In The Folds Barkly Skirt

 

I like a good skirt! Short skirts, well above the knee length, are often worn items in my wardrobe. These include both RTW and me-made. 

This pattern ticks a few boxes; 

• slightly A line, 
• pockets, 
• fitted waistline with no gathers or pleats.

The instructions were straight forward. Another plus was its many panels it can be cut out of a smallish piece of fabric.

Which leads me to the fabric. This was something I was gifted. The donor thought of me as it fits well in my colour pallet. And I like the combo with teal as worn here.

BUT, here’s the thing. It was very weighty fabric, more upholstery weight than garment weight. This is opposite to the problem I have had recently with too lightweight fabric!

I wore this a few times, and then donated it. I wonder if it found a new owner, and did they have the same experience as I did, and feel like they were wearing the sofa.

I will definitely make this skirt again, just choose the fabric with more care!

2023 Plans, Make Nine and Other Ideas

 

I love seeing everyone's ideas and plans for their sewing year ahead, and as always can't pass up a chance to record my own. 

Row 1: Hudson's Men's Pants (for Secondo son), Morgan Jeans (2 years in the queue so far), Mai Tai Dress.

Row 2: Mapua shorts (reworking a pair of Thai print pants), <10 pieces fabric, sew up this velvet which is donkey's years old.

Row 3: SH7 Free Range Pants (pattern and fabric have been in the queue for some time), Kingfisher top (with stash fabric), Stacker Jacket (in beautiful cord purchased for this project in 2022).

Although the more I sew, I find it harder to nail down a specific plan, and continue to have themes, but enjoy detours as well.

Themes this year are:

1 To try something new - Frocktails Auckland hopefully, but a 'frock' at least. I am planning a Mai Tai dress although curently do not have any fabric - I know, what a problem huh. I love the sound of Frocktails, and it seems the perfect excuse to make a more dressy frock. Thinking about the year ahead, I can see a couple of other opportunities that a new frock to wear would be fun.

2 I am still chasing that elusive goal to get the pieces of fabric down to less that 10. Currently it stands at 14 - hence the note on my sewing room board. I am aiming to keep this front and centre and really try to nail this.

3 Ditto digital patterns; I would like to have 6 or fewer in the sewing folder awaiting that vital next step to become a garment.

Along the way I do want to make up some pattern-and-fabric combos which are lying in wait.  This includes reworking some RTW garments and trying a top with fabric blocking.

So there it is recorded - let's get cracking!