I love this skirt and I've already worn it out into the wild twice since I mad it. I can't wait to rotate it right into fall with boots!

I love a good coordinated outfit. And this one is so perfect for a good play on stripes. I'd had this fabric for around a year. It was a purchase from Fine Fabrics in Atlanta. I'd held on to it because every time I pulled it out, it wasn't quite right for what I had in mind. 

The fabric is a bold, red and white lightweight canvas, denim or twill. The fabric descriptions at Fine Fabrics are extremely vague, so you're never completely sure of compositions. I know this one isn't 100% cotton. It had that synthetic smell while pressing. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, because when I wore it, I wasn't all creased and wrinkled from sitting in the car.

This pattern is Simplicity 8927. I knew going in, I'd need to make pattern alterations.

Here's the FBA I made to the bodice.

I modified the should straps by adding buckles and eyelets.

For the skirt, I cut view C. There's no way that the other view would've been long enough for me, so I went with the midi length.

I needed to make a full seat adjustment.

This is such a cute pattern. I love how the top meets the skirt's waistband. It almost looks like a dress. I think it would look just as nice in a solid color as well. 

Mikaela asked me to make her this skirt. This is McCall's 7392.

I'd previously made view A for her summer of 2016. I cut the size 6 in a stretch denim. I topstitched with silver contrasting thread and used silver snaps. She has worn this skirt so much in the last year and a half that she asked me to make her a similar version with a straight edge in corduroy.

This version is done in a 100% cotton goldenrod corduroy. How 1970s does this look? Very! I still used the size 6. This version is basically view C, but in the same length as view A. And I left off the belt loops.

I also used buttons and matching thread for topstitching.

I made a slight 3/4" full butt adjustment. Last year when I made a muslin of this skirt, it was hiking up a bit in the back. And that small alteration fixed that. 

This is such a perfect wardrobe addition for fall and she loves it already.

Sometimes, the simplest garment can pack a powerful punch in your wardrobe. And that's what this red skirt is doing for mine. I love the color red. It's a color that makes me happy and on the occasions that I need to be "on", it evokes confidence. 

This skirt from Simplicity 8175 fits that need. It's a self-belted midi length pencil skirt with a front slit. I created mine in a stretch wool-blend crepe that I've had in my stash for a couple of years. I think I bought it from Hancock Fabrics. I'd held onto this fabric for so long because it's not a "true red". It's warmer and what I would call a "fall red", because it is pretty close to the Pantone Fall 2017 - Grenadine 17-1558.

I cut the size 14 and I didn't have to add any additional length. I like the length straight out to of the envelope.

I really like the center front slit. I don't have a skirt like this in my wardrobe, so this is a unique piece for me.

 It's unlined, so I finished my seams with my serger and made a blind a hem.

Normally I would use an invisible zipper, but I was making this at night and I only had a standard red zipper in my stash. So I went with a center lapped zipper.

I made thread belt loop.

I love the length of this skirt. It will work perfectly with heels, obviously and flat riding boots and loafers which are my staples during fall. 

One of my favorite trends so far for the upcoming season is ruffles and flounces. A lot of the runway interpretations of this style can look over-the-top and just downright ridiculous. But it seems that a lot of the designers really watered down the look this year and made the trend really wearable. And I've been completely inspired.

I wanted a striking ruffle top that would go with anything from a statement skirt like this one or a pair of trousers or even jeans, but also simple to wear. I pulled the bodice from Vogue 1308 (out-of-print). I made this a few years back in a romper style. I wore that romper until the fabric had pulls and runs in it. I loved it. So reached for the pattern again. I cut out the bodice and lengthened it so that I could tuck it in. 

Since it's only a blouse now, I eliminated the invisible back zipper. All of the seams are French, the neckline and armholes are finished with bias facings. And it has a narrow hem. What made this one a little more special than the original is that I doubled the ruffle. I finished them with a serged rolled hem. The fabric is this stunning Black Stretch Silk Georgette from Mood Fabrics.com.  It cut beautifully. 

I wanted a white statement skirt. One that would work now during warm weather. And will also work with tights and boots when it's cooler. I've had Vogue 1450 since it was released.

