The Monthly Stitch May: Sew Stretchy Razzleberry Skirt

Sew Stretchy is not a huge challenge for me, at the moment I sew more knits that wovens. Mainly because I sew a lot for my children, but also because I am on maternity leave at the moment, so comfort and clothes that don't add to the ironing pile are important to me. However, sewing to a deadline and in particular, taking pictures to a deadline is another kettle of fish.

Using Me Made May (which has otherwise been a fail) as the impetus, I pulled out a UFO and finished it off. This skirt is a triple threat - a Monthly Stitch challenge, a competed UFO and a 100% stashbust. Woo hoo for ticking many boxes.

Alas, pancake bottom

This is the Pattern Runway Draped Skirt. I have previously made their Easy Kimono Dress (pre-blog), which was easy and was a flattering shape to wear and lovely for summer. I thought this looked flattering as well and I liked that it was a bit different.

Sparkles!

In a stash-reducing attempt, I used a Fabric.com sparkle hatchi knit (my colourway is no longer available, but this is a similar one) and it's lined in a similar raspberry knit (but sparkle-less), neither are actually stretch knit, so while the fabric stretches, it has pretty poor recovery and it also a bit on the heavy side, but has turned out ok, if not quite like the pictures. I actually originally cut this out not long after my son was born, thinking that it would make a great post-baby skirt, because it is a forgiving shape and fabric and would be easy to wear in those early weeks and months. My son is now almost nine months old, but it is a nice skirt to wear particularly in the cooler weather and the sparkle means that if I ever have a life again, I could wear it out at night.

I didn't have enough fabric to properly pattern match, so I went with good enough.

At the time I cut this out, in those early post-baby days, I just cut the largest size, not really willing to measure myself, which I think probably accounts for a lack of gathering across the front and back of the skirt, but I can live with that because the stripes are pretty cool. If I were to make it again, I definitely use a stretch jersey and probably go down at least one size. 

Lining-hem all-in-one combo.

I sewed the side seams on my overlocker, and the rest on my sewing machine, using zigzag stitch. I also did a tiny bit of hand sewing (about 10 cm). The skirt assembly is quite cool. you sew the skirt pieces together, then the lining pieces, leaving a gap in the lining pieces. 

The gap - very important for the magic to work (it's also important to read the instructions)

The gathering is with clear elastic, which is sewed into the seam. You stitch in the waist band elastic in, so far so straightforward - unless you sew the elastic on to the wrong side of the skirt and then you have to unpick stretch stitches - blerk. Then there is a tricky thing where you sew the skirt to the lining to create the hem. I had to read the instructions  A LOT of times to get this right. My only criticism of the instructions is that it would have been helpful to illustrate this step, particularly when the  instructions acknowledge that it is a bit tricky to get your head around.

The magic loop of skirt all sewn together

I'd probably make this skirt again, I'd like to see how it looks in the recommended fabric and I think to make my life easier, I'd zigzag the elastic down the side seams and then overlock over the top. Mainly because when I overlock elastic in, I always end up feeling like I need more hands.

Go on - give it a sew!

All in all a very easy make - once I actually got around to making it and another piece of stash bites the dust.