Miette skirt II
With the new term just around the corner, I thought it was about time to make a new skirt for the back to work fun times.
My first Miette skirt (pattern from Tilly and the Buttons) was my first finished, wearable item of clothing last year, and as I've got better at sewing and more confident, I now notice its downsides. FIrst off, it's too short for me. It ends just above my knees, and I'm a definite below the knees clothes wearer. I'd been clumsy with the cutting and the part where the centre seam of the pockets meet the waistband was a mess. It was easy to hide under the tie, but of course I knew it was there.
WIth this in mind, I lengthened the skirt by 15cm, cut out much more precisely and I'm delighted with the result!
The main fabric is a gorgeous pin dot Robert Kauffman, which I'd already made a pair of trousers from earlier in the year. It's soft, drapey, and doesn't crease as much as I thought it would. The pockets and ties are a black gabardine from the fabric shop in Hemel. Now, I have learned from books that if you're combining fabrics on a garment, it's best to choose those with a similar weight and drape, but completely ignored that rule here. Luckily, it worked!
The gabardine gives much more structure to the waist ties, and the pockets look and function like a waitress apron which is exactly what I need for running around at the day job. Pockets ftw. It also flattens out the front a little, which my rounded tum appreciates. Thumbs up. Aside from the length, the only other alteration I made was to add a belt loop on the left hand side, as I'd found with the first skirt that the ties refused to stay put and I'd be straightening it out several times a day.
The extra loop has made all the difference, and I can wear this version without worrying about my skirt being on the wonk. I learned how to make belt loops during the saga of trying to make the Merchant & Mills Stride trousers fit properly. If you're interested in a tutorial, this video makes it clear. https://youtu.be/pRaf-YejFT4
The finished skirt is lovely to wear, and has received large numbers of compliments from the pocket-jealous! I have a feeling that this Miette will not be my last.