Burda Knit Skirt

This is my fifth Burda 112 skirt from the 05/2019 issue. My first attempt at the pattern was a failure, as the skirt came out too broad, especially at the waist, and too long. Then I made two of these for Gaby, reducing the size to 34 and another one for myself.

A week ago I finished a hoodie for husband out of the big piece of knit fabric I received as a present from a friend. His hoodie is very much a repetition of my own favourite hoodie out of the same fabric, but in a male version (and obviously, using a different pattern).

In the end I was left with an almost good for nothing piece of fabric. But I am a petite person and I love using fabric to the last scraps, so I thought - why not make myself a tiny knit skirt. My initial idea was to self-draft a super simple skirt with an elastic band. But how about pockets, I'd so much love it to have pockets. And where to put them. Then gradually the form of the skirt clarified in my head and I realized that the perfect pattern for it would be my old favourite Burda 112.

 

Pattern: Burda 112 05 / 2019

Fabric: houndstooth knit fabric

Size: 36, reduced

Time to make: 5 days

I was so grateful to my former self, that after the last super successful iteration of the pattern, she had made a new copy, introducing all of the changes in the width and the length of the pieces. This time I made an additional copy, further reducing the length of the skirt, mostly due to lack of fabric, but also because I didn't need 1 cm seam allowances for the serger. Unlike my previous skirts, here I don't have decorative seams and my front yoke and skirt are made out of single pieces.

I didn't have fabric for the inside of the skirt, which is fully lined, so I used suitable scraps from other knit projects - the inner pockets are from some ponte for Alex's joggers and the inner yoke is from my favourite black joggers. The inner skirt is from an old and discarded black T-shirt.

Notes: I absolutely love the skirt and I am so happy to have been able to use all of these otherwise useless pieces of fabric. However, I think the zipper might have been redundant - the fabric is stable, but stretchy enough and I can actually pull the skirt off without unzipping it. However, if I decide to repeat this pattern with knit fabrics in the future and skip the zipper, I should consider adding an elastic to the waist, as it might quickly stretch and deform. Another note - the T-shirt lining was not a good idea, as the fabric sticks to my stockings, I might consider replacing it with a stretchy acetate or other slick material.

Purple Corduroy Skirt

Just a couple of quick and not very flattering photos of the purple corduroy skirt modeled on a cold and wet day. I was so cold and uncomfortable in my viscose shirt, that I forgot to take my hands out of my pockets, turn around or do anything sensible to actually demonstrate the fit; I just stood there thinking how cold I am and let's get over with these pictures and go home - and thus the sorry result. Better pictures come spring :)))

Overall I like the pattern and the finished skirt, and I love the color. However, I am not sure this is my style. The skirt is very trapezoid and originally it is designed very short - I elongated it by 5 cm, and I am short. However, this type of skirt has to be short, otherwise it becomes too wide at the hem. And I don't wear so short skirts anymore - thus not my style.

I managed to find the type of jeans metal buttons with rivets I was looking for and I am very pleased that I was able to install them with a simple hammer and that they suit the skirt. Now that I look at the pictures, I think I should have styled the buttoned up skirt with a blouse and not a button up shirt, but anyway. As I said, these are just a couple of quick pictures, it is definitely not the weather for short skirts outsides right now :)

Pattern: Burda 6252

Size: 34

Fabric: cotton corduroy, viscose for Hong Kong seam binding, acetate lining

Time to make: 10 days

Slow Sewing

I love sewing with knits - the fit is forgiving, the sewing is quick and they usually get a lot of love and wear. But from time to time I like to make something with a difficult fabric, complicated pattern or couture techniques, even when all the labour goes into an item that gets little wear.

Such a labour consuming item is my latest make - a short button-up skirt out of wide rib corduroy. This is my first time working with such a fabric and it's a struggle! Because of its thickness, it acts as a 3D fabric and I have to baste everything tightly with wide zig-zag baste hand stitches, otherwise pieces move in all directions, especially when stitching the flimsy lining fabric to the corduroy.

And then the pilling - I must have dusted the bedroom / sewing room a thousand times since I cut into the fabric, as it constantly drops small fluffs everywhere. For that reason I decided to finish all seams with Hong Kong seam binding with bias tape. I have a big piece of viscose fabric from a purple shirt I made for myself some time ago and it was a perfect match for the main fabric.

The only two edges I hurried to finish on the overlocker were the waistline of the skirt and the outer edge of the waistband, for fear of fraying during the long process of sewing.

The additional elements of the skirt - the pockets and the belt tabs, are fully lined. I still haven't decided on the fastening - the pattern suggests snaps, but I don't have the hardware for installing large snaps and I am not very keen on looking for a service that could do it for me, so I think it will be buttons. I fancy the idea of brass jeans buttons and if I can't find suitable downtown I might sew temporarily some plain plastic ones and order brass buttons on Aliexpress or ebay.

