March 22, 2014

Make it again, Sam


TNT (tried and tested) Simplicity 2343 rises again! This time in silk faille from the ever-wonderful EmmaOneSock. I’ve made this quite a few times before, and it’s great to have a relatively easy make that I know will suit me.

Given the beautiful fabric and my somewhat extensive experience making this pattern, I decided to try to use a few couture techniques. I used petersham ribbon as a waistband facing, which I highly recommend – it gives you a perfectly neat finish on the inside, and stops the waistband stretching out (the only downside is that means this version isn’t *quite* as comfortable when you sit down). I used bright pink bias tape on the hem facing for a little fun pop of colour, and catch stitched it to the underlining silk organza:

As seen peeking out here!

For the lining, I finally drafted a proper pencil skirt lining (vs. just copying the pattern pieces), following Sunni’s great tutorial at A Fashionable Stitch. The approach adds slightly more wiggle room at the hips, and has a really clever approach to finishing the vent, as you can see below. I used black crepe de chine for the lining, and to try to stop it ripping at the seams when I sit down (always a risk with pencil skirts), I first fused all the edges with knit stay tape, which, after one day of wearing, seems to have worked marvelously.

Finally, I used a fantastic new technique which allows you to finish the fashion fabric seams and underlining in one, with a perfect finish that’s somewhere between a french seam and a hong kong binding finish. Given that silk faille is pretty prone to fraying, this was perfect. A tutorial will follow soon!

I headed down to the historic harbor in Charlestown MA to take the photos, and used my tripod with automatic timer for the first time…. Which, I can report, is mildly humiliating when joggers and day trippers are all staring at you! I, however, perservered, for the sake of my dear blog readers. You’re welcome! 

I even attempted a real model pose… Stop laughing!

A final pose in front of a garage door, and done.

What are your TNTs, Cashmerette readers? 

22 thoughts on “Make it again, Sam

  1. gMarie says:

    What a great skirt! I love the black and white print – so lovely. And the pop of pink – perfect!!

    I have a few TNTs – but my favorite is B5454 wrap dress. I need to branch out a bit. 🙂 g

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks G! I totally fell in love with it when I saw it on EmmaOneSock and luckily the 2343 doesn’t require too much yardage 🙂 I will have to check out that wrap dresses – I’m all about them, but I haven’t made that one!

  2. Laurwyn says:

    This skirt is very nice! The print will go with every color and the little details you put in will make you feel special every time you wear it!

    Also, I love the shoes! They look classy and super comfy!

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks Laurence! And yes those shoes are amazing – they’re super comfortable for someone who doesn’t wear heels but make me feel like a classy lady 🙂

  3. Connie says:

    Lovely skirt! I am so pleased that I found your blog. There are lots of great sewing blogs, but they’re all by very slim people. It’s nice to follow someone with curves.

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks Connie, and welcome! Totally agree on the blog front – Mary (www.idlefancy.com) are working hard to try to encourage more curvy seamstresses to blog, so keep reading for more in the future!

  4. Gail says:

    Just beautiful, inside and out! I’m super curious about that seam finish too. I can see why you keep making this skirt – it looks so great on you!

    This year I’ve been in the process of re-working some of my patterns with fitting changes I learned when I took a fitting class, so more and more of my patterns are becoming TNTs – Yay! Only took me 3 years 😉

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks Gail! Tutorial will follow as soon as I get a spare minute of time 🙂
      I would LOVE to take a fitting class – how did you find yours?

  5. tanyamaile says:

    I love love love your beautiful skirt! Silk faille is one of my favorite fabrics! I have yet to venture off our ranch to take photos of myself on my tripod, but I’m planning to with my Sew for Victory dress. I guess I will build up my courage to do so and not care about if others happen to be around and see me posing awkwardly. Lol 🙂

    1. Jenny says:

      Thank you thank you thank you! I’ve never used Silk faile before but Mary’s Gertie Wiggle Dress was beyond divine so I gave it a shot. And you know, if I had a ranch, I’m not sure I’d leave it either 😀

  6. Katy Patzel says:

    Well I guess you know by now that I love this skirt! I’m really looking forward to your tutorial. Another method for finishing seams, yes please!

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks Ms P! Tutorial to follow soon….

  7. Crab and Bee says:

    The hot pink binding is delightful! What a lovely skirt. I’ve never used silk faille but it looks like it has a really interesting, sturdy texture. Excited to see your seam finishing tutorial, too!

    1. Jenny says:

      Yes it has little horizontal (selvedge to selvedge) ridges which makes it have a slightly stiffer drape than other types of silk, and also makes it a bit easier to work with!

  8. Looks so great! I think Charlotte, Sureau, Laurel, and Renfrew are probably the patterns I’ve made the most often, and a Frankenpattern sheath dress that I’ve cut down to one (wide) yard. SHORT, but fun 😀

    1. Jenny says:

      A fine group! Together with my 2343 I have a wrap dress pattern, the Sorbetto and Renfrew… I should probably branch out 🙂

  9. Kate McIvor says:

    Great job on the skirt and the photos. You can rest assured you weren’t the weirdest thing those Bostonians saw that day! 🙂

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks! Yes that big “dress up as an anime character” conference was on this weekend, so I’m almost certainly sure of it 🙂

  10. Lovely! I’ve a few fave patterns, simplicity 2451, a burda dolman knit top, the colette beignet, style arc elle pants, the Maria Denmark kimono tee….. I say if it works for you then keep smashing them out!

    1. Jenny says:

      Thanks! I’ve seen a bunch of Simplicity 2451s around.. I will have to check it out. Also the StyleArc pants – I’ve never made any before but those seem to be very popular!

  11. merry-one says:

    Jenny,

    To make the waist more comfortable try using petersham instead of grosgrain. Grosgrain’s edges are stable and petersham is flexible. It make a huge difference as you can shape the petersham to flare at the bottom. There are many tutorials on how to shape it. Your skirt is beautiful and as a sometime plus size woman I wear pencil skirts all the time, very comfortable. Keep up your sewing, it’s beautiful.

    Mary

    1. Jenny says:

      Hi Mary – you know, I just realized that it *was* petersham! I bought it from Susan Khalje’s store. I think I’m just used to waistbands that stretch quite a bit… Thanks for the comment!

Let me know what you think!