Chardon and Audrey

An old project and a new one, today. First is the Chardon skirt, by Deer and Doe. A super cute, easy skirt that I made in black linen-look cotton from Minerva to fill a gap in my wardrobe. A skirt that I reach for everyday, with it's shape that flatters me and neutral color. The second is actually my fisrt make of the year! I startedknitting it around Christmas and finished it yesterday. So it took me exactly a month to knit a sweater, which i think is a record for me. I did a lot of knitting during the holidays and my sewing machine is packed up as i redecorate my sewing room, so i have been compensating my desire to sew with knitting. This little cardigan is Audrey in Unst and it was a fun knit with a pretty bib detail. What i like the most with this cardigan is the yarn, though. I used a merino/cashmere/silk blend from Sublime my dad bought me as a late birthday present. It feels very luxurious and the color is just amazing. Ravelry project notes here!

A pencil skirt

I finally summoned the courage to sew a skirt on one of my threadles! I used entirely my old Singer (and a hand sewing needle) to sew this skirt. It was such a joy, really, to see all the prerfect stitches form under my eyes, and I cannot wait to do it again. I wanted an easy project, with simple seams, as my first attempt to threadle, and thought a pencil skirt would be just that. The fabric was in my stash, a remnant from an old, disastrous project, and I had just enough for this skirt.

The pattern is the pencil skirt from Gertie's new book for better sewing. I modified the waistband, because of fabric limitations. It is the second time I sew it, and, in all honesty, the first one fits much better. I think the fabric is to blame, this one is much thinner and doesn't have as much body, so all the wrinkles show. I'm still quite happy with it. My biggest mistake is thinking I could do away without a vent in the back. I can walk in it without problems, but biking (I bike to and from work everyday) is quite, ahem, unconfortable. 

Because of the color, I am afraid it will sit in my closet without seeing much light until fall comes, but I think it will make a great fall skirt! 

The zipper is a handpicked, lapped zipper. I am really pleased with my work. I also lined the skirt, but I have to go back and shorten the lining a bit. Because of the fitting issues, the skirt tends to ride up a bit, and the lining gets exposed. Oh, well. I do, however, love those darts. Why are two darts so much prettier than one?