Y’all, it’s confession time: I am a sewing copycat.
Last month, I bumped into a friend on campus and went absolutely nuts over her outfit–a simple cream sweater and utterly gorgeous navy-and-cream ikat pencil skirt. As with most clothes I covet, I started scheming up a version of my own. Isn’t that a fantastic perk of sewing? If we see something gorgeous, we’re not constrained by budget or retail trends. If you can think it, you can sew it! (Did anyone else just start humming “The Think System” ditty from The Music Man? No, only me?)
Even better, the always on-trend Mood Fabrics had the perfect fabric for my sewing machinations. This gorgeous navy-and-white ikat cotton twill arrived just in time to fulfill my skirt-making dreams.
Armed with my favorite skirt pattern, the slim a-line Peggy Skirt from Blue Ginger Doll Patterns, I started copycatting sewing. Working with this fabric was such a blast! It had been awhile since I’ve worked with a high quality cotton twill, so was newly amazed by how easy it was. Nothing frayed or shifted under my machine, like other fibers tend to do, and the whole project was complete in only a few hours. This lovely twill even has a hint of lycra in it, so it shapes to your body. I’m almost wishing that I’d exactly copied my friend’s pencil skirt, because such stretch would make a wildly comfortable pegged silhouette.
The construction of this skirt was also a breeze, which is always welcome. The Peggy is a classic a-line silhouette, with a wide waistband, hand-inserted center back zipper, and the most adorable faced front pockets. Just to break up the ikat pattern a bit, I cut the waistband on the cross-grain. I love the additional visual interest that this created. For the back closure, I also added a vintage red button from my stash, which I couldn’t get an in-focus picture of, sadly. It’s there and it’s fabulous, trust me!
There was one downside to this skirt, however. My closet was empty of cute blouses to pair with it! Sweaters will no longer do, as things are starting to heat up in Texas, so something had to be done. Thankfully, Mood also has the most amazing stock of shirtings. As a bonus project this month, I snapped up a lemon yellow cotton shirting by Theory and made up the sleeveless Archer blouse pictured here. Unfortunately, Mood is all out of that particular fabric, but there is a lovely yellow shirting from Marc Jacobs in stock.
This blouse was another super satisfying project. The cotton had a lovely drape to go along with that fabulous color, which made sewing a tailored button-down quite simple. With coordinating yellow buttons from my stash and miles of top-stitching, it became the perfect partner for my ikat skirt.
Yesterday, in the spirit of Easter pastels, I topped the outfit with a pink cardigan. Is there anything more springy than pastels, white, and navy? It’s such a cheery color palette! Now, if only the Easter Bunny left us sewing supplies, like he leaves children chocolate…
