navy corduroy pleated skirt with pockets

This skirt is McCall's M5591 (I made version B without the sash and belt loops.) The pattern is out of print because I bought it five years ago to make a skirt out of some family tartan (the Graham Montrose) my grandmother brought back from Scotland maybe 30 years ago. So this skirt is a bit of a muslin; I will make it again in the wool plaid. Although it is also a skirt in its own right, cozy and great with a sweater (or a flannel herringbone top.)

The fabric is a silky soft fine wale corduroy, lined with rayon. The rayon was a beast to cut and sew; it may be a while before I want to sew something other than a lining out of rayon. The lining is gathered instead of having pleats, which makes the skirt nice and swishy. The skirt has pockets and I even cut an extra set out of this navy corduroy to use with the wool skirt.

snuggly chic herringbone flannel shirt

This Burda Young Shirt (7013) is designed for knits, but I fell in love with this Kaufman Shetland herringbone flannel in ocean at the Mulb. The fabric looks like wool but feels like pajamas. (New sewing goal: make clothes that look chic but feel like pajamas.) It is double napped, which we all wish we were. Anyway, since this is a woven fabric, I sewed a larger size than I would have with a knit. This was my first project with set in sleeves. It actually goes on and off fine without unzipping the zipper, so if I make another one it may be zipperless. I like the banded neck and sleeves.

colette jasmine shirt

This is the Colette Jasmine shirt in organic cotton (Shape of Spring in Robin's Egg by Eloise Renouf for Cloud 9). I made version one. Lots of learning for this project: cutting fabric on the bias, sleeves (gathered ones), and a special tool to turn tubes (the neck bands, in this case) right side out.

vogue dress #V8574 (with pockets)

red bird dress

I made this red bird dress out of organic cotton from Up Up and Away by Skinny Laminx (from Cloud 9 Fabrics). The pattern is New Look 6020. I worked on the dress at Sewing Pop Up Social Club at Mulberry Silks; Susan, the teacher (who I went to high school with!) is amazing. I chose the square neck, which turned out gappy on me so we put in some pin tucks. This is a fun and swishy dress to wear!

ceramics class

This fall, a dear friend and I took a wheelthrowing class at the Carrboro ArtsCenter. It was a fun class, but I was a little disappointed that my semester of throwing in college didn't seem to come back to me. I was relatively pleased with the mugs I made, and at having a cup to hold my sewing tools.