One of my goals this year is to try to make more clothes that I will wear – everyday basics that fit into my real world, mum-of-four lifestyle. And while I’d love to say that darling dresses and strappy heels were a huge part of that, t-shirts and jeans are the norm. However, darling dresses do figure in my sewing plans, so stay tuned for that in upcoming blog posts.
I was super excited to get the Renfrew Top by Sewaholic for my birthday. It’s such a versatile pattern. It can be a basic tee, or you can dress it up.
I wanted to test the fit, so started with I a wearable muslin in cotton jersey. I made the neck from view A and the sleeves from view B.
I made the size 16, but I think I need to go down a size, with a cheater FBA.
I made the size 16, based on my measurements. It all depends on how you like your tees to fit, and the stretchiness of your fabric, but I found the 16 to be large. The shoulders are quite loose, and the sides as well. I took in an inch on each side, (leaving the full width just under the arms for curvaceous reasons-ahem) and it’s still not especially fitted. Next time I will definitely go down a size, maybe two, and do a cheater FBA. I’m also considering shortening it a bit. But maybe without the band at the waist, it would be better. We’ll see.
I used a red cotton jersey.
Since this was a wearable muslin, I used simple cotton jersey. It’s soft, casual and comfortable and easy to wear.
I made the scoop neck from view A and the sleeves from view B.
The only change I made, was not to zigzag along the neckband. I did this in the back of the shirt, but I didn’t like the look, so I didn’t continue on the front. It’s a wearable muslin after all, so I think that’s fine. If I were making the cowl neck version, however, I might keep the zigzagging just to stabilize everything, since it wouldn’t show.
I zigzagged along the neck band in the back, but decided I didn’t like the look, so I skipped that step on the front of the shirt.
I don’t have a serger, but my sewing mating has an overlock stitch, similar to what you would find on a serger. Net time I have to remember to trim the seam allowances so that the insides are more neatly finished. The pattern uses 5/8 inch seam allowances, which is fine for sergers and sewing machines when using a narrow zigzag stitch. But my overlock stitch works with 1/4 inch seam allowances.
The shirt is really comfortable, but a bit loose in the shoulders.
Overall, this is a really good pattern. The instructions are very clear and the whole thing comes together in an afternoon. Next time, I’ll try the cowl neck in a different fabric.
Since this is a wearable muslin, (kindly worded) fitting suggestions are welcome!
Of course I’d rather be sewing, but I’ve had a whiny toddler in a cast for the past three weeks, so all my sewing has been virtual.
Lately I’ve been reading the Collette Wardrobe Architect series. One of the things that I’d love to do better is sew things that better reflect my style. When I sew for my self, I find I’m using the wrong fabric, sewing for the wrong shape, or just playing it too safe. Basically, I’m ending up with the wrong clothes. And yet, when I go shopping, that doesn’t seem to happen as often.
So I went virtual shopping at Polyvore, dreamed up some imaginary outfits, and now I’m going to try to match them up to real patterns (hopefully ones I already own) and maybe, eventually, sew some of them up. Can you help? I’ve matched these up as best I can, but maybe you see a better match. Let me know in the comments, if you do.
As a web developer in real life, I don’t have to wear a suit, but I do have to look serious at meetings. Black is always good, and it’a colour I like. For this I was thinking the Archer shirt. But the skirt is tough. I haven’t really seen many asymmetric skirts. There is this one on Burdastyle, but it isn’t really the same.
Not sure about this one. It’s Lanvin and sells for $3,000. I can safely say I am unlikely to ever spend that much on a single piece of clothing. But it sure is pretty. It’s a little like the BurdaStyle Cowl Dress 10/2012 #118A, but there must be a better match with a similar neckline, no?
So that was my imaginary sewing. Can you tell I miss having the time to sew? And thanks in advance for any help you can offer in tracking down patterns that are a better for than what I’ve found.