It's from Guy Laroche Spring 2014.

I cut the size 14 and lengthened it 3 inches. If you notice on the pattern envelope, the back seam of the flounce seems to fall across the hip. That doesn't look flattering at all. It looks just weirdly placed to me... almost like it's hiked up on side. That's why you have to look closely at the technical drawings and see the potential. So that was the main reason that I added length, so that the seam would fall below the butt.

My fabric is the most perfect seasonless suiting fabric I’ve come across. It’s this beautiful Italian Ivory Stretch Polyester-Viscose Suiting. This is my second garment I’ve used this fabric. The first was my New Look 6459 cropped pants that I wore all throughout the summer. This fabric is the perfect weight for this skirt. The skirt is self-lined and the asymmetrical draped flounce is also self-lined. And it drapes perfectly. 

The skirt has a side invisible zipper. And I topstitched along the seam detail of the flounce, like the runway version.

I know that a lot of you are often curious where I wear my clothes. I wore this on Thursday night to Birmingham Fashion Week, night 1. I think it held up pretty well under driving with a safety belt and sitting. I’m sure I’ll get a lot more wear out of these pieces individually.

I simply can't get enough of the denim-on-denim trend.  This time it's chambray and white denim.  There is something so crisp and fresh about the combination of blue and white denim.

For my top, I went with an off-the-shoulder style, of course!  That's my thing right now and the obsession is not waning anytime soon.

My inspiration:

TIBI Cotton Twill Off-the-Shoulder Tunic, Moda Operandi, $295

HotPatterns HP 1196 Metropolitan Urban Gypsy Blouse is the most perfect pattern doppelgänger that I've seen for the most popular TIBI tunic.  I happened up on it last week from a HotPatterns newsletter.  I immediately purchased it, downloaded it, printed it out, and started taping it together.  Who has time for snail mail!

I cut the size 12 and it was perfect without a single modification.  I used a chambray from my stash. What I love most about this pattern unlike other similar styled patterns, is that this one has the exact same fitted front neckband with the elastic starting at the sides and continuing through the back.  And it also has the nice shirt-tail hem, which is perfect for wearing untucked.  There is an option for a shelf bra.  I didn't use that because I've never had a problem wearing strapless bras.  But if you need the extra support, that option exist.  And another excellent detail:  It has bust darts!  That makes a huge difference on the way it hangs over the bust.

Since both sides show on the sleeve ties, I took extra care in creating a narrow hem that I wouldn't mind being seen in a contrasting white thread.

This top is a winner for me and I'm so glad I found it.

Meg from Colette Patterns reached out to me and asked if I wanted to try their new pattern that was soon to be released and I was like, "Sure!"  I've never sewn a Colette Pattern before, but I've always admired their tutorials and I've collected quite a few on my Pinterest.  So when I received the new Selene, I was ready to get started!

I really like the packaging.  And included in the instructions are links to their helpful tutorials for certain techniques.

My wardrobe was missing a casual white skirt.  So I picked a great machine-washable white stretch denim from Joann Fabrics.  And since this skirt is lined, I needed a stretch lining to match the fabric's give.  

Based on the Colette Patterns' sizing chart, I cut the size 12.  Looking at the pattern pieces, I knew I'd have to lengthen.  I added 3 inches to the length so that the hem would fall right above the knee.  And since I fall slightly between sizes, I had to take in the waist a bit.  And as a general personal preference, I like for my pencil skirts to be tapered at the hem.  My ideal sizing is that the hem on my skirts should be 4" smaller than the widest point of the hip. 

Here is how the lining looks.

And this skirt has a lapped zipper.  Even though I can install an invisible zipper with one eye closed, I've only done a lapped zipper only a few times in my sewing career, so it's not something that comes natural to me.  It's not that different from putting in a zipper fly, but I did use the Colette Lined Lapped Zipper Tutorial.  And to keep the lining from creeping up, you're instructed to secure it to the skirt with a thread chain.  If you've never done one, here's the Thread Chain Tutorial.

All in all, I'm quite pleased with both new wardrobe additions.  And I'll be using both patterns again!