Meowy Kitschmas Pencil Skirt (Self-drafted Pattern)
Happy holidays everyone! We only have less than a week to go before 2018 hits the town!I hope everyone is having a great time this holiday season with your loved ones. My partner and I spent Christmas day together in Singapore for the first time this year. We had a low-key lunch date together at P.S. Cafe at One Fullerton, and I finally had the chance to wear my "Meowy Kitschmas" pencil skirt. Yes, you heard me right. Meowy Kitschmas.
This project has been brewing at the back of my mind for at least a year. I bought the fabric in 2016 and didn't get to start on a project in time for Christmas then. Naturally, I had to wait a year for Christmas season to come around again before I could start working on a project with it.I originally intended to make a simple gathered skirt with a fitted waist, but by the time it was November, I had made so many flared skirts and dresses that I was pretty much sick of making flared skirts. I wanted a project that I could learn something from, and a project that is different from all the other sewing projects I have embarked on and completed this year. And so, it was obvious that I had to make a pencil skirt with a self-drafted pattern (with the help of my Bunka Fashion Series book). Of course, it was also helpful to know that many of you who checked out my Instagram story voted for a pencil skirt. ;)
Being the person that I am, I couldn't settle for REALLY just a BASIC pencil skirt. I wanted something different with a bit of retro 1950's inspired rockabilly vibe.These are the key design points to this basic pencil skirt:
- Wide waistband with a higher front than back
- Exposed metallic zipper
- Organic cotton lining
- Slightly exaggerated tapered bottom
To be honest, the use of an exposed metallic zipper kind of happened out of necessity. Somehow I made some wrong measurements when drafting the skirt and ended up with a smaller waistline than I intended. I had to reduce the width of the seam allowance where I was going to insert the zipper to make sure that I could still insert a zipper. The zipper insertion was successful, but upon trying the skirt on for the first time, I realised that the zipper was faulty and I had to force myself out of the skirt with a stuck zipper. It was not a pretty sight.When I finally tore myself out of the skirt, I decided to use an exposed zipper so that:a) I could add some bling to the skirtb) I could have a wider seam allowance for inserting the zipperc) I could learn something new
It was one of my best decisions ever! The exposed metallic zipper worked perfectly... and feels way stronger than a regular invisible zipper too.I love the way the skirt looks and feels on me. The organic cotton lining is soft on the skin and the tapered design gives me the rockabilly wiggle when I walk - it's everything that I have dreamed of and more!You know what else makes this skirt special?
This pencil skirt, is the very *first* item in my sewing history to bear the bold label of "Gwenstella Made". Can you believe it!?I am so glad that the Dutch Label Shop came forward to offer me some labels to use for my sewing projects. I created my labels easily and quickly on their site itself - no fancy designer software or knowledge needed! You can choose from a wide range of colours and generic symbols. I chose black, grey, and pink with a sewing machine, ball of yarn, and heart respectively. Aren't they lovely? I am soooo looking forward to using them for my personal sewing, knitting/crochet projects and other handmade gifts in 2018! I will be sharing a discount code for anyone who is interested in getting some labels made too. Keep your eyes peeled!
What do you think about my first Christmas sewing project? Do you have the tradition of making a new thing for Christmas or any other holiday(s) like Hanukkah or Kwanzaa that you celebrate each year?UPDATE (10 Jan 2018): Get 15% off your purchase from the Dutch Label Shop when you enter the code "gwenstellamade15" before you check out! xxx