You may have seen that the Pantone colour of the year, for 2014, is Radiant Orchid. I was so excited when I saw the colour, because for the last couple of years, the colour of the year has been just a little outside of my colour palette, and finally, this year, it isn’t.
But what to sew?
I have been hoarding this beautiful piece of Bromley voile from Warp & Weft, in just the right shade of purple. It’s really pretty and very soft.
Bromley voile in brown from the Breeze collection by the Victoria & Albert Museum for Westminster Fibers.
I had just the pattern in mind. This summer, Jeni Baker of In Color Order was one of the stops on The Staple Dress Blog Hop. It featured The Staple Dress by April Rhodes and I was lucky enough to win their giveaway.
The Staple Dress sewing pattern by April Rhodes.
The Staple Dress, is a super simple, whip-up-in-a-day, pattern. There are only a few pattern pieces, no darts, little fitting, no closures and no fussy details. I made the version with the straight hem and with pockets. (Who wouldn’t add the pockets?)
The Staple Dress in Bromley voile from Warp & Weft, sewn by Shannon of The Finished Garment.
The toughest part was adding the elastic thread shirring. I’ve used thistechnique before and it was a breeze.
Adding shirring at the waist was a breeze.Check out those stitches.
I received the paper pattern, but you can also get the pattern as a PDF. I prefer paper, since I don’t have to tape things together and the instructions come in a handy booklet.
I found the instructions very easy to follow and extremely thorough. This is definitely a good project for a beginner. It’s hard to go wrong.
The dress has simple facings.
I made the large, though the finished measurements said it might be snug. I wanted to be sure that the dress wasn’t too blousy, especially with a fabric that doesn’t have too much drape, and the unstructured design of the Staple Dress. In the end there was plenty of room.
The only problem I had was that the waist is really high (by design). The high (but not empire) waist ended up being very unflattering on a curvy, long-waisted girl like me. So I had to undo the shirring and move it all down, and I moved the pockets down as well by three inches.
I used a wide hem, in case I have second thoughts later on.
The only other thing I changed was to make the dress a bit shorter. I’m 5’5″, and I ended up shortening the dress by 2 inches. I also made the dress hem a wide one, instead of the recommended narrow one, in case I change my mind about that shorter skirt later on.
Would I make this again? Yes. It’s super easy to sew. Though I think next time I would either use a draper fabric, maybe even a knit (you can see some examples here and here) in a smaller size, or add darts, for a bit more shaping. But overall, I’m pretty happy with the results. It’s a nice, simple, comfortable dress, that I can just throw on, and that fits well with my lifestyle. And of course, it’s the perfect colour for 2014.
Fabric: Bromley voile in brown from the Breeze collection by the Victoria & Albert Museum for Westminster Fibers, courtesy Warp & Weft Exquisite Textiles.
Size: L.
Sewing Level: Beginner.
Modifications: I lowered the pockets by 3 inches, lowered the waist shirring, shortened the dress by 2 inches, and used a wide hem.
Results: A quick and easy project that would be great for a beginner.
The Staple Dress in Bromley voile from Warp & Weft, sewn by Shannon of The Finished Garment.
C’est orchidée la couleur Pantone de 2014, alors voici une petite robe très simple pour commencer la nouvelle année. Le patron est ‘The Staple Dress’, un projet à fabriquer dans un après-midi, et apte pour même les débutants.
I have been slowly rebuilding my wardrobe with some basic everyday clothing. After four pregnancies, all pretty close together, my wardrobe is in rough shape. I’ve also changed shape, and so my old clothes just don’t fit right. Rather than battle the clothes racks with four kids in tow, I’ve decided to make what I can.
This is my latest project, the Ginger skirt by Colette. It’s a simple, high-waisted a-line shirt, fitted in the hips with an invisible zipper.
Me in my Ginger skirt.
I used a super soft baby cord, which is the same fabric I used to make pants for my kids. They think this is hilarious. Ha! Just wait till high school, kids.
