The Sherlock Skirt

Hello Chickadees!

Recently I was given the chance to do a little bit of pattern testing for Jennifer Lauren Vintage. As soon as she described the pattern, I was very excited to try it, because it seemed like something that was missing from my wardrobe. This is her new Cressida skirt pattern. I've been waiting and waiting for this pattern to be released, cause I'm just So. Darn. Excited about it!

Cressida is a semi-circle skirt with two views. View A is double breasted, where View B is single breasted with button tabs for a belt. Both have lovely deep inseam pockets. I chose to sew View B, because my machine does not love to make buttonholes. I also loved the idea of the button tabs to keep my belt in check.

I had a heck of a time trying to find fabric for this. I knew I wanted something neutral that would work with lots of different tops and sweaters. I ended up going with this awesome heathered brown herringbone. It's also a bit stretchy, which makes it extra comfy. Something about this colour makes me think of Sherlock Holmes.

We shot these photos at the Willingdon Beach trail in Powell River. It's a lovely forested trail right on the water.  It is well known for it's rather friendly Douglas Squirrels. Fun Fact: Red and Grey squirrels are not native to this area. They were brought over by Europeans, and have become an "invasive species" in the area. It's fairly rare to see a Douglas squirrel around Vancouver, so I always get excited to see these little guys.

Along the trail, there are many lovely signs pointing out various native species of trees and animals, as well as a few artifacts from the logging and forestry history of the area. We happened upon a logging arch, which was used to lift the ends of logs to avoid extra damage from the forest floor. This one was used in the 40's, and it's held up quite well. 

This skirt is so comfortable! It has a nice amount of flare so that I'm able to move around without any worry of a busted seam, and the pockets are an extra bonus. YAY POCKETS! I found the instructions very clear, once I got over my brain block about the front placket. Do not sew when you are tired, people! I think it would be great for any level of sewing experience.

At this moment, I was looking for the squirrel that was chattering in the trees

I'll leave you with this picture of me freaking out over squirrels. My Snow White senses were tingling.

This is the face I make when I see cute things.

Love,
Rachael

Snugly Archer

Hello Chickadees!

First off, I am sorry for some of the wonky pictures. I accidentally deleted about 3/4 of the photos we shot for this blog, and these are what we were able to salvage.

Recently, Mister and I decided to go on a vacation to Powell River, which is part of the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia. I knew right away that I needed something cozy and warm, and something that I could layer. What could be better than a snugly flannel shirt?

This is Grainline Studio's Archer. I decided it was finally time to join the rest of the sewing realm in making one of these cozy button-ups. It was hard to find some decent flannel that wasn't printed with Dora the Explorer or Trucks. Luckily I managed to find TWO prints that I loved, and you'll see the other one in a later blog post.

This pattern is awesome. I've never sewn a proper button-up before, so it was nice to have clear instructions. I used the "burrito" method to attach the yoke facing, and I love the clean look that it gives to the insides. Plus it was fun!

Sewing plaid used to scare me when I was new to sewing. For some reason the idea of matching lines was frightening? Silly me. Plaid matching is not that hard to do, plus it offers some fun new ways to play with the fabric. I ran out of fabric to match the sleeves at the shoulders, but it doesn't bother me too much.

I cut the back yoke and the button band on the bias in order to give a little visual interest. I have an issue with yokes that don't match (I have a lot of wierd buggaboos about RTW clothing), so cutting it on the bias helped to mitigate the issue, as well as break up the sea of horizontal and parallel stripes.

Please excuse the wacky collar.

This shirt is so cozy, and I plan on sewing a few more for autumn/winter. I am constantly cold, and it's nice to have something snugly to wear to keep warm.

What are your favourite things to sew for colder weather?

Love,
Rachael