Curtain Kelly Skirt

So here's my new Kelly Skirt.  Yey.  It started life as a curtain brought at the op shop about 3 years ago.  I loved the print but its been waiting around for the right pattern and here it is.  I love how it turned out.  Most of the Kelly's I've seen have been plain but I think it works brilliantly in a pattern too.  Its a nice heavy cotton drill which holds its shape really well.

Here are the nice back pleats which fall at just the right point of your bottom to make it super flattering.  You can see the pockets too which are great for putting your phone or hands in.  Might seem obvious really but not all pockets are created equal!

 

In production on my equally flowery ironing board.

I went for yellow top stitching thread and sewed my buttons on with the same thread.  They came from etsy and are simple dark wood.

Top tucked in.

I think its my turn for photos mummy !

Oh those are good button holes.

I would normally go for skirts or shorts that would sit on my hips.  This is definitely a high waister but I like it.  The waistband is wise enough to give it a good solid feeling.  You can wear a big belt over it, tuck your top in or have it out.  I made a size large and it fits absolutely perfectly.

After 3 days of wearing I think its holding up pretty well wrinkle wise.

 

This pattern is super simple to make.  I have to confess I am actually really amazed that something so simple can turn into something so stylish.   Simple as it is, its obvious a lot of thought and care has gone into its design and its little things like the width of the waist band, placement of the pleats and shape of the pockets that let you know that a give you a great versatile skirt (well less versatile when you make it in big yellow flowers but hey!).

I followed the instruction to a tee and it came together really well.  I have to confess I have not sewn many button holes before but a few practices and 7 later I had got the hang of them, my only problem was that I didn't make the 1st few wide enough, being scared of making them too big.  A fine balance!

Other really exciting news is that I have had a really positive reception to the sewing workshops I am starting in June.  We are going to be sewing...... a Kelly Skirt of course.  I am super excited that I will get to spend some time with 6 lovely ladies who all want to sew and that I can share some of what I have learnt over the past few years.   I hope that I can inspire a love of making clothes in my students and at the least get them walking away with a skirt they like and will be happy to wear!  So thank you to everyone who has been so supportive, including the lovely Megan Nielsen of course.  I think deciding on using this pattern really helped to get these going and I really like that everyone will be learning with a pattern from (sewing)world famous local lady. 

Keep your eyes peeled for Kellys if you find yourself in Dunsborough in July!

Wrapping up

Well nearly at the end of my posts from the beach photos shoot.  This one is a wrap top from November 12 Burda and a pleated skirt from September 12.

I'll start with the skirt.  It was a spur of the moment make, made it an evening as I was waiting for my husband to drive back home from Perth.  The timing was perfect as I finished just as he walked in.  I had had a big tunic style denim maternity top, originally from Vinnies, and really nice but I had had enough of it and so even though it looked OK  as a top post maternity I was over the 'bigness' of it.  Loved the soft dark denim though, the big pleat down the front and the big wide hem. I had a recollection of a pleat skirt in Burda, found the super simple pattern, did a quick trace and a cut out and got to sewing.

Reminds me I need to reinforce the top of the pleat!

It came together super easily, I stole a zip out of an old pair of David's work trousers.  The only small hiccup was that I thought I had made it too small so stole some seam allowance at the sides and didn't leave enough for my zip to sit properly.  Hey ho, I've worn it lots and it hasn't bothered me.  Its practical and goes with lots of stuff, easy to move around in and makes a nice change from shorts for casual wear.  Infact it got worn the weekend after I made it on a camping trip. 

I really liked the collection of 'loungy' patterns in the November Burda and already made the tank.  I had had the red marl jersey for a few months and this one seemed like a good bet.  I lengthened the pattern 4 cm.  

A funny one this can't really work out how I feel about it (not the biggest existential crisis the world has ever faced or anything). I like how it turned out but its not perfect.  The waist band has no stretch, and I keep having to pull it down.  I cut it out long ways as directed so not sure why this surprised me.  The neck too is very low and feels like it doesn't wrap over enough.  Thinking about it its obvious that if I lengthened it but didn't increase the wrap then neckline would go lower.  Keep wondering if I should unpick it and just sew it further round.  I haven't yet but might do.  I've worn it a few times, wore it today in fact with my skinny jeans, the bright red cheering me up on a blustery day and the over long sleeves feeling cosy.  Its also goes really well as a cardi over a dress (and then don't have to worry about pulling it down and showing mid-drift either.)  So its not perfect but it is getting used really quite a lot. 

Making the decision to make more practical, comfy and jersey stuff has been really good. Yey for that.