I cut the size 18, based on my waist measurements, but I ended up taking in two inches, and I could have taken it a bit more in the hips. Next time, I’ll cut a 14, graded out to a 16 waist.
At first I thought the 18 looked ok. But it wasn’t lying smooth over the front of my hips. So I scoured the internet looking for similar body shapes, in the same skirt, and with the same problem, and they all had their skirts quite low on the waist. So I raised the waist and took in the sides and the skirt fit so much better. It was a whole new garment. I’m honestly not used to such a high-waisted skirt. Most ready-to-wear a-line skirts are designed to sit lower, but I do like the look. Next time, I’ll also take the skirt in a little more in the hips.
I took this photo before I raised the waist and took in the waistband. You can see how it’s not smooth in the front.This photo was taken afterwards, and it fits so much better.
Adjusting the fit was quite easy. So if you are a bit larger than the largest size (or smallest than the smallest size), you shouldn’t have too much trouble grading up (or down) a size or two and still getting good results.
Ginger A-line Skirt Pattern by Colette Patterns.
I made version 3, which has a straight waistband , and is cut on the bias. With baby cord, the results are not quite as dramatic as the chevron stripe pattern shown on the pattern packaging, but it does make for a really nice hanging skirt. Even my husband mentioned that it hung really nicely, and with no prompting (!!!). Using baby cord also means you don’t need to worry about matching the stripes.
You can just see how the bias cut skirt makes a chevron pattern, but it’s very subtle in baby cord.
The skirt has an invisible zipper, which went in really easily.
What do you think? Is that zipper invisible enough for you?
I added some very thin tricot interfacing to the skirt before adding the zipper, to stabilize it. But because the skirt was cut on the bias, it was still a little stretchy, so I also used bias tape on the seam edges, a suggestion from a couture sewing book, and this worked very well.
Here you can see the inside of the invisible zipper where I’ve used bias table to help stabilize.
Hemming was a bit of an adventure. I let the skirt hang for a few days before I started. I had read how Sunni of A Fashionable Stitch has Mr Stitch help her with her hemming. So I gave it a shot. I can now confirm, that while Mr Garment has many superpowers, garment hemming is not one of them. He’s pretty good with compliments though (see above). Needless to say, I had to re-hem. Luckily, my hems usually fall pretty straight, so I guess I’ll just continue t0 hem on my own. I think next time, I’ll go a couple inches shorter as well. What do you think?
I didn’t line the skirt and simply zigzagged the seams. It’s a corduroy skirt, after all.
I used quilting cotton to line the waistband, since it’s pretty and more comfortable and cuts down bulk.
At first I was a bit shocked by the price of the pattern. I paid $18, which, for a simple a-line skirt pattern, is a lot. (You can get the PDF version for $12, which is better). But I wanted to try a Collette pattern (this is my first), and it was a gift as well (though I picked it out myself). I’ve found that the fit is really quite nice, and I will use the pattern again, so overall, still a worthwhile purchase.
I tried to get another photo session organized, but what are those white marks on my skirt?Oh you think that’s funny? (Those white marks are tiny hand prints made of baby powder). Thanks kid!
I really like this pattern. It has a really nice fit, and is quick to sew, but also has a lot of room for creativity, if you are feeling up to a challenge. I’ll almost certainly make it again.
You know when you finally finish that great pattern that looks super cute on everyone (everyone!), and then you put it on and it looks just terrible (truly!) on you. That.
It’s possibly not a total fail. I am hoping that later tonight after a couple glasses of wine, it can be upgraded to “wearable” (sigh). Possibly it will have to be (double sigh) up-cycled. And no, no photos yet. It’s raining and I am unmotivated to wrestle dress, light, camera and photobombing toddlers into place.
