These are the kindest words I can find to describe my first attempt at the Colette Beignet pattern early last year though I am hoping to rectify this with a new project.
The first failed Beignet started off easily enough. I had recently returned to sewing and was feeling drunk on my success of creating a cheap and cheerful poplin Macaron dress that mostly fit. All of my sewing expertise had been skirts until that dress so how hard could a buttoned, high-waisted number be? Well...that's a sewing high talking, people. Stay alert and aware for these because otherwise you may experience a tale like the following...
I should have known it was going to be bad from the start. My fabric looked meh after I pre-washed it, my fabric marking pen died and I forgot to buy matching thread. I hadn't heard of a muslin at this point so I just dove straight in. Big mistake. When I emerged a week later with a finished skirt... let's just say it was nasty. Loose in some places, tight in others. The fabric wouldn't sit right and the lining felt icky on my skin.
So, I tucked it in the back of my cupboard to hide and mid last year took it out again to try on. I swear the skirt had spent the time hiding behind my old jeans mutating into an even more hideous, cotton travesty. I then did the kindest thing I could thing of- donated the skirt travesty to the Salvation Army store and hoped never to see it again. Though knowing my luck next time at down at the Salvos happily gathering up some great vintage sheets POW! I'm attacked by my hideous purple and yellow skirt (don't ask) and forced to wear it. Scary times...
Since that piece was so hideous no photos exist (kind of like a yeti) but instead I offer you a picture of my cat pretending to be a loaf of bread next to a ball. This is a great picture trade off- trust me!
Since the horrors of the purple/yellow skirt the Beignet pattern has been at the bottom of my stash hiding in shame. But I think I'm ready. I'm going to try and do this the right way this time. I'm attempting my first proper muslin before beginning construction on a garment. (I'm choosing not to include hack jobs where I have made a cheap version in poplin but made no adjustments). I've done some reading on making muslins and how to fit things properly and now it's time to begin.
I've finished cutting and marking the muslin shell pieces tonight and will be sewing those bad boys up tomorrow evening. This is how things are looking at the moment.
I have a feeling this may be a particularly painful project (but with sassy alliteration!) but I'm going to chip away at it and see if I can fit something myself.
On a related, but slightly off topic, note: what do y'all use for lining skirts? Last time I tried this I used an acetate and it was slimy and stuck to my skin. I've bought a very thin,soft cotton this time but am worried it may not work. Any thoughts? Or is there something you use that is worth a look into?
4 comments:
Purple and yellow!?!?! For lining I use acetate if I know I'm going to be wearing the skirt with tights and thin cotton or poly-cotton (often old curtain lining) if I'm going to be wearing it with bare legs.
I hate lining material. It is not made for a Queensland summer. I prefer to use cotton poplin to line a lot of stuff. It doesn't stick to your skin like lining and also doesn't slide on bras when you line bodices.
RTS- I know, right? I have absolutely no idea what possessed me when I picked those colours. Thanks for the tip! I may give the acetate another go for some winter garments later in the year then.
Thanks, Kat! Glad to hear that someone has had a success with the cotton lining. Phew! I'd like to say I never lined skirts when I was living in Bris due to the weather but really it was because I had no idea what I was doing :)
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