Blue Prints For Sewing A Frame Pencil Skirt

Fabric: African Wax Print from Liberia - A friend brought it back from his travels
Pattern: Blue Prints For Sewing A Frame Skirt - Version 1 (pencil skirt)

When I first saw this pattern I fell in love with the idea of color-blocking and different arrangements of stripes and pattern pieces to make a really unique skirt.  I've had the fabric for about 6 months if not closer to a year and hadn't decided what to make with it because it's such a bold print. Usually I'm not a print person at all. I knew being able to incorporate a solid would help tone this down a little bit and add some fun to my wardrobe. I used some black linen I had leftover from my Tessuti Alice Top for the side skirt front pieces that actually form pockets with the lower side front pieces. I didn't have enough linen left to incorporate any contrasting on the back side pieces of the skirt but I like the solid look on the back.

As far as sewing goes this was pretty straightforward to make. Nothing too challenging or technically involved. I cut a size B for the waist and graded out to an F I believe through the hips. From the bum up to the waist the skirt fits great. I feel like it's a little loose/not as much pencil shape below the bum and down to the knees due to it being graded to an F. I have a wide hips and a round derriere but my legs aren't that big. I think next time I'll grade back down to a C/D by the hem. I did take it in a few inches at the bottom but think it can still stand to be taken down a few inches more. Ignore the chalk in the picture. I didn't wash it post making and marking before I decided to wear it. Woops. Another woops happened when I was ironing my waistband after attaching. I guess I had my iron turned up to high because it burned right through the fabric exposing the interfacing inside (see the bottom left picture?). I didn't want to cut another waistband so I did some 'visible mending' with some orangeish thread I have. I kind of like it and think it adds some fun detailing. I think this might've been my first time sewing a lapped zipper and it was pretty straightforward and lines up nicely.

 You can see what I was talking about in the middle picture, the skirt doesn't curve back in below my bum like a traditional pencil skirt should. I think I might leave it as is because I'm lazy and I don't want to unpick the side seams to take it back in. It still fits nicely and has a nice shape from the front. Just like my last post this skirt can be worn in the summer or spring and in the winter or fall with tights and layers. I was looking through some of my old blog posts and man the pictures and quality of the pictures is just horrible. I feel like i'm able to take better pictures now that I have my dress form to hang my clothes on while I photograph them. It really makes for a world of difference and I want to be able to share all of those small details with you. Thanks again mom for the awesome gift it's very well loved. 

Fabric: African Wax Print from Liberia - A friend brought it back from his travels
Pattern: Blue Prints For Sewing A Frame Skirt - Version 1 (pencil skirt)

When I first saw this pattern I fell in love with the idea of color-blocking and different arrangements of stripes and pattern pieces to make a really unique skirt.  I've had the fabric for about 6 months if not closer to a year and hadn't decided what to make with it because it's such a bold print. Usually I'm not a print person at all. I knew being able to incorporate a solid would help tone this down a little bit and add some fun to my wardrobe. I used some black linen I had leftover from my Tessuti Alice Top for the side skirt front pieces that actually form pockets with the lower side front pieces. I didn't have enough linen left to incorporate any contrasting on the back side pieces of the skirt but I like the solid look on the back.

As far as sewing goes this was pretty straightforward to make. Nothing too challenging or technically involved. I cut a size B for the waist and graded out to an F I believe through the hips. From the bum up to the waist the skirt fits great. I feel like it's a little loose/not as much pencil shape below the bum and down to the knees due to it being graded to an F. I have a wide hips and a round derriere but my legs aren't that big. I think next time I'll grade back down to a C/D by the hem. I did take it in a few inches at the bottom but think it can still stand to be taken down a few inches more. Ignore the chalk in the picture. I didn't wash it post making and marking before I decided to wear it. Woops. Another woops happened when I was ironing my waistband after attaching. I guess I had my iron turned up to high because it burned right through the fabric exposing the interfacing inside (see the bottom left picture?). I didn't want to cut another waistband so I did some 'visible mending' with some orangeish thread I have. I kind of like it and think it adds some fun detailing. I think this might've been my first time sewing a lapped zipper and it was pretty straightforward and lines up nicely.

 You can see what I was talking about in the middle picture, the skirt doesn't curve back in below my bum like a traditional pencil skirt should. I think I might leave it as is because I'm lazy and I don't want to unpick the side seams to take it back in. It still fits nicely and has a nice shape from the front. Just like my last post this skirt can be worn in the summer or spring and in the winter or fall with tights and layers. I was looking through some of my old blog posts and man the pictures and quality of the pictures is just horrible. I feel like i'm able to take better pictures now that I have my dress form to hang my clothes on while I photograph them. It really makes for a world of difference and I want to be able to share all of those small details with you. Thanks again mom for the awesome gift it's very well loved. 