I am especially discouraged because I dutifully made up a muslin. I even muslined the sleeve (the &^&%#$#ing sleeve folks!), which fit well, by the way. And I tried it on as I was sewing, and only when I got to the buttons (arrrrrrgh!) did it become apparent that this would not be wearable. And it isn’t even the pattern, or the fit, it is that style on my body. Did I mention the fabric had an especially nice drape? @%$#*!
Eventually I will share photos. (And no, it is not the men’s shirt that I’m also working on).
To borrow from Mad Men, you might put a Betty in a Joan dress, but you can’t really put a Joan in a Betty dress. And I am clearly in the Joan camp. And this is a Betty dress.
For the record I am in the rectangular/hourglass camp, and curvy on top. Let’s just say that the FBA is a good friend of mine 😉 And I still have a bit of baby belly to work on (four kids will do that to you). In other words, I am human.
So while I wait for a less rainy day, I thought I would take the time to jot down a few styles which I have proven do not look good on me, so that when a new and exciting pattern comes out I can check this list and remind myself that the following do not look good on me. (Though they may be smashing on you, in which case, carry on, nothing to see here).
What Looks Bad On Me
peter pan collars
pussy bow blouses
fitted capris and short shorts
high waisted bodices with gathered skirts
empire waists
short and cropped and/or boxy jackets
tiny upper pockets
smock-style tunics/dresses
drop waists
pleated pants
tea-length skirts, unless quite fitted
strapless dresses
anything with gathering at the bust
low v-necks (a bit too “hey mister!”, if you know what I mean)
details that are too small
ruffles (often but not always)
You know the patterns I’m talking about!
And this is what I should remind myself to get instead, possibly along with some new fabric in my colour palette.
What Looks GoodOn Me
pencil skirts
long, fitted tops
a-line (most of the time)
longer, tailored jackets
cowl necks, square necks, scoop necks
shift dresses, especially with sleeves
wrap dresses (when they have enough coverage)
boot cut jeans, skinny jeans
flat front pants
3/4 sleeves
stretch knits
I also have a request of you, dear reader. Which sewing bloggers do you know, who are shaped like yours truly?
I feel like I should be following more people who sew things that look good on a me-shaped body and that I should find some more kindred souls so that it is less tempting to copy the super cute, petite and/or waiflike sewists stitching up some terribly adorable peter pan collars and such. (And that is sincerely not meant as a slight to the peter pan collar or the petite sewist! Do carry on!)
So send your links my way so I have something to read with my glass of wine tonight. Bonus points if you can suggest some great curve-friendly patterns.
So where have I been, you may be asking? Each I year I co-organize an open source tech conference. It was on June 29-30. It is huge and crazy and getting through the pile of laundry afterwards is an amazing feat. But I am officially back in my usual, crazy, mum-of-four swing of things.
My first job has been to tame the email, and what was awaiting me there? A prize!
Yes, I am one of the official winners of the shorts on the line giveaway. My prize is the Kid Shorts by MADE. It looks really cute and I can’t wait to try it out. And since it fits kids 12 months to size 10, that means I’ll have to make four. Shorts, shorts, shorts! Thanks to Rachel of Imagine Gnats and Carla of Small + Friendly for organizing both the Shorts on the Line contest (which I also entered) and the giveaway. And thanks to Dana of MADE for donating the prize.
Kid Shorts by MADE (used with permission)
And what else did I get to now that life is getting back to normal… the fabric store!
It’s about 40 degrees with the humidex during the day here in Montreal – unbearably hot and humid. I kept seeing all the local mums in these fabulously comfortable jersey maxi dresses. I’ve been having babies for so long now that my (non-maternity) wardrobe is just pitiful, so I figured it was time for some summer sewing for me.
McCall’s M 6760 Misses’ Dress and Jumpsuit and some spongey bamboo jersey.
This is some really soft, really spongey bamboo jersey and McCall’s M 6760. The photo makes the fabric look darker than it is. It’s actually a medium grey and medium-weight. Now that I’ve blogged it I will be forced to sew it. No procrastinating allowed!
