Next up in the Christmas present queue: Mum!
This was a funny one: there was me, getting all confident about sewing for everyone, and then, a reminder that I still have a long way to go…. I decided to make Simplicity 1541 using a great black, white and purple plaid wool that I bought in the summer in Portland. I haven’t done much sewing of womenswear for other people, but the key thing  I had in mind is that I’m 5’6″ and my Mum is 5’2″. So I thought: easy! I’ll just make the skirt 4 inches shorter than it would need to be on me!
Errrr….
Spot the error? It turns out that when someone’s shorter than someone else it doesn’t all come from their femur bones. Â Oops! As a result, I made my Mum a lovely… miniskirt!
Luckily, she liked it, although I have learned my lesson for next time. I cut the side panels on the bias, which was a fairly subtle effect and did mask the curved front lines of the pattern a bit:
In the back, some passable pattern matching:
As the wool had a slightly loose weave, I underlined it in silk organza, and then lined it in black silk:
And popped in one of my new labels!
I still have a bunch of this wool left over, so I’m tempted to whip up one of these for myself, but perhaps not a matching mini!
That’s lovely fabric and I love the bias cut side panels. Nice touch. g
Thanks! It’s my first wool garment and I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out, length aside 🙂
It may be a mini, but your mother looks great in it. I too love the bias cut side panels. It is a very stylish garment.