NL 6899: a new "vintage" circle skirt

Circle skirt, finished!

Here's the backstory.  Last week I found myself infatuated with this series of photos via Pinterest:

That dress is TDF!  Yellow, lace, circle skirt?  Bicycle??  It apparently was a photoshoot for Vogue, but don't quote me on that. 

Knockoff wheels started turning.  I had just pulled an icy blue satin from stash (10 years old minimum), thinking I'd use it matte side out because the color was richer (plus, more practical).  And last fall I placed a huge order for assorted colors of nylon tricot and laces from Sew Sassy for some lingerie (um, that's all still on THE LIST).  After I saw the above photos, it took me about 35 seconds to put the two together!

I started with this New Look pattern (not vintage but vintage-esque!) 6899:

I love this pattern because it has both a full circle and a half circle version, in two lengths.  I used the long version, full circle skirt.  I had to fudge just a teeny bit on length due to my yardage on hand but I knew I was adding the lace so that made up most of the difference. 

I cut a straight waistband, planning to do a side lapped zip.  I hate shaped waistbands.  They never sit correctly on my waist.   (And it's easy to cut a straight waistband substitute!  No pattern piece needed!)  That brought the skirt up a little in length, since my waistband was narrower than the shaped on in the pattern.  I love the finished length though.  I think it's perfect (even if that's a fluke):

I'm hoping it's more "slip-like" and less "she's wearing a slip with no skirt!"  Ha. 

My big cheat...I didn't have a zip (story of my life) and rather than sit on this project for several days I just did an elastic waist!

I used the waistband piece I had already cut and sewed it together in a circle, the pressed it in half lengthwise wrong sides together.  I cut a piece of 1" elastic to fit and sewed it together in a circle too.  Then I just tucked the circle of elastic into the waistband and pinned close to the bottome edge of the elastic. Stitch close to the edge with a zipper foot.  You do have to stop about 3/4 of the way around and redistribute the fullness of the waistband because it is longer than the circle of elastic.  I just redistribute, pin again and sew. 

Last step is just pinning the waistband to the skirt and stitching in place.  I serged the raw seams:

Note that I have a double row of stitching.  When I stitched to the skirt, I could see the first line of stitching in a couple of places, so I had to go back over it again. 

Pinning that lace into place was a job!  I pinned about 1/2 of the skirt and stitched, then pinned the rest in place and stitched  I used a zigzag and followed along the lace header.  Which...was CURVED. I didn't realize that until I went to pin, but the color was so perfect I sucked it up. 

After stitching, I trimmed away the excess fabric from behind, close to the zigzag stitching.  I would have gotten closer, but I'm not convinced this satin won't fray like the devil when it's washed.  This will probably be a handwash item!  Here's the interior where you can see the fabric trimmed away (and the shiny side of the satin is on the inside!)

That's about it!  Pretty new skirt for not a lot of work.  Now let's see if I can get that plaid dress finished today!  I'm already eyeballing a new project. 

two things.

First,  I love Dita von Teese.  (Although google imaging her is somewhat tricky since I'm basically a sheltered country girl at heart.)  She never looks less than perfect.  Wouldn't you love to wander around in her (probably bigger than my entire house) closet??

Wonder if she ever lounges about at home in knit yoga pants and a ratty old tee?  No?  Probably not.

Next...I found the perfect pattern to knock off this Amy Adams dress!!

 

Look at New Look 6886:

Same bodice, right down to the angle of the neckline (although I think Amy's dress might have set in sleeves?)  Same swishy circle skirt (and I can even add more swish if I want to, with my circle skirt draft).  There was another very similar pattern that had a bodice + midriff piece WITH the tulip sleeves like Amy's.  Alas, I can't get the Simplicity site to load so I can show you a picture.  I decided to go with this pattern because it is the most similar, and because I think I can realistically draft the tulip sleeves if I want them.

Although I'm not sure that I can use the tulip sleeves on this type of raglan bodice.  Hmmm. This one will take some more thought.

First though I have a green plaid dress that needs some finishing up on!   

anthro shirt: in progress

Ok, so just an itty bit of progress, but we'll take what we can get, right??

So far I've adjusted the pattern (it's a crazy frankenpattern now! I'll take a picture in the daylight tomorrow if I remember to upload next post). I've also cut it out, and sewn a few seams!

The darts are sewn on the front bodice, shoulder & side seams sewn, and the neck stay-stitched:


I also added a bit of topstitching to the seams:



This beautiful red/royal/navy fabric is a linen and cotton blend from the 1940s. It's only 36 inches wide, so some creative layout was necessary. I bought 3 pieces from the same ebay seller, and man, I could have cleaned her out... if only I had unlimited funds! Her shop is empty of this type of goodness right now, but if she restocks I'll let you know!

After I buy what I want first, of course. ;)

I think the most exciting part (next to the part where I'm actually sewing) is that I have the perfect royal blue linen to make a skirt to match! I have no idea what pattern I'll use, but probably something simple like a pencil skirt. Actually this "Emma Pillsbury" skirt from J. Crew has long been a fave, so maybe TWO knockoffs are in the works.


Right now, I'm sleepy. Night!

the anthropologie shirt.

I've been lusting after many a variation of this anthroplogie shirt for a couple of years now.


They keep reusing this same, basic pattern.


Tweaking it season after season.


Anthropologie is just using what sewists have been doing for ages...pulling out the "TNT".


Yes, Anthro...the gig is up.


Add darts, take away darts. Swap out sleeves. One ruffle, two ruffle, three. Add skirt.


You can't fool me. It's still the same TNT. Which means...it's ripe for the pickin's. And guess which New Look pattern is a "dead ringer"?


Time for a knockoff! And I have just the quiet Saturday to do it. Stay tuned!

Future Anthro knockoff candidates (otherwise known as the pictorial that proves it's a good thing I sew):






And this one. O.M.G. Not Anthro, it's Kate Spade, but totally in love with it.


Repeat after me: Think tweed. Fall & Winter are coming. You do NOT need a sunshiney yellow stripey twirly skirt of LOVE. Even if it has a bow.

Whew. That was close.