I know, I know, all the dresses on the pattern envelope are made of georgette or some other airy fabric, but definitely not knit fabric. But there it was on the back of the envelope, “jersey”.
And the bonus is that with jersey, I won’t need to line it or use an invisible zipper. I’m just a bit concerned that the jersey might be a bit heavy and weigh too much on the waistband, but we will soon find out. The waistband is meant to be interfaced, but then it won’t be as comfortable. Hmmm. dilemma, dilemma. I love the fabric, but I could also do a glorified t-shirt maxi dress instead. Maybe a bit dull, in grey though. What would you do? Suggestions welcome.
I hope you had a good Easter. Mine was great. This year, the Easter bunny brought me vintage patterns! They are so much more exciting than chocolate and last longer too. Let’s take a look.
Look at all those new patterns!
I know! Soooo many patterns.
A little while ago I posted an article on a bunch of patterns that my mother gave me. Well, my husband’s aunt saw the article and thought I might like her old patterns too. So generous!
I can’t show them all, so here are the ones I’m most likely to sew.
The blouse is Style 3351 from 1981. Next is a bias skirt, McCalls 3296, from 2001. Finally Simplicity 7254 from 1975, an apron.
There is a nice blouse (Style 3351) from the early 1980s, but it’s got 1970s styling. There is McCall’s 3296, which is a bias-cut skirt. There is also a fishtail version, but I think I’ll stick with the classic a-line skirt. Another good one is Simplicity 7254, an apron from 1975. I can’t believe I have no apron patterns at all, and yet I am in need of an apron.
This is McCalls 5861, from 1992: jacket, tank dress or top, skirt & pants or shorts.
This is another one that looks nice. McCall’s 5861, from 1992 includes a tank top and dress with Made-For-You A-B-C-D cup sizing. I think it might make a nice summer dress.
Simplicity 7412, from 1976: child’s dress and capelet. A French jumper pattern from Modes et Travaux. Simplicity 1434; ca. 1955/56; boy’s pajamas in two lengths.
But the real gems are in the children’s patterns. Here we have Simplicity 7412, from 1976. Clearly, it’s a first communion dress, but without the capelet (and maybe a bit more length) it’s quite cute. Then there is this French pattern for a jumper by Modes et travaux. And my favourite is the boys pyjamas. They are pull-on with no buttons! My kids are pretty allergic to buttons, and this pattern has a really nice, unique neckline.
Butterick 7602: Quick & Easy boys’ & girls’ sport shirt. Simplicity 1785 Child’s Mandarin Pajamas, robe, and matching doll coat, from the 1950s. Simplicity 4636; ca. 1962; child’s hooded jacket and pants.
And finally, these were the most unusual kids’ patterns. I’m not sure I’ll be sewing them, but the 1950s styling is interesting. First there is Butterick 7602, a pull-on shirt. I’ve never seen a shirt with this type of neckline. Next is Simplicity 1785, a child’s mandarin pyjamas and robe. So 1950s! And finally a ski suit: Simplicity 4636.
A big thank you to both the Easter bunny and my husband’s aunt (name omitted to protect her from the notoriety of sewing blog fame )!
It’s similar to Colette‘s seasonal colour palettes, but more long-term. The idea is that once you know what your colour palette is, you can better choose what to make.
Here’s mine.
My personal wardrobe colour palette.
These are the colours I like the most, and that I enjoy wearing. I can see the lime, turquoise and ballerina pink fitting in with a spring wardrobe, while the chocolate-brown and tangerine would work well for fall.
I did a second colour chart with fabric swatches from some of the nicer online fabric stores. It definitely confirmed that I was on the right track. You should try it!
This colour palette is more aspirational than actual. I’ve had four kids in the last 7 years, which means that most of my wardrobe consists of maternity wear. I’m starting at square one. It’s liberating and frustrating at the same time.
