Kyoto Skirt (muslin) photos

Yeah, took a while to get these taken. Here it is all, in all its a-size-too-small glory. I don't normally go around in skin-tight anything, but wanted a short-ish top for the photos, and this one was handy. I figured I'm documenting how I look in a skirt that's tighter than I'd wear in public, why not continue that theme on the top half?

Not a bad looking skirt, from this angle. I might even wear it, if I can shrink down enough to eliminate the slight pulling across the hips.

This back view's okay, too, considering.

I'm liking the pockets today. All these pastel florals are a bit frou-frou for me, but I might actually wear this some day. If it weren't for this view:

I don't know if this is just too much godet for my booty, or if it's purely a size issue, or if it's just starting at the worst place on my butt.

It didn't occur to me until I saw this shot that godet placement might be a problem. Ordinarily I add at least 1" to any skirt, often 2", as I'm 2"-4" taller than patterns are designed for. But this one I left alone, because out of the envelope it's exactly the length I was going for (the front hits just at mid-knee, which is shorter than as shown in the illustrations and HotPatterns videos). On the other hand, I'm wearing this about an inch below my "natural waist" since that's where I like my skirts to sit. So you'd think those two factors would cancel each other out.

I do still want to make this from a solid, lightweight twill, with all the bias trim and top-stitching. But I think I'll put this pattern on back burner for a bit. Going up a size is easy enough, but I don't like all of those folds of fabric bursting out of my butt, and will need to mull over what to do about that.

Kyoto Skirt preview

The Kyoto "muslin" is done. Here's a preview (it's midday, but dark and rainy at the moment, not good for anything but a quickie on-the-hanger snapshot. I'll model it for you as soon as conditions improve and I can corral Mr. de H. into photog duty.)

As you can see, my fabric choices started out a bit silly, and got worse, which is what happens when you decide to make a muslin from all the stuff in your stash you aren't likely to ever use for anything else.

I didn't bother with elastic at the waist, just made some ties. I forgot to leave the little tie openings in the side seams when I sewed them up, so figured, "it's a muslin, what the h*ll, I'll just put the openings in the facing and put that on the outside" -- which is a design option, not just me losing my mind.

Once I'd done that, I figured I might as well put the hem facing on the outside, too. It's a bit much. I kinda like it ("a bit much" is not necessarily a bad thing in my world), but can't decide if the overall effect is waaaaaaaay too young for me, or overly grandmotherly, or somehow both.

I almost left the pockets off, but I'd already made them (double-layer, with the polka dots on the inside), so slapped 'em on, and discovered that patch pockets alone made the whole thing look too much like an apron, so I added the polka-dot pocket flaps, too.

You can see the godet in back hangs lower than the front, which I gotta say is one of my fave features of this skirt. Booty issues mean that a "straight" hem ends up not straight at all on me, unless I make adjustments. With this skirt, all that is a non-issue.

I was a bit optimistic when choosing to muslin a size 12, which is snug around the belly and hip area. But you know what? It's a bit less snug than when I first did up the main seams a couple weeks ago. Another month or two of workouts with Tony *, and it might even be wearable. 

* Totally not my idea, but hubbie's into it, so I've been doing it too. Even at my wimpy pace it's having a nice effect.

Wishful thinking...

... has grabbed me in the butt. Literally. Who'd have thought the Kyoto Skirt, with its generous waist, would be so fitted through the hips. Bottom line (pun intended), is that I need more space, especially in the mid- and high-hip, if I want to sit down comfortably, although the problem is at least as much across the front as in the rear.

It would have helped if the pattern had a standard hip point marked and finished garment widths provided (grumble, grumble). Plus, my flat measure appears to have been off (yes, I did exclude seam allowances, including the wide back seam), as my finished hip width is smaller than I thought it would be. I suspect I measured too low, or what I thought was straight across the oddly-shaped back pieces was really at an angle.

I also didn't flat-measure the high-hip, which clearly I should have, as that's where I most need more space. The "fashion" fabric I plan to use has some stretch, so it's okay if my non-stretch muslin is a teeny bit snug, but the 2" of ease I've got now is not enough for sitting. Plus, I might want to make this again from a non-stretch at some future point. So I'd like to get the muslin to a point where I'm comfortable with it.