And of course, the skirt is fully lined. 

I'm really taking my time with this skirt, slowly and carefully sewing an element or two. After I took these pictures, I attached the front pockets and the lining to the two fronts and I think I'll take a break for today and do some knitting and watch another episode of Vienna Blood. With me and my hobbies it is really all about the process, not so much the product.

The Chanel Skirt

 A few pictures of my new Chanel style boucle skirt:

This is a very comfortable mini skirt with interesting front panels and faux pocket flaps, which can be easily dressed up or down. I'm really happy that I saved the fabric from the failed Chanel jacket and made this skirt.

Pattern: Skirt 117A from Burdastyle 02 / 2017

Size: 36

Fabric: wool boucle

Time to make: one week

I like how the skirt combines with the burgundy blouse I made last December.

I made a small modification of the back of the skirt - instead of the exposed zipper as per pattern, I installed an invisible zipper, straightened the central line and compensated the added width with a second narrow dart at the back.

The skirt is fully lined and closes with an invisible zipper. To clean the seam allowances here I used a Hong Kong seam binding with bias tape I made out of black cotton voile.  

I secured the bias cuts on the fronts with fusible and opted to finish the many layers of fabric there (the lined pocket flaps plus the two parts of the front) on the overlocker to avoid bulkiness.

The hem is finished with Hong Kong seam binding and then hand stitched.

Plaid Pleated Skirt

The second skirt and the last item I made out of my 2 m plaid wool fabric - a pleated skirt for Gaby. I designed the skirt myself, using pattern 112A from Burda 03 / 2020 for the yoke of the skirt. The smallest size of the pattern is 36, and as Gaby is 34, I reduced the pieces of the pattern by 1 cm.

The original Burda skirt has an invisible zipper on the side, but I though a fly front zipper would be more appropriate for the style I was going for with this skirt. This is my first ever fly front zipper and I am very, very happy with how it came out. I watched two video tutorials and followed them step by step to make mine.

I also decided to add two small decorative pockets to the front, to add a bit of interest to the skirt.

To make the pleated part I measured the width of the yoke at the hip, tripled the length and cut a rectangular piece of fabric of the calculated length and about 30 cm in width. Then I carefully folded and ironed each pleat, basted it in place and then heavily ironed the whole pleated part again and left it to sit basted for a week, to fix the pleats.

The inside of the skirt. The overlocked edges make garments look so much more professionally made, I'm pretty happy with my work on that skirt :)

Pattern: Pleated Skirt, self-drafted, partially using #112 from Burda 03 / 2020

Fabric: wool with elastane

Size: 36, reduced

Thread: black polyester

Time to  make: 3 days

Skirt 112 Burda 05 2019

 I had 2 m of the wool with elastane fabric and I managed to make not only the pair of pants I showed you here, but also TWO skirts - one for me and one for Gaby. This is the one for me - my fourth skirt #112 of Burdastyle 05 / 2019. This is a very comfortable sporty style of skirt, which I like and intend to wear a lot and make again in other fabrics as well.

My first skirt 112 was size 36 and was too big, especially around the waist. So to cut this skirt I used the pieces of size 36, but reduced the widths by 1 cm (a total of 4 cm) and additionally reduced the waist by 1.5 cm (total of 6 cm). Now it fits me like a glove!

The pattern features a double yoke, pockets,  an invisible zipper at the back and lots of decorative stitching, which I decided in the end to make in black. My plaid fabric is busy enough with horizontal and vertical lines, so additional obtrusive decorative lines seamed a bit redundant.

A few shots with the sweater tucked in, to demonstrate better the construction of the skirt.

Pattern: Burda 112 05 / 2019

Fabric: wool with elastane

Size: 36, reduced

Time to make: 2 days

As for the lining - the pattern envisages lining only for the yoke, I had initially added a full lining, made out of acetate lining fabric, but it was too tight and messed with the fit of the skirt, especially when I tried to adjust it around the waist - the lining kept peeking out above the waist line. So in the end I removed it and added cotton lining only to the yoke, as per pattern. However, I believe full acetate lining, but properly fitted, would be better, as the wool does stick to the tights and I know wool garments benefit from lining. So, in the future, I might reconsider adding a lining to the lower part of the skirt as well.

Chequered Skirt 112 Burda 5 2019

Just a few modeled photos of the chequered skirt #112 Burda 5 / 2019, which I blogged here, the denim backpack - notice that I added a small leather "Handmade" label and changed the string with denim string, blogged here, the gradient necklace, blogged here and the earrings, blogged here:

Isn't it the perfect spring outfit! If only we weren't under quarantine :(