My first skirt!

Using some more of a Liberty print fabric I bought on Goldhawk Road I've made my first skirt! I decided that I'd treat myself gently and try an elasticated waist skirt before attempting one with a zip and I'm very glad I did! I made this skirt once, took it apart, re-measured and re-cut the fabric , then re-made it. The reason for this? The little cloth tape measure I was using was wrong, yes that's right the tape measure was wrong, and that's not me making excuses for myself it really was! After I made up the skirt the first time it was far too wide (making it extremely bulky).  Looking for who to blame (because of course it wasn't my fault!) I looked again at the tape measure and started to suspect the length of an inch wasn't quite right. Sure enough I got out a ruler and.. the measurements on the tape measure were way out! So, I put the faulty tape measure in the bin and brought home my trusty work tape measure (every archivist needs a tape measure!).  I unpicked the skirt, re-measured and made it quite a bit narrower.

Then I followed this great tutorial for making the skirt. It's got nifty side panels that you leave out the elastic, thereby reducing the bulk at the side of the skirt.  Pockets! My first time putting in pockets and, after a few attempts, I got it right! Well.. almost right somehow I managed to sew one of the pockets to the back of the skirt so I had one facing forwards and one back. To sort this I just unpicked it from the back of the skirt so the pocket now hangs loose and can sit forward facing.  I'm so happy I've put in my first pockets as I just love pockets!  Not only can I now put pockets in everything I make (if I want to of course) but I can also add pockets to thrifted skirts and dresses I buy.

the weird greasy looking mark is actually on my camera rather than my skirt

close-up of the pattern on the fabric

Keep on the Sunny Side

Oh well, so much for staying in on Sunday and getting my second Sorbetto done. The sun was just too alluring so me and Oliver headed to the park instead. I took a new book to start on 'Stamboul Train' by Graham Greene - it's so much fun, lots of mystery and intrigue!  To add to the sunny afternoon vibe we had two different tasty ciders from Wales to try, and enjoyed an afternoon reading, drinking and dozing in the sunshine.

I did go home in the evening and get the top cut out though. I'm doing two layers as the green & white Liberty print (which you can see in this post) is a bit see-through and I don't want another unwearable top like the yellow/white stripe one.  I thought about lining it but Toile and Trouble suggested I could just double layer for ease so that's what I'm doing as it really is a lot easier!  I got the staystitching done tonight and the darts but then I had to go out for a while and now, after 10pm, it's too late to get the sewing machine out.

So, seeing as I don't have another top to show you yet how about this rather lovely Parisienne plate by Ridgway instead?! It's from the 1950s and I just couldn't resist it in a lovely art gallery/antique shop in Kirkudbright.  The girl sitting at the table with the gorgeous 1950s dress reminds me of Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face.