I'm going to take a closer look at the side seams and see how far they can be let out. For the stretch fabric taking a narrow side seam might be enough. For a non-stretch, probably not. Then I'll take another look at the pattern, and decide whether to go up to a 14 or just adjust the 12, which would be easier than retracing the whole thing.

However, it's now Monday morning, and I need to set sewing aside and do some business-type stuff. Might do some fiddling with Kyoto in the evenings, this week. Or not. We'll see how it the days go.

Kyoto Skirt Muslin

My Kyoto Skirt pattern has finally arrived, and I'm ready to jump in.

Almost. I've decided to "muslin" before cutting into the fabric I have in mind. Don't really want to, but gut says I should.

Do you ever feel like you've got an imp on one shoulder whispering: "You don't need to make a muslin! It will be fine. Cut the good stuff already and let's get sewing!" And on the other shoulder is your guardian sewing angel, trying to get your attention: "Don't listen to her! You'll be sorry if you don't make a muslin first."

Sometimes I listen to the imp, some days I heed the angel. I've decided to heed the angel this time because this is my first Hot Patterns pattern, and I don't know how that line will fit. Going by the HP size chart, length should be okay, but my waist and hip measurements are smack dab in the middle between a 12 and a 14. So which is the best choice? Since this is not a tightly fitted garment, I'm going to try the 12, because who doesn't want to sew the smaller size? Based on flat measures of the pattern I should end up with 4" of ease in the hip, which isn't huge, but ought to be enough. We'll find out.

First up, what to muslin from? As you can see from the photo above, I've gone a little goofy with it. The main fabric is the Kaffe Fassett "anemone" in pink/purple that I decided not to use for my hexies quilt project. A bit of an odd choice for this pattern, more so if I make patch pockets from a piece of uber-girly Heather Bailey print from the stash. And why not throw some polka dots in there, while we're at it? (I had the insane impulse, just for a moment, to make the godet from the Heather Bailey print, too, but even at my goofiest I don't need to walk around with an explosion of flowers coming out of my butt.)

My inner 4-year old is going to love this skirt. Assuming it turns out wearable. I might even go totally wild and make the bellows pockets and flaps. Just for the hell of it. Since this supposed to be a quickie muslin I'm skipping the piping and top-stitching, and won't bother with interfacing all the curved edges (isn't that what stay-stitching is for?), although I'll edge-stitch the yoke curves and godet seam for stability.

If this one lives up to expectation, I'll go ahead and cut into the dark olive twill I've been seeking a purpose for. That one will be a more sedate version.

It's time...

... to refocus on my 2010 Sewing Resolution #whatever: to do more sewing and less fabric shopping.

I was sooooooo very very good for all of January and February, then lost all inhibition about clicking "proceed to checkout" buttons somewhere around March 1st.

I thought as of last night that I was done for awhile. Until I fell for two Hot Patterns designs today: the Kyoto Skirt and Marrakesh Pants. I made the mistake of watching the videos about each garment, which totally convinced me they would be so flattering and wearable and comfortable and all-round perfect for my very boring casual lifestyle that I'd be insane not to order them immediately and sew them up. From stash of course. I have a nice lightweight taupe chino that will be perfect for one or the other, although alas not for both. And a lightweight, slightly stretchy, very drapey, very dark olive twill of some suitable kind. And lots of prints. It's not like I'd have to buy more fabric to make them.

Anyway, I'm going public with it: I intend to survive the next 120 days without buying any more sewing patterns or fabric. (Thread, notions, and interfacing allowed for projects in progress if the stash does not provide.)

That means starting RIGHT NOW through August 5, if I counted correctly.

Those of you who know me well can go ahead and chortle yourselves right off the couch, but I really intend to follow through this time.

I'm tempted to throw caution to the wind and go public with some kind of statement about how many garments/projects/UFOs I'll also complete in that time (to meet the "do more sewing" part of that resolution), but I think I've been rash enough with my promises for one day. I'll simple aim to astonish myself with my productivity in the sewing room, how's that?