Sleeveless Granville Button Up in Lizzy House Natural History Fabric

Fabric: Lizzy House Natural History Fabric 
Pattern: Sewaholic Granville Button Up 
Previously Blogged: Navy Blue Eyelet Strip Granville Button Up 

The next couple of blog posts I'll be sharing are all clothes that would normally be considered 'out of season'. I've been sewing spring/summer clothes for two reasons: 1) going to Mexico for Christmas vacation in 9 days! and I wanted to make some new things to wear down there and 2) I didn't make half of the things I wanted to when it was the spring/summer season. I feel like sewing out of season works best for me. I usually find myself wanting to make a million things and getting to about three of them and then the season is over before I wear anything. This way I'll have all of these new spring and summer clothes ready to go right on time. I plan on carrying this through and making fall and winter clothes during the spring and summer. I'm sure there will be new pattern releases that tempt me and I may jump ship but for the most part I think it's just easier and less stressful for me. 

 
This is my second time making a Granville Button Up. The link for my first version is up above. Previously I had made a size 8 that was graded down to a 6 in the waist and back to an 8 for the hips but I didn't like the hip wings I got. I slimmed this version down and kept it at a 6 through the hips and it fits perfectly. I also decided to make it sleeveless mainly so that it'd be nice for the summer but it's also perfect for layering under sweaters and not having to worry about the bulkiness of sleeves. The fabric has a slight stretch to it which I really like and is pretty comfortable over all. I wish I had paid a little more attention to the butterflies when I was cutting. I think having them directly centered over the button band would've been nice. Speaking of button holes - still one of my least favorite sewing things. My machine just does a horrible job of them, could be user error, and I'm always tempted to do them by hand but I chicken out. 

 I'm really pleased with myself technically speaking. I took my time with this and took extra care making sure the insides were nice and neat. I flat-felled all of the seams so I wouldn't have any loose bits. I also feel like this is one of my nicest collars - it turned out very crisp.

Every time i wear this shirt or see it peeking out from my closet it makes me smile. I love the color, it's my favorite and it matches my mint green Chucks. Pretty fun shirt overall and I know I will wear it a ton!

Fabric: Lizzy House Natural History Fabric 
Pattern: Sewaholic Granville Button Up 
Previously Blogged: Navy Blue Eyelet Strip Granville Button Up 

The next couple of blog posts I'll be sharing are all clothes that would normally be considered 'out of season'. I've been sewing spring/summer clothes for two reasons: 1) going to Mexico for Christmas vacation in 9 days! and I wanted to make some new things to wear down there and 2) I didn't make half of the things I wanted to when it was the spring/summer season. I feel like sewing out of season works best for me. I usually find myself wanting to make a million things and getting to about three of them and then the season is over before I wear anything. This way I'll have all of these new spring and summer clothes ready to go right on time. I plan on carrying this through and making fall and winter clothes during the spring and summer. I'm sure there will be new pattern releases that tempt me and I may jump ship but for the most part I think it's just easier and less stressful for me. 

 
This is my second time making a Granville Button Up. The link for my first version is up above. Previously I had made a size 8 that was graded down to a 6 in the waist and back to an 8 for the hips but I didn't like the hip wings I got. I slimmed this version down and kept it at a 6 through the hips and it fits perfectly. I also decided to make it sleeveless mainly so that it'd be nice for the summer but it's also perfect for layering under sweaters and not having to worry about the bulkiness of sleeves. The fabric has a slight stretch to it which I really like and is pretty comfortable over all. I wish I had paid a little more attention to the butterflies when I was cutting. I think having them directly centered over the button band would've been nice. Speaking of button holes - still one of my least favorite sewing things. My machine just does a horrible job of them, could be user error, and I'm always tempted to do them by hand but I chicken out. 

 I'm really pleased with myself technically speaking. I took my time with this and took extra care making sure the insides were nice and neat. I flat-felled all of the seams so I wouldn't have any loose bits. I also feel like this is one of my nicest collars - it turned out very crisp.

Every time i wear this shirt or see it peeking out from my closet it makes me smile. I love the color, it's my favorite and it matches my mint green Chucks. Pretty fun shirt overall and I know I will wear it a ton!