The Finish Line - One Pattern, Many Looks Version 1

Well I haven’t posted much this month but that is because I have been sewing muchly :) I had intended to post weekly updates about my progress in the OPML but time kinda got away from me.

Buuuutttttt I managed to complete 4 skirts for the contest and posted my entry up late last night. I was short of my intended 7 but I think I was being wildly optimistic there, I actually had to spend my lunch break at work hand stitching version 4 on Tuesday to ensure I got it finished, I have version 5 cut out and the yoke put together  but ran out of time to put it together. I think I’ll finish it at a more leisurely pace.

Wanna see what I made?

Ok let’s start with....

Version 1

 

I wanted this to be a straight up rendition of the pattern; I made some pretty big changes to the back pattern piece and wanted to check out the fit.  I’ve read the theory on fixing this issue but I could never get the prescribed methods to work. Instead I have come up with my own fix my patented Bum Deal Alteration*.

This is what I started with drag lines and excess fabric below the yoke

 

To resolve this I removed the darts, unpicked the waistband from the centre back to the side seam, put the skirt back on, pined out the centre back seam and got my pin monkey other half to pin the yoke on back on to the back of the skirt. The imperfections really show up in the picture below (which I only thought to take last night) but when I was looking in the mirror it didn’t look so bad and there is definitely less dragage so I went with it.

When I transferred the alterations to the pattern I started by removing the wedge out the centre back which measures approx. 2cm at the top of the skirt and rand down to 0 about 20cm down. Not wanting the centre back line to be off grain (important for a future version) I pivoted the adjustment out though the side seam using this method. you can see the effect of the changes on the pattern below.

My final alteration was to peg in the side seam 2cm at the hem to nothing at the hips.

I created this version in stretch denim and used a cute remnant of pale blue humming bird print quilting cotton for the pockets and lining.

Enough wafffle? wanna see the finished item? Tired of me asking you questions?

 

Oh yeah I'm terrible at posing! 

Getting better.

Yeah, work it, work it!

You can see i could have done with removing a 

little more from the top of the skirt pattern

Pretty on the inside

A pretty good attempt at a lapped zipper






Oh yeah, it snowed! England came to a stand still and I got to have a snow day and had a chance to test drive my skirt in a snowball fight!

All in all I'm really happy with this skirt. The fit isnt 100% and i may un-pick the back and take out a little from the under the yoke. But this skirt is really flattering and comfy and I think I'll get a load of wear from it.

Tomorrow I will post up the next version - Version 2 - but if you want a sneak preview you can find my full review and all 4 versions here 

* Patent pending (honest)

Making Plans - One pattern, many looks

 

January is usually a pretty quiet month and expecting plenty of sewing time ahead I entered the Pattern Review One Pattern Many Looks contest back at the start of the month. Things have gotten a little more crazier and I promise I will post about that soon.... are you on tender hooks yet? I’m still intending to enter the OPML contest but I had originally considered entering 6/7 items but I think this may have to be scaled back a bit but we will see how I get on...

When I learned of the One Patten Many Looks contest (take one pattern make as many different versions of chosen pattern as your heart desires, minimum of 2, using minimal pattern cutting skills, to even the playing field)   I thought this sounded ideal for me to kick start 2013s sewing, I know many sewists hate the idea of sewing the same pattern more than once but my philosophy is if you have taken the time to alter the pattern and gotten the perfect fit you may as well get your mileage out of it. A quick peak in my wardrobe reveals 2 Burda Kasia skirts, 3 pairs of wide-leg trousers made from my own pattern and 4 (yes 4) dresses based on the contour bust dress also from the Burda style site.

So I know I'm happy to keep sewing the same pattern but what to make? After a quick delve in to my pattern hoard I came up for air with Simplicity 2451, I brought the pattern over a year ago on the basis that view C is almost identical to my go to denim skirt I brought about 5 years ago and still wear regularly, even though it has the usual fit issues I have in the bum area of all RTW. So what could be better than my favourite skirt except with better fit and more various fabric options?

So with my pattern chosen I have decided to impose one more rule upon myself. Everything I use in this contest must come from my stash, everything! My stash is huge! Humungous! Fabric, buttons trims, zippers!  and over the past few years I have put far more into it, either through purchases of donations from friends and family, than I have taken out of it to produce wearable garments and it has become pretty daunting just looking at it... But I know I have some great stuff in there, now is the time to make some great stuff from it!