My new pal Ellis

Hello from a rather damp & windy Auckland! We are in the midst of a large landscaping/decking/gardening extravaganza at the moment so OF COURSE it’s raining cats & canines. After literally months of dry weather. Sigh.

To remind myself of sunnier days , I’m sharing not just my lily white legs but a new skirt, huzzah! I seem to have all sorts of problems finding great skirt patterns, maybe I’m very particular (ok, no maybe about it), but for something relatively simple, I struggle.

So when I saw the Ellis Skirt from Cashmerette I was definitely interested. Who doesn’t want a perfect denim skirt? I know I’ll never again achieve the sartorial perfection that was 11 year old me, rockin’ my blue denim skirt with a yellow Pickaberry tee shirt & Bata bullet sneakers but still , I can give it a crack right?

Somehow the denim skirt morphed into something a little more formal. I work full time in a law firm (I’m the accountant, they don’t let me loose on clients but I still need to look reasonably smart, no casual Fridays for me) so the reality is I’m in work wear for the majority of the week . Except when I get home & change. I remember reading one of those “french woman” articles, where basically you are reminded that no matter what you do you will never be as chic as a French woman, because for starters you’re not French (or thin, you don’t smoke or wear high heels or have a lover. Or two.) and one of the woman interviewed commented how much she enjoyed coming home & changing out of her formal work suit, into something casual. So not yoga pants a ratty tee & slippers then, oui? Non. The casual was a pair of wool pants, a cashmere sweater & loafers. I did at least chuck out a pair of legging with a hole & several rather dubious tees…

Anyway, after looking at my work wardrobe ,and trying to bring some semblance of sense to my sewing I thought the pattern would work perfectly with some stretch cotton sateen I’d picked up at Spotlight. The stretch would give the comfort & recovery of denim, while being work appropriate, win!

I really love the colours in this fabric, and some leftover green linen from this wee dress worked perfectly for my pocket lining.

The cotton sateen is a dream to sew, stable & robust, but I felt like some of the traditional denim skirt top stitching details, particularly on back pockets would have been lost on such a busy pattern. In fact I ditched the back pockets all together , what the heck am I ever putting in those?

But I did top stitch around the pockets , back yoke & down the front , it does give a nice crisp finish.

I cut a straight Size 20, its a wee bit loose around the waist because the fabric is a little more forgiving than denim , but this was fine, and given we’ve had morning tea four mornings out of five this week at work possibly a very good idea? I made View B, lengthened to view A Length, without belt loops or back pockets.

The skirt works well with a tee & cardi, to make it cooler weather appropriate I’ve also teamed it with a sweater & boots, I think it works!

Like other Cashmerette patterns, the PDF came together well, instructions are clear, and I want to make another. I have an amazing stretch corduroy cut out (I know, naughty starting another project after cutting out, I’m a rebel, what can I say?) and some cool black denim that says make me. I wish work didn’t cut into my sewing day so much?!

It’s Mothers Day here in NZ, I’m very lucky to still have my Mum around, she’s 83, took her first plane ride at 80, has recently learnt to play Mah Jong & theirs no stopping her. Mum has sewn all her life , we had plenty of home made clothing growing up , it’s only now I sew myself I realize how much effort she put into our wardrobe. She’s still amazed I have finally taken to sewing , only about 30 years after she hoped? We gave Mum tickets to the Mousetrap (I got my LOVE of books, reading & Agatha Christie from my mother & I will thank her till the day I die for that) and a lovely infinity scarf I made in Liberty jersey. In true Ryan style we forgot to take a picture.

I’ll leave you with Tuppence, I suspect she wants to be painted like those French girls (what is the French thing this week?)

And Tommy mid photo bomb!

Have a fab week people 🙂

Kristina xxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

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