Flounce Pencil Skirt

McCall's 5523

This skirt has been on my to do list for a while. I've been holding off on making skirts and pants until my body is more back to "normal". You're probably sick of hearing about the post-baby body already! Well, I think it's about as good as it's gonna get at this point!

I've always liked this pattern. I like pencil skirts- they really flatter a body even if you have curves. And I like the different back variations in this pattern. I made view A which has a flounce in back.

I used a stretch Vera Wang suiting from Fabric.com that I got a couple of years ago. Unfortunately it is sold out now. It was on clearance at the time and I only spent $7 for two yards!

The skirt was very easy to construct. I didn't get a great fit on it but that was my fault. I was afraid to go with my standard size 16 (again, because of the cursed post-baby body) so I graded up to somewhere in between a 16 and an 18. It ended up being too big and I had to take it in in places. I think if I had stuck to my 16 in the first place it would have fit a lot better.

Overall, I am happy with my skirt and would like to use the pattern again for different views in the future.

On another note, I wanted to share a great tip that I stumbled upon at Sophia Sews. She posted about Gingher's scissors sharpening service. Like Sophia, my Gingher shears had lost their original sharpness and my home sharpeners did not do the trick. I mailed my scissors off and had them back in about two weeks all shiny and new! For only $7.50, it's a great way to maintain your investment. And talk about customer service! I forgot to include my check in my package that I sent them. I was afraid I would never receive my shears back but after corresponding with them, I as able to pay separately and receive my scissors back safe and sound!

Next up, I am working on my Spring/Summer 2012 wardrobe. I've made a separate page- you can check it out by clicking on the button on top. I've already finished five of the seven blouses. I will start posting soon!

~Jenny

Burda Boatneck Top

This was a fast and easy top! I wanted to wear a new top for my son's first birthday party but I didn't have a lot of time to make one. But, I whipped this up in about an hour and a half the day before his party!

I used Burda Style pattern 112A from the 02/2010 issue.

I used a knit fabric from Joann Fabrics that I got in their clearance section awhile back. It's an orange print with metallic threads. You may remember the pink version of this fabric from this tank top.

I like the boat neck style and the raglan sleeves. The neckline has a strip facing.

I made a size 44 without any adjustments. If you own a serger, you can make this quite a bit faster than myself. I still use a standard sewing machine for my knits. I use a straight stitch followed by a zigzag stitch on the vertical seams. I used a twin needle to sew the hem- this allows a bit of stretch so that the stitches don't pop. I also added some interfacing to my hem. I think the knit hems come out nicer with a little interfacing.

The top was a smash at the party. I received several compliments. I plan on making a couple more versions with short sleeves for Spring/Summer.

A picture with the birthday boy!

~Jenny