Autumn Leaves Fall Gingerly

from Amy Butler's Twilight Peony in Saffron, available here

Finally squared!

I finally used this fabric as the centerpiece of a garment.  I used it as the hem band on my favorite summer dress, Serendipity Studio's Claire Cami  and continued to obsess about it and love the colors for Fall.  Because they go with my Fall Palette, I decided I must use it again.  So I FINALLY made Colette Pattern's Ginger skirt!

I went with version one, and really loved sewing the pattern.  It's super straightforward, and was very easy to fit and make additional design choices on.  I felt like my busy print didn't show off the pointed waistband enough so I added some contrasting topstitching to help outline it.

I already miss the warm weather that allowed for stolen sock-free days in October..

I will say that I find the wide waistband very flattering, but feel that because of the extreme difference between my hip and waist measurement  (it goes from 49 to 38 in less than a 6" rise..) I wished for a way to "snug up" the waistband so it doesn't feel gapey.  I don't believe it looks as if it gapey, but there's room there..  and I recently did faux shirring effect on a yet-to-be photoed project that should do the snuggy trick.  The shirred effect is created using wide sport elastic and the same technique Peter describes during his Boxer Sew-Along, only I do this only on the back waistband.  I did this on a 3" wide waistband, and am excited to try it again with another of the Ginger pattern's fancy waistbands, view 2.  I may even venture waaay out of the box for me and make this in A SOLID WOOL.  I pause as you all gasp of course, but I don't know how else I can rationalize adding any more skirts to my Fall Palette Challenge.  I have some lovely double-faced wool to choose from in plum, peacock, or a coral I'd like to say is akin to sunburn.  If I use the peacock blue it will go with the Winter palette of jewel tones I'm already fantasizing about...

In conclusion I love the a-line of Ginger, and this colorway goes with so many of my favorite sweaters and tops that it soothes me over my sadness over putting away my favorite summer dress for the season.  It looks great with my favorite Campus boots as well as the manly brogues pictured here.  A wardrobe staple worthy of every season!

Gossip Tree Circle Skirt

I muse upon circle skirts...

When Casey announced her Circle Skirt Sew-Along, I was very excited, because I love the blank canvas of a circle skirt.  Plus ever since Patty created her Circle Skirt Calculator, I've been plotting to add circle skirts to my wardrobe, so Casey was just adding to my motivation.

Note my awesome caramel super shiny vintage men's loafers..

Now truth be told, this adorable Tina Givens print (Gossip Tree from her Treetop Fancy line) was supposed to be a full circle skirt with 4 gores. The way the one way directional repeat worked in this print, I felt like it would be maximized by centering the gores on the directional (ironically, this attention to direction was paid immediately after cutting out my "Everyone Makes Mistakes" skirt, but before said mistake was discovered.)

Unfortunately, I cut out my last gore overlapping where I cut out the waist on my third gore, making it appear to have a butchered scalloped edge.  So it became a three-gore 3/4 circle skirt.  So it goes.

Honestly I love the way it hangs.  I finished the waist with bias tape cut from the same fabric and used an invisible zipper in center back following the great tutorial on the Coletterie.  I absolutely love how a shirt looks tucked into this non-waistband finish.  I have been so in love with belts and wide waistbands lately, I was surprised at how flattering this looks.

I finished with a simple rolled hem pressed 1/4", and then rolled another 1/4" and sewn once. My skirt is still plenty swingy as you can see.

So in recap here are the 3 circle skirts in my Fall Palette Wardrobe...

half-circle

3/4 circle cut in gores!

Full circle (fully lined in medium weight cotton)

Who can pick?  I love the economical use of fabric in a half-circle, but that extra quarter step to a 3/4s is so lovely in the draping.  It occurs to me that the soft fluid drape of the plaid suiting in my full circle is far less dramatic than the results with the stiffer fabric cut into gores with the 3/4s.  No matter I love them all.

But here is the true bliss of the circle skirt, no?

Self-Stitched September Wrap Up

collage created at Picnik