When someone asks me to sew something for them I get all fretful. It’s a default of mine. While I may seem rather suave and sophisticated (BWAH HA HA!!!!!) I am a total bundle of nerves when it comes to anything I have made. I can’t fit for myself let along for anyone else, I protest. You’re far too cool to want something crafted with my sewasaurus claws of wonder and doom, I declare. Or most importantly You do realise I only make things in crazy prints? So when my dear friend Jess, crafty minx extraordinaire, asked me to make her a skirt over Christmas I made my regular excuses but grabbed her measurements anyway for future schemes. Once I realised we’re about the same size I decided to wait and make her a rad separate for her birthday… So enter Jess’ Hollyburn (as modelled by Amanda)…
Gah! It’s too cute! I curbed my enthusiasm for crazy prints and instead went with a classic polka dot in a lovely navy blue. I lined it in a soft pink rayon from my stash and added some piping to accent the lines of the pattern. I love how it makes the slash pockets pop!
Yay pockets!
I drafted my own lining for the skirt as I know Jess loves to wear tights in winter and I didn’t want the fabric to catch. I wanted to sass up the bottom of the hem some with some lace but unfortunately didn’t purchase enough to go round the whole hem. In fact, when I started going through all my trims I could not for the life of me find one that was the right length. Let this be a lesson to y’all- don’t leave hand stitching trim until the night before you need to post something because you’ll run out of it for sure. So I decided to get sneaky and machine sew on some lovely white grosgrain. Now I still was about 20cm short of what I needed so I double up two thinner pieces of grosgrain, layered them carefully and stitched them on and it mostly looks like it is all one piece of awesome. Tricksy!
Isn’t it rad? I’m a happy with my make do and mend result!
But can we talk about my new favourite thing about polka dots I have discovered? Taking a photo of someone spinning the fabric. It’s trippy!
And if I may share my sewist shame with y’all… I was super careful when cutting the pocket pieces to make sure the polka dots would line up well with the front of the skirt. But I paid so much attention to that that I messed up the front seam. Doh! Please accept my shamefaced sewasaurus rex photo in penance…
Who can stay mad at that puddin? Oh, right. Everyone except my Mum! teehee!
Enough chatter, what I loved about this pattern:
- How forgiving it is when making for others. As long as I got the waist sitting pretty rad I knew this would fit like a charm. The flared shape makes this super forgiving!
- How easy it was to make a lining for this. Love it!
- Piping. Sweet piping. I should right an ode to piping… Nay, a haiku!
Piping is most rad
Tiny cord of awesomeness
Get ye on my make!
What I would change for next time:
- Invisible hem. They’re super fun but I have to be in the right mood to hand stitch them. Given winter is upon us it’s a nice excuse to curl up on the couch with Bimble and Pimble and do some hand sewing.
- Make a copy cat version for myself! Is it weird to matchy matchy dress with someone who is 1500km away? Is it kosher to copy your own selfless sewing? What is the etiquette on this? Let me know, Jess!
So, Boo. So glad you love your birthday skirt! Ear it well, travel safe and see you when you get back from the States! It’s going to be rad!
MWAH!
Gah, so rad! I love the piping. Jess will be thrilled to bits.
Personally, I follow Cidell’s (Miss Celie’s Pants) not-so-serious advice: no crafts, unless you a put a ring of my finger. I totally say this to my mother when she asks me to make things.
So cute! You’re such a nice friend, making her a such a pretty skirt and then still being able to give it away when it already fits you so well….. 😉
great skirt – love the trippy twirling photo!
What a cute skirt! I just love it 🙂
A fabby skirt and poetry to boot – you are a genius! 🙂
You are too cute, and so is that skirt!
The very few times I have made something for someone else I have convinced myself that I am in love with it and need it and NOT wanted to gift it to them. But, if I’d have made the same thing for myself I would not have wanted it so bad. I am so frickin’ selfish!
Love this Hollyburn!
Love it! How very selfless. I’d have sneakily kept that myself. Just sayin’ is all.
Aargh! This is so on the money. I love it. Love it! Great present and I think I might need to get on board the Hollyburn train.
You’ve GOT to be Hollyburn twins with Jess! Go forth and copycat!
What a beautiful skirt and such a great present!
Very very cute – and I think you may be suffering from piping-itis!
But I’m guessing it’s a no if I DM you my measurements for a Hollyburn?
Gorgeous! She’s a very lucky friend!
It IS totally rad! Lucky friend she is. You should def whip up your own and be twinsies!
Yay, what a super cute skirt! Look at you, you selfless sewing saint! 😀
love it!! looks super cute. I’m way too selfish for non-selfish sewing*!
*she says as she cut out a pattern for someone else last night….. In my defense, it’s an ickle baby dress out of peter rabbit fabric and I’m living vicariously through them as I can’t pull the fabric off as well as a baby can. I think that makes it selfish sewing!
Super duper cute! I suck at selfless sewing. I’ve made a few things for Imogen but only because they’re super fast. Adult selfless sewing I haven’t even attempted!
What a fun skirt! Your friend will love it! I also crumble in fear at the thought of making something for someone else, but that’s also when I do my best work. Great job!
you should definitely whip up another for yourself! it’s super cute!
Absolutely adorable! I think you deserve one for yourself too 🙂
hahahahaha love that haiku. And the skirt, the piping is fab addition!
Very jealous, your friend is a lucky girl! Piping and polkas in the perfect skirt, what’s not to like!
Pumpkin, if you don’t make a matching skirt, how will we swan around Sydney during our next Dream Date with large sunglasses on and tiny dogs in our handbags? Whoops, sorry, slipped into an alternate dimension there for a moment… but yes, polka-dot-matching skirts WILL happen. We’ll just wear different blouses. xx I adore it, thank you!!
aww, that skirt is darling. polka dots and piping? awesome!
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Thanks, Dixie! I now have the fabric to make my own version… Style stalking myself teehee
So glad you love it! We can totes twin dress!
I must admit to my piping addiction continuing with my latest make… I have a problem!
Haikus make everything better! 😉
Thanks, Carolyn! The fabric has been purchased 😀
Thank ye, milady!
Selfless sewing is pretty rad! It’s kind of reassuring to hear others fret about it too!
Your Imogen makes are too cute! That is all kinds of rad selfless sewing!
OMG have you finished this super cute tiny person make? I can’t wait to see it!
I should get some kind of cool piping halo, right? 😉
Thanks, Shanni! I am so making another!
Thanks, VK! 😀
Bwah ha ha!
Thanks, Claire! It’s my one thoughtful gift for the year 😉
We’re so going to be a more stylish tweedle dee and tweedle dum!
Choo choo! It’s an epically attired train, KB 😀
Jillian, you have no idea how hard it was to post it away…
I love your style, Aimes!
Nawww! Thanks, Kirsty!
Haikus take things from rad to EPIC! 😉
Thanks, Lauren!
It’s super crazy! From now on all polka dot makes will undergo the spinning test! 😀
Thank ye 😀
It was so dang hard… At least I can style stalk my make 😉
Best. Sewing mantra. Ever.