One By One

DIYC Basic A-line, Finishing

Here it is, all finished!

I decided to not add pockets to this skirt as originally planned. The bottom ruffle added just the perfect little touch, the addition of the pockets seemed to make it "a little too much."

There are times when I am just as happy with what the inside looks like as what the outside looks like. This is one of those times!

I am lacking a modeling shot, hoping to get one soon. I love the fit of the skirt! And the best part? I drafted the skirt pattern myself!

Next up the the DIYC Journey, I plan on making another A-line skirt. I think I may have to re-draft the pattern again - adding more sweep and adjusting for the recent weight loss (seven pounds!).

DIYC Basic A-line, Petersham Ribbon Facing

I discovered Petersham Ribbon a couple of years ago. It is often compared to grosgrain ribbon except that Petersham has a woven edge. This gives it some flexibility properties and helps waistbands conform and fit more comfortably.

Having had success with using Petersham Ribbon, I am a complete convert! I use it whenever I can.

So, back to the basic A-line skirt from DIYC. Last we saw the skirt, the lining was basted (and ease/fitted) to the top of the skirt front, and the lining raw edges were finished off onto the zipper tape.

Now comes the fun part - preparing and attaching the facing!

To pre-shrink the Petersham, I dunk it in hot water and steam shape it with an iron. I almost always use 1.5" wide Petersham, I just like the way it fits my body. While at the iron, I steam and stretch one long edge of the Petersham into a wide curve. It's hard to tell in the picture, but the Petersham essentially becomes and upside-down smile, the stretched curved edge is notated by the pin.

 

The Petersham is attached to the outside of the skirt, with the unstretched edge stitched along the top of the skirt. Once folded to the lining side, the stretched edge of the Petersham allows for a comfortable fit along the tummy and abdomen area (well, for those of us with tummies and abdomens!).

I try my best to sew the unstretched edge of the Petersham right along the ease stitching lines, with the stretched edge extending beyond the top of the skirt. 

Here it is stitched:

 

And here is what it looks like on the lining side.

Next I turn the Petersham to the lining side of the skirt, press-steam-press-steam-press, tuck under the two short edges along the zipper, and either top-stitch along the entire skirt top or stitch-in-the-ditch along the side seams and darts. 

Next up, the finishing touches.

DIYC Basic A-line, Easing Fit and Lining

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I learned this tip from Sandra Betzina's Power Sewing. I find it works great on skirts like this, those without an attached/separate waistband as it helps to draw in, and refine, the fit. I find that this works well when you have about about an inch or so, but no more than two, that need to be refined.

Here's how I do it! Remember, this is after inserting the zipper.

I break the skirt into fours, two for the front and two for the back. Using a long basting/gathering stitch, I stitch along the waist seam line, in these four separate sections, starting and stopping before the next. I find breaking the gathering into four different thread sections makes it easier to ease.

So, after stitching I put the skirt on. I draw in the waist here and there by fiddling with the bobbin threads of the stitching. It is very important to distribute this easing as much as possible to prevent puckering.

Here's mine, eased in:

 

Next, I stabilize this easing. I will usually use strips cut from the selvage of the garment fabric, but 1/4" twill tape is good too. I sew right on top of the ease stitching.

The inside

The outside

The lining for this skirt was really an after thought. When I started it I wasn't sure if I wanted to take the time to line it... or more like I wasn't sure if the skirt was going to turn out :)

Anyway, since I was excited about the progress, I decided to line it. Since I made this determination after I had refined the fit, I had to repeat this same process with the lining. No biggie, just more time consuming. To stabilize the lining stitches, I sewed it along the top of the skirt right on top of the stabilizing stitches on the skirt.

My favorite result of lining a skirt?

The beautiful clean edge created in the inside of the skirt along the zipper! If there is an interest in learning how to do this, I might just dive into creating a video-tutorial... we'll see!

Next up, the Petersham ribbon waist facing.

DIYC Basic A-line, The Ruffle and Zipper

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When we last talked about this skirt, I was just about ready to attach the ruffle to the skirt bottom.

Since then I have:

1. Basted the ruffle to the skirt bottom at the sewing machine.

2. Serged the raw edges together of the ruffle/skirt seam.

3. Pressed this seam up towards the skirt and pressed the ruffles flat (going for a more modern look, not the frilly look here).

4. Top-stitched along the bottom of the skirt, catching the serged seam in the stitching.

5. Inserted the invisible zipper.

Remember how I had not sewn the left side seam of the skirt when the ruffle was pinned? This allowed for the zipper installation and for an easier attachment of the ruffle (easier for me anyway, to not have to insert the ruffle in the "round" so to speak). But, it did cause for one extra step since I had hemmed the ruffle prior to gathering.

I had to rip out an inch or two of the hemming to finish the left side seam. If I had thought about it, I should have started and stopped the hemming two inches shy of either end. Oh well, live and learn!

Here is the pinned left side seam, ruffle hem tinked back a bit

But, since the hem had already been pressed, it was so simple to put it back together again...

and you would just about never know that I sewed this ruffle in flat! 

Next up, easing the waistline and a lining.

DIYC Basic A-line Skirt

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The first project in Design it Yourself Clothes is a basic A-line skirt.

I found the directions for drafting the pattern straight forward. For me the most difficult part was creating the 90-degree angles where the garment pieces meet, then curving the seam lines.

After about 90 minutes, I had my pattern pieces completely drafted.

 

I opted for a skirt pattern length of 23", and a sweep of 48" (which is 8" bigger than my hip measurement). In addition, I did not add seam allowances to my pattern pieces. My hope is that this will give me more leeway when altering the pieces in the future. But this may also come back to haunt me later, we'll see.

On this particular skirt, I added 1/4" seam allowances to the top of the waist, 1/2" to the sides, and 1" to the bottom. I am also adding a contrasting bottom ruffle, I cut it to 72" long by 3" wide, which will end up being 2" wide.

Construction thus far includes:

1. Sewing all four darts.

2. Sewing and serging the right side seam.

3. Serging the raw edges of the left side seam on the front and back pieces.

4. Sewing the ruffle pieces together and hemming.

5. Gathering and pinning ruffle to skirt, whose left side seam has not been sewn.

Sneak peak:

 

Design it Yourself Clothes Journey

This post is contest eligible! Be sure to leave a comment to be entered in the drawing.

I have decided to challenge myself and work my way through Cal Patch's Design it Yourself Clothes (DIYC).

The book is set up as a bit of a workbook. Taking personal measurements and drafting patterns based on those measurements, starting with easier garments working to more difficult ones. My hope is to combine what I have been learning in my slopers class with the draftings in this book to create some custom-fit pieces in my wardrobe.

I plan to chronicle my journey here on the blog. For anyone who may not know, I've been sewing regularly for about six years and would classify myself as an advanced-intermediate sewer. I also plan to document not only the pattern drafting, but also the garment construction note along the way.

Coming up first, the basic A-line skirt.