THE SUPER ONLINE SEWING MATCH : ROUND ONE

For the first round of the Super Online Sewing Match we received Craftsy's Design and Sew an A-Line Skirt class by Deborah Moebes. During the class we learned how to draft a skirt for our own body using our measurements and a muslin. First let me say that I totally recommend this class to others. I learned so much making my skirt - not only about drafting a pattern, but about taking accurate measurements and sewing tips and tricks. There is just something so wonderful about watching someone make something and then sewing along with them. Plus you can pause and rewind as much as you want. In fact this was my very first Craftsy class, but if the others are as great as this one I will definitely be doing more in the future.

The challenge required an a-line skirt which had me stalled from the very beginning because it's just not a style that I usually wear. When I thought more about it an a-line cut reminds me of the seventies so I decided to go retro and create a truly seventies inspired skirt. I found this awesome mystery fabric in the back of a random store in the garment district in my favorite color - orange-red. It has a similar appearance to corduroy, but it is actually a looser weave than that and more hemp-like to the touch.



Now for the details:


The pattern actually wasn't too hard to create. I ended up making two muslins to get the fit perfect and then another pattern piece for the pocket. I created a seam down both the front and back of the skirt for detail and so that I could move the zipper to the back. I lined the pocket with some fun vintage fabric that I bought at a garage sale years ago. ( I love having those secret personal touches)



I must say that I am pretty proud of the inside of this skirt. I think that it is the most well made garment I have ever created. I've never spent so much time worrying about what the inside of my sewn item would look like before this challenge. I ended up creating a bunch of 1/4" bias tape from the same vintage fabric that I used for the pockets. I used the bias tape to bind the seam allowances on the back and the hem for a nice/neat finish.


For the zipper I used an invisible zipper. I love how nice and clean an invisible zipper is. Nothing better in my opinion. And then I just sewed a little hook n eye at the top to keep everything secure.


For the waistband I decided to use one of the techniques that Deborah used in her tutorials. She suggested simply encasing the top edge of the skirt in double fold bias tape. I knew that I wanted a wider waistband than hers so I created mine 1" wide instead of 1/2". I really love how it lays nice and flat. I hand-stitched it in place on the inside of the skirt for a clean and seamless finish.


I used a double stitch line on the pockets and center seam so I decided to use it on the hem as well. I think it adds to the seventies/ a little bit rodeo look of the skirt (plus it's a lot more fun than doing it by hand :)


And that is it. It was really a great experience and I am pretty excited about the way it turned out. I've never had a sewn item that was as pretty on the inside as it was on the outside before.

I can't wait to see what everyone else made. Crossing my fingers that I make it to the next round!