It’s liberating because I can justify making a lot of clothing. Yay! But frustrating because a lot of what I see on online sewing blogs, while beautiful and inspirational, just isn’t me.
In a similar vein, you can also read how this blogger (sallieoh) inspired this blog post by Joanne at Stitch and Witter, which in turn inspired this other blog post by Sunni at a Fashionable Stitch about embracing your own personal style. I’m not sure which article is the most inspiring, or if the real inspiration is the blogosphere cross-pollination.
I’m starting with colour. I like bold colours. I like stripes and houndstooth and strong geometric patterns, but I like solids even more, especially black. I like tailored clothing that is inspired by street wear and menswear. I like asymmetrical, minimalist, and modern. (You can see some Pinterest fashion inspiration here and here.)
So you won’t see a lot of peter pan collars, or tiny florals around here, but that just means you’ll see a lot more of me.
So you want to make Megan Nielsen’s Kelly skirt, but it doesn’t come in your size? Whether you need a plus size like XXL, or 3X, or a smaller size, like XXS there is an easy solution – grading the pattern.
What is Pattern Grading?
Grading a pattern just means to take a pattern up or down a size, or more. There are many ways to grade a pattern, and lots of articles on how to do this. It can be a complex process, depending on the pattern. But it doesn’t have to be. In fact, if you have never graded a pattern, the Kelly Skirt is the perfect one to start with.
This skirt fits waists between 26 and 34 inches (66-86 cm). In commercial pattern sizes, that translates roughly to sizes 12 to 20. That is a pretty good range, but we can easily extend that range.
This week I published my own version of the Kelly Skirt and I mentioned that it is an easy pattern to grade. I recently had my fourth baby, and although I would normally be a size large in the Megan Nielsen size range, my waist is (temporarily I hope!) larger than the largest size included in the pattern. I graded the pattern up a size. I am not an expert pattern grader, this is just the way I graded the pattern. Since it worked out well, I thought I’d share.
Getting Started
In order to grade the pattern, you will need to trace the pattern onto tracing paper, with a few simple modifications. If you have never traced a pattern before, I suggest you read “How to Trace Sewing Patterns” by Sunni on a Fashionable Stitch. There are also some good photos of the process here.
You will need tracing paper, a pencil and a ruler.
A Little Math
You will start by comparing your measurements to the closest pattern size. You can ignore the bust measurement completely. Because the skirt is gathered and has a fair bit of room in the hips, in most cases, you can just look at the waist measurement. However, if you have very large hips, compared to your waist, you may need to make more complex modifications. For this tutorial, we’ll assume your hips and waist are roughly proportional.
What measurements to look at when grading the Kelly skirt.
Going Up a Size
If you are going up a size, compare your waist to body measurements for the largest pattern size. The waist measurement given for the XL size is 34 inches. My waist is 37 inches at the moment. That means I need to add 3 inches to the XL size.
Make sure you are looking at the body measurements and not the finished garment measurements. The finished garment measurement won’t be skin-tight, it should have some ease or breathing room, so that the clothing will be comfortable to wear. This pattern has around 3/4 of an inch of ease at the waist. Professional pattern graders adjust the ease in very precise ways, but we’ll just use the ease of the closest size (XL or XS).
Going Down a Size
If you are going down a size, compare your waist to the to body measurements for the smallest pattern size. The waist measurement given for the XS size is 26 inches. If you have a 24 inch waist, you would need to subtract 2 inches from the XS size. Again, make sure you are looking at the body measurements and not the finished garment measurements.
Modifying the Pattern Pieces
There are only 5 pattern pieces in the Kelly Skirt.
There are only five pattern pieces for the Kelly skirt.
Pocket Facing and Pocket Lining
You will trace the pocket facing and pocket lining as they are. These two pieces don’t change when the skirt size changes.
