darn cheap fabrics seasonal challenge - winter 2015

it's darn cheap fabrics seasonal challenge time again.  lara went shopping for the fabric solo and the first  photo she messaged me was a scuba fabric with bright colours 'splashed' on a black background.  i messaged back saying that i loved it - so much so that i already had bought some after seeing it on chooktopia's instagram feed! i am constantly amazed at how many of the same fabrics lara and i are drawn too and why this challenge is so fun.

i had recently seen nikki's itch to stitch lindy petal skirt and was very keen to give it a go. i was drawn to the overlapping curved front panels as a point of difference from other knit skirts.  i messaged lara and said that i was going to make a 'new to me' skirt and also a top from another DCF fabric i had in my stash that i purchased on a previous shopping trip with her.  she messaged back saying she was going to make a skirt too and wondered if it was the same one?  i wrote back saying mine was a free indie pattern and she wrote back saying hers too! snap!

so here's my version of the lindy petal skirt.

using lara's advice that the sizing was true (she finished her skirt first), i made a straight small as the measurements matched mine perfectly and i am very happy with the fit.

lara also mentioned that the waistband application was not what she expected.  i checked the instructions and decided to do my waistband differently.  firstly i made mine 3/4"wider so that i could use 1 1/2" wide elastic, a width i like for knit skirts.  secondly i attached the waistband to the skirt, making a traditional casing to insert my elastic through rather than stitching my elastic to the waistband fabric as the instructions suggest.  i always get nervous that it will go wrong stitching elastic directly onto the waistband fabric and prefer to do a simple casing instead - it worked out fine.  i stitched the casing seam allowance down to the skirt body using zig zag stitch which you can just make out in the photo below.

lastly, i finished the hem using my twin needle.  this is such a quick, fun make - the pattern went together beautifully and the fabric was a dream to sew, it reminds me a lot of the fabric i used to make my recent simplicity 2054 dress. i will definitely make this pattern again, most probably in navy or black ponte first.  

nikki mentions in her blog post that she would be happy to pay for this pattern and i totally agree - it's such a great pattern and itch to stitch have gone to a lot of effort providing detailed instructions.  i would highly recommend the pattern.

i also made another grainline linden to go with the skirt, my first linden is here.  this time i made view b which has a cropped hemline and short sleeves.  i added cuffs to my sleeves and hemline after seeing cutcutsew's great versions.  i also made a size 6 this time and am happier with the fit, with the exception of the sleeves which sit a bit twisted.  they seem to be cut on grain so i'm not sure what happened, nonetheless the twisting won't stop me wearing the top!

another very successful DCF seasonal challenge, thanks lara - i am so keen to pop over to your blog to see your version of the lindy!

the GIVEAWAY winner from my last post is deadlycraft - congratulations! please message me at elhitchens(at)hotmail(dot)com and i will send your fabric to you.

emma