

Two thoughts on this: what is up with the extra skin pooling at my elbows? Oh, 20's how I miss you and your skin elasticity.  Secondly, I need a wide brown woven leather belt.  That would really help this outfit.  As is, I'm just not feeling it and don't know if this will get much wear.  I do think it's a nice pattern though, even if my two attempts were not amazing (mostly due to my errors...and repeated errors, not the pattern itself).  Maybe I'll tackle it again because I really do want a maxi skirt that goes all the way to the floor.