Amanda vs Simplicity 2154 Pencil Skirt

When I finally got a job in the office I thought my life and wardrobe was so going to change. No more spending lunch hours in my classroom madly planning or being constrained to unsassy trousers because you're teaching Italian street theatre to 15 year olds and need to be able to tumble across the floor with modesty. Oh, the office. What a grand hope for a lady like me. But what I hadn't realised is that I did not own any rad outfits and that if I wanted to rock it office sassiness style I would have to make them myself. So enter my first project on my new sewing machine and another addition to work wardrobe awesomeness- Simplicity 2154 skirt and a new Alma blouse...

Check it! I totally feel all Mad Men in this. Joanie and I would so be BFFs or arch nemises. Actually, who am I kidding. She would put me into the floor with a barbed quip.

But not if I outran her. And I totally could because this little number so has a kick pleat. BAM! I am really happy with how this turned out because the one problem I have with my rad pixellated rose skirt is I can't take big steps. "But Amanda", I hear you say, "it's cool to walk all dainty like at work every now and then". Bah! When you have a group of Year Six students getting a little too jazzed about kicking it museum style you need to be able to move fast. Thanks to the radness of kick pleats I can now look sassy AND wrangle adolescents. Win! 

And yes, that is sunshine yellow bias binding. This boucle is one of the fanciest fabrics I have ever bought and I figured it deserved the loveliest finishing touches I could manage with my crazy monkey sewing skills. I also have lots of lovely sewing blogger memories woven into this piece (Yup, I so went there with a lame pun!) as I bought the fabric when I met up with the always rad Rachel last year and the bias binding when I caught up with Belle a few weeks ago at FabricFest 2013 with all kinds of rad ladies. So thank you blogosphere for helping with this one!

What I loved about this pattern:

• The length. I always thought I was a complete prude with the amount of leg I like to show when I make skirts or dresses but this pattern set me straight- I must be one heck of a 21st century sassy minx with my preference for having my knee meat on show. Oh la la! When it came time to hem this like a boss above the knee just looked wrong. I'm loving the below the knee vibe going on here. I feel like Joan would totes approve. 
• The details. The kick pleat. The bias binding on the hem. I am so seriously proud of myself for tackling these. And by all means if you are impressed to feel free to send me cake. I won't stop you... In fact, is that cake arriving at my mail box? 

What I would change for next time:

• Handpick a lapped zipper. I honestly gave it a red hot go but my dear friend boucle was all "hells no, I'm all nubbly and won't take to lying flat for you". And when your fabric gets sassy at you you know it is time to quit. So when I attempt this again I think a handpicked zipper would really fit the vibe of this outfit.
• Mastering the lining. I am so keen for any hot tips on how to get your lining looking sassy at the bottom. My stitching on the hem reminds me of when I have too many gins and try to interpretive dance- twitchy, full of grand ambition and all over the shop. Mayhaps I need to get my shiny new walking foot on the case to stop the slippery fabric from sliding around? Hmmmm...

And on that note, I must alight to start on my next project. It involves silk and a sassy blouse which may or may not end up in hot mess town. The last time I tried to tackle silk it didn't end up so well so fingers crossed this time... Do you hear that? I think it is the silk coming for me. ARGH!!! NOOOO!!!