Quelle surprise! It’s another Chardon skirt from the Deer & Doe pattern, this time in watermelon-pink linen.
This fabric has been in my stash since 2004, when I bought it to make a dress for my little girl. Ha! Listen to me, all you young mums out there: THEY GROW UP! I have thought about using this fabric every summer. Last year it almost became a pair of swishy pleated shorts, but luckily I revised my plans. I think I will get a lot more wear out of a skirt than shorts.
Stats:
Pattern: Deer & Doe Jupe Chardon, size 38
Fabric: Heavy watermelon linen bought from Little Shop of Treasures at ebay in 2004, about £12?
Other: Michael Miller Peace symbol bias binding from Frumble Fabrics, about £3.50. Another metre of plain white binding for the centre back seam, about 40p from stash. Zip and thread bought locally for far too much, but I needed it, so there you go, c’est la vie, shrugs. Oh – and a “I am half agony half hope” label, naturellement!
Process:
I started making this skirt last Sunday and have been dipping in and out of it across the week. This was supposed to make me feel like I was making progress, but actually made me feel like I had been sewing it forever!
I took care not to rush this project, and added binding to the centre back seam, to prevent fraying around the zip. I tried to do a lapped zip from memory, but it’s not perfect. Maybe I need to research different zip sewing methods as I seem to have lost my touch. Once again I am grateful to the bow-tie for covering my dodgy zip-sewing!
I used the fancy Michael Miller binding at its full width on the hem, and half-width to bind the lower edge of the waist facing.
Verdict?
Stash-busting of the very best kind!
It feels really good to put this fabric to good use, after lurking in my stash suitcase for so many years.
Yes, it is a strong colour, but I am coming to realise that my happiest me-mades are the confident ones.
I love the swishiness of the Chardon skirt, and though the back bow is dangerously girly, it pleases me.
And best of all, I finally have a bottom half that goes well with my Raindrops on Roses top – yippee!