Let me start off by saying: “I LOVE THIS SKIRT!!!” 😀 I didn’t pick the right fabric but I love it anyway.

Before I start the description part, a pat on the back for me. I actually used the tripod to take pictures on the DSLR!!! 🙂 Go me! I’m not so great at the posing part (gonna do a thorough Google on poses for the larger lady) and I haven’t got any makeup on today and I’ve been wearing the skirt all day and it’s all creased but thems the breaks. The pics are better than iPhone selfies in a mirror! 😉 (Like a five-year-old “and… and… and…”) 😉

This is the Colette Ginger skirt. I love Colette Patterns and want to make ALL their things. 🙂

Now I adore this fabric. The retro feel is awesome. It’s a Montreal Drill from Spotlight which I picked up at 50% off the discontinued price. I got like 4 metres for $12. Bargain! I also have quite a bit left but as it’s drill, I can only really make skirts or pants out of it… Maybe I’ll make another skirt with a one piece front/back and a side zip. Any other suggestions for a drill material?

I’m sure everyone’s said it before but I’ll say it again, this skirt was a cinch to put together. With four panels and a waist band, it couldn’t be easier! 🙂 I cut a straight size 18 with no adjustments. I used view 3’s waistband as I didn’t like my chances at stopping the shaped ones from getting all bunched and ruining the look. Turns out I was right! 😉

I overlocked my seam allowances but I did them separately and open. Not sure if this is a legitimate way of finishing the seams or if you’re supposed to overlock them together and press to one side? My overlocker was playing silly buggers and I couldn’t get my tensions right. After it being perfect on my last few knit items it was very frustrating. I changed the thread to black and couldn’t get the tension back in. I finally got the front side looking nice but the back was weird loose loops… I’ll have to keep fiddling. Anyone have a failsafe method of adjusting an overlocker?

I used a ‘contrast’ (can it be called that as it’s also in blues?) fabric for the waistband facing. This was also a discontinued fabric at Spotlight at 50% off. $2.50 a metre, oh yeah! More retro fabric! 🙂 Again, sorry for the creases. I put the thickest  interfacing I have in that waistband and it’s still all creased. I think the next one I make I’ll reduce the waistband to half  the depth. I stitched the waistband down using the ‘stitch in the ditch’ method so you can’t even see the stitches on the right side. The line isn’t that straight from the inside but that’s okay. Only you and me are gonna see that! 😉

By the way the colour of the skirt is most like the above and below pics, in case you were wondering. 🙂

I don’t have an invisible zipper foot so I’ve just used a standard zipper (I trust them more anyway, never had an invisible zipper on any clothing that hasn’t broken!). I’m not sure what you call my method of installing a zip but I just basted the pieces together above the circle then sewed in the zip and unpicked the basting. Is this a lapped zipper? Or is that when the zip only has one side of fabric over it? This one is centred. Dunno, doesn’t matter. 😉 Unfortunately while installing the zip I oversewed the bottom (not sure how) and as I was a bit frustrated with the make (because of other things, not the pattern!) so I’ve just left it there. You can’t see it on the dark blue side so I’m not really worried. I was a bit disappointed by the positioning of the circles anyway so I can’t say this skirt is perfect. On that topic for a moment, I did try to match the circles at the middle front and back seams but the placement was fairly random and I just couldn’t manage it. I got frustrated and in the end decided to “Embrace the Randomness” (a line that has stuck with me, thanks Karen!).

Here’s how I styled it today, a bit frumpy but IT’S SO COLD today!!! 😉

And by the way, I’m not trying to be too cool for school with my glasses, I have Transitions lenses and they transitioned in the afternoon light. 🙂 Also in reality my top is a bit more blue than the purple that it’s coming up as.

So that’s my Colette Ginger. On my sewing table now I have my cut out pieces for a Simplicity Lisette Portfolio dress. Hopefully will start the sewing part soon. If I can put the knitting down that is!!! 🙂