It's too cold for short sleeves!

I took the opportunity of the sunshine we had for about a millisecond yesterday to grab some photos of me actually wearing my denim Kelly.

The headless photos are because on every single one, either I was squinting into the sun or I had a "hurry up, I'm freezing!" face on...

Mr Sabs is already fed up of being my photographer (after just three months and about half a dozen garments), he moaned and groaned and told me he really didn't like doing it. Hmm, should I invest in one of those remote controlled timer thingys and a new camera? Or should I just make him suffer....? Votes in comments please!

I teemed the Kelly with another Sorbetto, this time with cap sleeves, using some fabric left over from my Sureau. I'm really pleased with it, it's girly and fun and fits well too. And it takes such a short time to whip up, instant gratification! I made my own bias tape this time for the neck hole and also added a bow made out of the leftovers for added interest. Cute, right?

The snow has gone now - I loved it for about a day but it made commuting to and from work really difficult for me and stopped me going out running so I'm secretly a bit glad but shhh! you didn't hear me say that, ok?

A second Kelly and how I'm getting on with my re{sew}lutions

I finished my second Kelly, woo hoo! The only thing is that I was going to model it today but I'm poorly... I got home last night (after spending 2 and a half hours driving back from work in the snow, what should have been a 45 minute journey) and felt a bit funny. Thought it was just the sweets and berries I'd scoffed whilst stuck in traffic but then spent the evening and night throwing up. Nice. So feel a bit fragile today and definitely don't think going out in the snow in a skirt is a great idea! I will endeavour to take photos soon. In the meantime, here's the skirt by itself.

It's in a lightweight denim that I got from Birmingham Rag Market. I only had 1m and it was 112cm wide so I had to be really economical with the cutting. I knew from before that the recommended hem is quite large (over 6cm) so I just made the pattern pieces a bit shorter and did a smaller hem. I didn't use denim for the pocket linings as I thought it would be too bulky so I used some shirting material that I had in my stash.

And I did buttonholes properly! All six of them came out alright after I used Amanda's tip of extra interfacing (I decided to put interfacing all the way down the button plackets). I might have, sort of, erm, accidentally cut through one of the bar tacks but we won't talk about that...

Suffice to say there was a lot of handstitching going on!

So now I have two skirts to wear for #kellyskirtfriday, organised by the lovely Sarah of Notches and Notions!

With snowboots for the bad weather

Part of my New Year resolutions was to enjoy my sewing. Well, I'm definitely doing that! So much so, in fact, that I've joined up to soisewedthis's Focus on Enjoyment campaign. There's a little icon and everything! I don't have any specific things on my list about how I'm going to focus on enjoying my sewing, just that I am! I'll make things only that I want to and not get too bogged down by details or not get disappointed if I can't do something very well. I hope that's ok!

I've also joined in with Karen of Did You Make That?'s sewlutions (aka the 2013 Jar of Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is).

My one "proper" sewing resolution for the year is to finish the seams on every garment I make. So far so good so if I do get called up, I shouldn't get caught out!

Look how neat this is for once!

Enjoy the snow everyone (or heatwave if you're in Oz)!

A skirt called Kelly

I've wanted Megan Nielsen's Kelly skirt ever since it came out cos it looks so damn cute! And what a nice surprise to get it as a birthday present from my sister a few weeks ago (I say surprise -  it was on my present list! Altho I did think at one point I certainly wouldn't receive it)

I'd already got some fabric in mind for it (a lightweight denim from Birmingham Rag Market) but I only had 1m so I thought I'd better make a practice run. I picked up this navy fabric on my last trip to Barry's - I have no idea what it is, it's drapey, has a lovely sheen and a very, very slight one-directional stretch. It was only £1/m on their odds and ends table - bargain!

The fabric looked perfect for a work skirt too so I decided I'd make it a touch longer than the pattern states - I need to be "appropriately attired" as a professional and mid thigh skirts are definitely more weekend than weekday!

I know everyone has already said it but I'm going to say it as well -  working with the pattern was a dream! The pattern pieces are printed on sturdy, "proper" paper, not tissue paper which was fab. I traced a pattern for the first time ever. Mainly because I listened to (should that read "read"?) all the advice out there on other sewing blogs about saving original patterns for future use (I hadn't thought of that before, but in hindsight, such common sense advice!). The instructions came in a lovely booklet instead of that horrible newspaper-type material that the Big4 use and were crystal clear. Everything was explained really well and Megan (am I allowed to use her first name?) used great diagrams to help.

The bestest thing about the whole thing is the amaze-balls pockets - they are roomy and oh so simple to create. I think I'm in LOVE.

I did have one or two disasters along the way though, although neither were the pattern's fault. The first one occurred when I had put all the skirt pieces together and was about to move on to attaching the waistband. I needed to press seams and flatten the pleats. My iron is old. Really old, inherited from my mum when I moved out 5 years ago. You can see what's coming next, right?...

Disaster! I had to take apart one of the front panels and redo that whole section. Luckily, I was able to save the pocket bag.

The second disaster was the buttonholes saga. Now, I've never made buttonholes before. So I carefully followed the instructions in my sewing machine manual. And I have no idea what happened.

Both the fabric and the thread seemed to keep jamming. I tried a different thread, I tried it out on a different fabric, I even tried taking the foot out and reloading it all according to the instructions, just in case I'd done something wrong the first time round. But to no avail. If someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong, I'd be very grateful!

In the end I got so frustrated that I just have up. I really wanted to wear the skirt to work on the following day  so I decided to use poppers instead. I used 4 in total and for the remaining 3 buttons, I just sewed through all the layers so it's more a pull-on skirt rather than a complete button-up.  I was planning to do this anyway so not that huge a change.

Anyway, despite these two setbacks, I really love the skirt. The pattern is simple but put together really well and the finished article is great. I was a little bit worried the the box pleat at the back would make my botty look huge but I think it looks ok...what do you think?

I'm definitely planning to make more of these beauties, one in my originally planned denim with wooden buttons and I'm already in the midst of using the pocket method for another skirt. I just need to sort out making buttonholes!!

Anyway, merry Christmas to all, and hope you all get whatever sewing goodies you were dreaming of! See you all in a few days.

Wearing my Kelly for lunch at Akamba!