Back in the very early Spring, I started looking for some summer
inspiration, and I came across a picture of a young lady in a pencil skirt and
shirt. Truth be told, there were plenty
of images of pencil skirt + shirt. But
this particular one was not just any
pencil skirt – this one was white and blue toile. (I could have sworn that I saved it on
Pinterest, but apparently not. You’ll
just have to trust me on this one.) This
seemed like a pretty good starting point to a summer “uniform”. I find pencil skirts comfortable and most
importantly – I can function in them all day, unlike some rather voluminous skirts
that I have that seem to always get in the way when I’m trying to do certain things. So – a plan.
I became a bit obsessed. A bit too much time spent on internet “research”
for fabric, because I had nothing that looked anything like the picture. Neither did I find anything remotely similar
or pencil skirt compatible on any of the sites that I browsed. Then at some point between lockdowns, when
Fabricland was actually open, I decided to go for a browse. Nothing sparked my imagination – I must have
made the rounds of the “fashion fabrics” at least twice. Feeling like my balloon had deflated, I headed
off to the home dec section and there I spied the elephant print – well, it’s
not just elephants – rather a whole African menagerie.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_R1sJfyi0LNFySSzXSf5iOV3OmB1MAM1kHenG4Ittp1o56D_Av2_HmIPRxYD1GveqBNLpOpXuDMs1KTn1xBnXFKbbyiCldXNmuMxc9MT_zcQq2nbkejn9OBWtlIUkEst6hBSsdUd2SM/w324-h640/IMG_20210824_173701400_HDR.jpg)
100% cotton … a little
bit stiff … but I was sure that after a run through the washer and drier it
would work quite well. Oh – and the
price was right … $5 per metre.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszFAgX8lYvLZrrEbsL1au7nfjxZRPojOP_jfx4u3Ews6O37eNulXfeUnyTcJneL4FuzXMNZoBhovjEGckTpRh7GKc3tCYYUHlWp_d1jaOEr31k7Z1v2VzLxPvz1G06pnsGj4hx56-EOU/w318-h400/IMG_20210824_173755969_HDR.jpg) |
Back view (in case you couldn't figure that out). Even found a random blue button that matched. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0aNkavtSuaGAG6gcjfzFPywPVisOygOKcokc20xQc5WbKP6uVOcgy_CkpWsHBejJxJ1wU7RLjUb8cdhf0uoljQ6WdIR6EZu8cqXIop3XyNUkZ9yqisVg5aSnmNz8dQVuPzDM2nv33xc/w300-h400/IMG_20210824_173857841_HDR.jpg) |
Hong Kong finish on the hem, but obviously that detail didn't make it to the edge of the back slit. |
Unfortunately (or may-be fortunately) I didn’t stop at 1 metre of one
fabric. I found 3 more! If I was going to adopt a uniform for summer,
I certainly needed more than one
skirt for the purpose.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcceqC6lP7FDxpO56PbxmTH7KGyulXBh1kcLK6ORaukjzRSDth-lJyb0X-DmrVimDJcZCQlXV73N5UQv6_zWMaRaJOu56ClfrkukL2AtlTCb6z3AZ51O5coeenJrkTl0P57AucIFqNz8/w310-h640/IMG_20210824_174144895_HDR.jpg) |
Brown and grey paisleys. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvf1ElaQ_dmLHjlo5kHRzGMH3ckxAERG8vdqMM080aHibA39e3NRGaNA-c4vrHeG48mKVdXwelsW7k4HrTTkWmZcQYdm7Y3cobsT-Nan0TGikZLsNuryMJ0vgOgw_otgn25XZdvlYRoA/w266-h400/IMG_20210824_174343526_HDR.jpg) |
Another lonely button put to good use. |
I used my
self-drafted pattern – midi length. Made
slight changes in the way I finished the back slit/ pleat and waistband – it would
be way too boring if I made exact
duplicates. So - three skirts happened
in fairly quick succession.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuMb0PowX-hvlEdBImLwMe-T-4zycB6dvfmbfiFqmT1c99C0fWAp8cI6lCooXJt-0gGb2S1xc3Ue-O6uAaH_KRikMdp6vVeEAmDA5eI6wKlwmL-MGmSrsDed6yEPUuvdrrC60qFznfio/w310-h640/IMG_20210824_174535620_HDR.jpg) |
And what the can I call this print? |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpj-h_sPEgN-sVGAldlZ2LzOMjrJ2D3sN289cDfsQv0YqtcqHA4xYWtp_Pt-0O4Y7aM0JM28hOoh6jmS6uln6aNto5VnWLCalUPWKV8U6WAzC8kTbdOMpuTcMSvYmvTdTXt-PdNp6puc/w300-h400/IMG_20210824_174622677_HDR.jpg) |
Please ignore the misaligned print. Much effort was expended on matching of this print and trying to keep things on grain, but when all was said and done - I was off. Oh well - I can't see my back side, so I just pretend that everything is lined up perfectly. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoiNYcanqm6GTglD6ljzyTz7zySt5xz8O-88QPX1gpQ9Q2puRwYTOR7Y_LmiffPi7yV-rBSRO5NhLBXWVPfBeXfAnrIODnFejIfNKVB5dZ_dXTKERA2Bo9bC2wXN-yTqJDc_sR2fzZ_yQ/w186-h400/IMG_20210824_174901198_HDR.jpg) |
Because this home dec fabric, cotton though it may be, is a little rough, I added shortie silk linings into each of the skirts - just so they wouldn't get caught up on things. Pencil skirts have to hang properly to look good - no? |
Number 4 is
on a black background, and after No. 3, being quite sick of pencil skirt sewing,
I decided that the dark fabric would have to wait until Autumn.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoa7PS_sylYQQOFZSrMg9WZMhYQ1_uonvM_U2DEiiEQ_KlRkGE8W18H8wFd_0dp3pqpDWmCX_kfxB18aTWHO2tP2QbGDPltYlN9CTfAejDcNQctaac31kfrtYabqiBoXry_9faZAknMLw/w244-h640/IMG_20210805_180734405_HDR.jpg) |
And now for my rather sad attempt of picture in mirror. I know that everyone likes a good picture of person in garment - I'm working on it. |
Now
as for the shirts to go with the skirts … they’re not hopping from fabric stash
to closet at quite the same speed. Shirts
take longer to sew than pencil skirts, and apparently I can’t keep motivated
stitching the same shirt in different fabrics one after another. About the progress on those … later.
All three look fabulous! Can't wait to see the shirts you're making!
ReplyDeleteThank-you!
DeleteI love home dec cottons and linens for skirts! I've got some is that covered in bright little tropical birds that will make a great skirt... I'll make it up if I ever have to go back to the office. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely choice for a skirt. I think we tend to overlook so called "home dec" fabrics when it comes to sewing for the closet.
DeleteRoyalcasino772
ReplyDelete