The Waistband
The waistband is a single piece that circles the waist. In the XL size, this piece is made for a 34 inch waist. Because I have a 37 inch waist, I need to add 3 inches of length to this piece. I added the length to the XL size at the end without the markings, just because it is a little easier that way. Don’t forget to transfer all the markings to your tissue paper. If you are going down a size, subtract the amount you need from the XS size. This will shorten the waistband.
Keep in mind that the piece won’t measure exactly 37 inches after my modification. That is because the length of the pattern piece also includes seam allowances.
I write the changes I’ve made directly on the tracing paper as a reminder.
The modified waistband for the Kelly skirt.
The Skirt Front and Skirt Back
The skirt front and skirt back need to be modified as well. I need to add 3 inches, but I need to split this amount between the two seams that join those pieces together. That means I need to add 1.5 inches to each seam, and 0.75 inches to each pattern piece at that seam.
Modifications to the back of the Kelly skirt.
The skirt back is cut on the fold. I just extended out the side that is not on the fold by o.75 inches. Because the piece is on the fold, that amount fill be added to each side of the pattern piece.
You will also have to move the markings for the pleats on the skirt back. If you don’t, the pleats might look a bit odd, and strangely placed. If you are going up a size, starting from the markings for the XL size, for two inches that you added to the waistband, move the pleat markings out, away from the fold, by 1/4 inch. (The pleat markings are more precisely spaced than 1/4 inch intervals, but this number will serve as a good approximation for us.) If you are going down a size, starting from the markings for the XS size, for two inches that you subtracted from the waistband, move the pleat markings in, toward from the fold, by 1/4 inch. There are three lines that need to be moved.
Modifications to the front of the Kelly skirt.
The skirt front is in two pieces. I extended out the side with the curve for the pocket by 0.75 inches. This adds 0.75 inches to each piece. Again, I moved the markings for the pleats over exactly the same way as for the skirt back.
These are the changes I made to the Kelly skirt.
What about the skirt length?
If you are going down a size, it’s probably a good idea to keep the length of the XS size, unless you are also shorter than average. After all, it is easier to take the hem up a little more than to be stuck with a skirt that is shorter than you were expecting.
If you are going up a size, you can probably also stick with the XL length, unless you are also taller than average. I used the length of the XL skirt and I’m quite happy with the results. However, you need to make sure that there is enough skirt so that when you are sitting, you can sit on the skirt, and not on the hem. If you are quite a bit larger than the pattern XL size, and your pattern modifications are substantial, you may also want to add some length so that you can sit comfortably. The finished skirt length of the XL size is 23 inches. Compare this to a skirt you own, to see if this is sufficient.
What next?
That’s it! Now assemble the skirt following the instructions.
Kelly Skirt by Megan Nielsen in linen with black piping.
I hope you have found this useful. If you have any tips for making this process a little easier, please leave them in the comments.
They’re here! Finally! I ordered a batch of Vogue sewing patterns during the big February sale. Vogue patterns were only $2.99, and Butterick and McCalls were $0.99. Those are great prices, especially for new and current patterns. But I’m sure there is one burning question on your mind…
How long does it take Vogue, McCall’s or Butterick patterns to be delivered to Canada?
(Don’t care? Then just scroll down to see some pics. )
The Vogue website says that for Canadian orders, “please allow up to three weeks for delivery”.
I ordered my patterns on February 15 in the wee hours of the morning. Baby must have known I needed new patterns and thoughtfully kept me awake. One week later I received a shipping notification, but without a tracking number. The message said “your tracking number will be sent when it is available”, but it was never sent. Oh well.
Shipping prices were quite reasonable. I was charged $12. Simplicity patterns, by comparison, cost about $30 and up in shipping for Canadian orders.
The patterns arrived today. It took three weeks less a day. And the tracking number was prominently attached to the box. And with that I can find out that the patterns were picked up from the warehouse in Mississauga just two days ago. Oh well. It’s still the best price.
And now the really important question. What should I make first? My new patterns!
The Finished Garment 