Burda Challenge: 11/2017 #106

 

It was 29 degrees this morning...way too cold to be standing outside with no coat!

 

 



This skirt was the first thing I noticed in the magazine. I wanted it immediately and I wanted it in plum. I have a cut of plum suiting that is a very nice weight, completely opaque and with great drape. I think it's an RPL. When I pulled it out, I decided I wanted to make pants with it instead -- I have a pair of J.Crew slim fit pants in a similar shade. Love the color, hate the fit.

Dear J.Crew: Just because I buy a size 14 pant doesn't mean I've suddenly developed enormous calves and ankles. Slim fit my foot.

ANYway. I almost sidelined the project until I remembered this wonderful piece of wool blend suiting. This fabric was purchased long ago from Fabric dot com. It was my first run-in with them. I ordered 3.5 yds for pants and they sent me 2 yds. Sure, they refunded the difference but how did that help me make my pants?! :) I ended up using it to make my brother a hat from Waffle Patterns (in 2/2014) and the rest of the fabric has languished in the stash.

It was the perfect amount of fabric for this skirt!

I wasn't sure what color to topstitch with and chose the cream. None of the browns I had in stash worked quite right and in the end, I wanted the contrast like the magazine version. I could not do that amount of hand stitching so I used double thread and the longest stitch length to topstitch, I like it!

I went with a size 42 front and 44 back which I almost always use this combo with skirts (even Big4, it's 16 front, 18 back). Burda always has a little too much hip curvature/projection for me so I just sewed that area a bit straighter after basting.

I am not a huge fan of petersham waist finishes and decided to draft a facing. Once the front was assembled, I folded it in half and traced the curve onto paper. I made the facing 2.5" deep. I like this depth and I almost always just serge the edge.

My brass zipper is from Wawak, snagged for a whopping $.53!

Their site is slow (they've assured me they're working on it!) but it is SO worth it. How much is a metal zipper at JA? At least $2-3...even a coupon doesn't make it come close! When I place a Wawak order, I tend to 1) look ahead to planned projects 2) look at my fabric stash 3) somewhat like 2, look at the colors I wear. e.g., I have rare occasion for say, a yellow zipper, but I have greys and blues in several shades and lengths. And black in several lengths. And they frequently run buy 2, get 1 free promos.

NAYY, it's just a great resource.

There's not much else to say about the skirt; it's essentially an A-line midi. It went together well, and was relatively quick to sew. I used my walking foot to topstitch and serged all seams.

I like the length - oh, I did add 5/8" hem allowance, which I normally do not with Burda. I hemmed it at 3/4" so I probably could've done my usual. I topstitched the hem but I don't love it. The brown is a close match and it doesn't stand out so honestly, I'll probably leave it.

It does emphasize how straight I am (viewed front-on), which I'm not normally fond of -  I am the person saying YES! Give me things that accentuates/exaggerates the hip - please! - but I don't have time to worry about whether every single thing is the most "flattering" to my body type/shape. I mean, right!? If I put it on and it makes me happy, I call it good! :)

I love wine/burgundy and camel together. But living in MN means I encounter 7,000 Target employees a week, at least, and so the combo always makes me a tiny bit cringey despite my fondness of the pairing.

Actual outfit that day so, excuse the wrinkles! And because I live in the tundra, getting photos in the winter months is HARD. Our kitchen had amazing lighting midday but I did not want to look like a weirdo (which I *totally* do anyway!!) so I was sneaking and taking pics. LMAO!

 

 This one was a winner for me!!