Don’t you just love the colour of the sky? It’s a glorious fall day outside. Love it!
Well, I’ve had a craving for skirts the last couple of weeks, particularly brown skirts. Don’t ask me why! I’ve got two already that are in different shades of brown, but I still wanted another skirt. Enter Burda 09-2010-106.
I’ve had my eye on this particular skirt pattern since last September and was happy to get it out of a length of wool crepe from my stash after cutting out a pair of trousers. I really liked the topstitching detail on the technical drawing. I mitered all corners of the slits and used a catchstitch to hem.
Then I marked the topstitching lines with chalk on the inside for the first slit. And didn’t like it because I’m a lazy seamstress, and if I can wing it instead of taking 58 minutes to mark it e.k.z.a.k.t.l.y, then I’ll save the 58 minutes and wing it. So I changed my tactic and just merrily measured as I stitched. The stitches are not exactly even in length if you were to scrutinize them with a ruler, but that’s the look that I wanted. I used four strands of DMC stranded embroidery cotton, waxed well and pressed prior to stitching.
Et voilà! I’m quite pleased with the effect. The colour is a few shades darker than the fabric and noticeable just enough. I did not want a high-contrast look. You can see my lining peeking out at the top of the slit. Ooops.
I also did a row of topstitching on either side of the yoke seam, too. It’s subtle, but there!
I fully lined the skirt, not just the yoke as Burda suggested. I prefer a fully lined skirt if I can get it. I had every intention of mitering the corners of the lining to the interior would be absolutely perfectly bee-yew-ti-ful, but I was an idiot and didn’t pre-shrink the bemberg, and I know it’s going to shrink a little when I wash this skirt. Yes, I wash my wool garments. I do not like to send things to the cleaners unless I absolutely have to, and find I can get the same result washing trousers, skirts and the occasional wool dress at home without any mishap. I must say, I’ve never tried washing a wool jacket or coat……
Anyways, back to the lining….. I cut only the standard 5/8” seam allowance down all seams, and turned them under below the slit marking. Then I turned up the hem allowance about the same (5/8”) and attached it directly to the skirt hem along the topstitching using a fell stitch and easing in the extra fabric. Once it was fully attached, I carefully ran my hands down the lining to the hem, pressing whatever fabric bagged at the bottom into a crisp, clean edge. I’ve worn the skirt all day, so I apologize for the wrinkles, but you get the idea.
This is my preferred way of finishing off a wool skirt. It’s super clean on the inside and the attached lining behaves like an underlining. The four slits on the skirt do make it rather “breezy”. It was a windy day today, and the skirt hemline would get lifted and fly about.
Oh, and here’s a picture of my ridiculous mini poodle trying to eat what we call ‘helicopters’: the 2-inch long seeds from Canada’s maple trees that float like little helicopter blades spinning to the ground in an abundance during our autumn season. The stupid scavenging dog decided it looked like food, and so it got stuck in his teeth! You can see him looking for edibles in the first picture of this post. And poodles are generally thought to be extraordinarily intelligent dogs. Not this one!
Mezzo Couture 
I just got out my Budra magazine so I could trace off the pattern for this skirt. I was shocked at what poor pictures they have of this skirt in the magazine. No wonder I was on the fence about making it.
I forgot to mention how adorable your dog is and ask if you hand wash your wool items?
@Kathi: I wash my wool one of two ways. If it’s an uncut length of fabric, I put it into my washing machine on “hand wash” with Woolite or Soak in freezing cold water. Once it’s gone through the cycle, I lay it out on a sheet, fold the sheet over it 2 or 3 times, and pop it all into the clothes dryer for about 40 minutes. This process pre-shrinks the wool. After a garment is made, I will either wash it in the machine on “hand wash’ using the same detergent, or soak it in the laundry sink in cold or lukewarm water, lay it out on towels, roll up the towels to blot the excess water, and hang it up to dry. Unfortunately, I’m usually really lazy with the wringing-out part, so I just throw the garments into my machine. It works really well and I usually only need to do touch-up press. The wool does not shrink if I’ve pre-shrunk it. But I’ve never tried this with a jacket or coat……. 🙂
Your skirt looks great. You stated that you wash the wool skirt yourself? In a washing machine? By hand? What sort of detergent do you use? Love to know you secret.
Your dog is adorable – poodles always have such unique personalities.
Sorry to be so lazy, but you can read my reply to Kathi about how I wash my wool clothes. And yes, poodles are each unique in personality. Li’l Nuggett, as this one’s called, is male, and I’ve noticed doesn’t cross his paws while lying down like my standard females did, and is also very particular about how much he chooses to obey….. or not. 🙂
Love the skirt, especially the top stitching.
Er, “top-stitching” obviously…. 🙂
Beautiful! I really love the handworked stop-stitching; completely fabulous!
Ha ha! Stop-stitching should be a term for hand-worked stitches!
This skirt is beautiful as is everything you make. I love the mitered corners. It has been on and off my “to make list” for over a year. It is quicky going back on.
I love the ebroidery running stitch detail. What a beautiful skirt. Thanks for posting at my linky party! I hope you will come back next Saturday!
Great classy looking skirt.Tthe hand top stitching looks so nice. I seen to be attracted to brown in the fall and winter too. Can’t say why.
I meant I learned it the hard way.
Yeah, me too. I cannot remember the garment, but I do remember being totally disgusted that I hadn’t thought to pre-shrink the lining.
Great skirt. I love the finishing touches. Mitered coners and topstiching are beautiful. I learned it the ward too that bemberg shrinks when not prewashed.
I like your skirt. The top stitching is a great touch. If it were anymore consistent, it wouldn’t look hand done, so I think using a seam gauge worked a charm.