Crafting Body Appreciation

I have already shared one March make, the Lisa Cardigan, which, sadly, was a garment fail. I also failed to work on the Love Notions Largos Cargos, it remains cut-out and lingering in my UFO pile.  After a few months away from sewing, jumping into fitted pants with a zipper fly felt a little too aspirational.

But all was not lost in March. I successfully finished two projects!

Love Notions Allegro Skirt

The long version of the Allegro Skirt went from start to finish during March. It is recommended to choose a size based on your hip measurement. I ended up cutting out size 26 which is a little larger than my hip measurement, however since my waist measurement usually puts me in a large size range than my hips and I like to wear things a bit more high-waisted, it felt like the right option.

I did make a pattern mistake right at the start that I chose to ignore and carry-on. Things mostly worked out anyway. Let me explain…

The pattern has an option for front slash pockets. Of course, I added the pockets, my number one rule is always add the pockets! However, I missed cutting a little triangle of fabric off the top front edges of the skirt to accommodate said pockets.

The first step in assembling the pattern is to add the pockets and I did it noticing mine didn’t quite line up like the pictures in the instructions. It was only after serging on the pocket bag and trying to pin the pocket to keep it in place that I realized what happened.  Instead of unpicking the stitching, serging, and understitching, I just went with it (see this as solid evidence that not working on a zipper fly was the right move).

The final skirt is still wearable, but I do notice that the pockets stick out a bit because of the extra little fabric triangle that I left in the mix.

This was my first pattern that featured slash pockets. One thing that has always appealed to me about them is the ability to use a contrasting fabric as the pocket lining and have it peek out. I took full advantage of this feature and paired my thrift coral colored linen with a cute grapefruit fabric that I repurposed from a poor fitting Anthropologie apron. I also used the grapefruit fabric inside the waistband and as the drawstring. I love it!

The other detail I really like about this skirt is the side slits. It just adds a little more interest to a basic piece. Plus, it allows for some additional air flow for when the weather gets hot.

A Question of Styling

My default for styling brightly colored bottoms is pairing them with a neutral top. Neutral to me generally means black, grey, or navy blue (and rarely white or cream #palegirlproblems).

My first instinct was to grab a dark gray or black top because there is a charcoal gray detail in the grapefruit print. Plus, I was already wearing a black t-shirt the day I took the pictures, so let’s just go with it. As you can see in this picture, it is fine but not great.

I was curious what it would look like if I played up the mustard yellow of the grapefruit rind. The only option in my closet in that color was a button up cardigan so I popped that on. I was amazed how much more I like this brightly colored skirt paired with a brightly colored top.

The sweater with the skirt can work as a pairing in the spring when the temperatures are on the cool side, but now I really want to make a sleeveless or short sleeve top in the same color to wear with the skirt this summer.  

I think I have some double gauze in a similar yellow color that I picked-up from my Buy Nothing group last year. If I remember correctly, the fabric is in a few pieces, so making it work might take some creative piecing. (Spoiler: this project will make an appearance on a sewing plans list soon.)

It surprised me that the bolder color pairing actually looked more neutral and natural. Have you had this experience when styling clothing? Or is this just an example of how I don’t spend much time thinking about styling my clothes?

A Mismatched Pair of Socks

My other finished project for March was a pair of Basic No. 1 socks from Summer Lee’s The Sock Project.

This was the first time I ever finished a sock project. I was surprised how much I enjoyed making them. I was always intimidated by the small needles in the past, thinking it would take eons to finish. After knitting a sweater this winter, the socks just flew by!

I used some remanent Quince & Co. Finch yarn (parsley, leek, and kittywake) from my stash to make these which required some creative color work. I like the mismatched but coordinated final product. I am also now on the lookout for sock yarn that has a bit of nylon to help with recovery and wear (as recommended in the book).  Perhaps I will have some luck at the Textile Center garage sale this weekend.