An Emerald Leather Skirt for a Trip to Oz

Faux leather is off the beaten path in Mood.  It's on the third floor, way in the back, behind all of the scrumptious designer boucles.  The Saturday that I was in Mood NYC, I was back there all alone!  But the treasures people, the treasures that are in that section are mind-blowing ~ well at least to a fabric junkie like me!  As I was pulling out bolt after bolt, I stumbled upon this goodness...

...and I knew right away what it should be!  It was love at first sight, really it was! So Todd helped me get it to the cutting table where a conversation ensued about what the fabric should be called.  Now this was a most interesting conversation that involved Shaft & Superfly, whether the fabric was a vinyl, a leatherette, pleather or a faux leather.  Somehow we even managed to get the 70s drug dealers in there, yeah I think that's how Shaft & Superfly showed up!

I've used this pattern before and it's a pretty easy sew but I did add a degree of difficulty by making it up in the pleather.  It's Simplicity 5914 and one of my favorite skirt patterns.  At one point I thought about studding the seams but that was just a little tooooo edgy for my day job. Since I primarily sew for my day job, I really want to be able to wear this to work.  So I scaled it back but I really like this!

A few tips for sewing with pleather ~

• Only pin the fabric in the side seams because the pins will leave marks in the fabric...and I used them sparingly so that I wouldn't have any issues.
• You don't need to finish the seams because the pleather won't fray.
• Use the proper needle for this project.  I started with a fresh size 90 stretch Schmetz needle
• Use the correct sewing foot.  You can use a teflon foot to insure that both pieces of fabric move together and don't drag.  However, in this instance because the fabric was felt backed I used a regular zig zag foot.
• When pressing the pleather, use a good pressing cloth, a lower setting on your iron and a clapper to make sure the seams lay flat.  
• I also finger pressed the seams open prior to pressing.  It made getting the curves open and to lay flat easier.
• Only press on the wrong side of the fabric
• Also, Sandra Betzina does a great segment on sewing with Faux Leather in her book, More Fabric Savvy.  Of course I checked it after I had already started to work with my fabric!

This skirt is my on trend dream.  Pleather and emerald green are both hot for fall.  I've managed to incorporate both in one garment.  If you're interested in using some pleather, it's really fun to use for a garment or to incorporate as embellishments, you can find a great selection on Mood online here.

Some stats ~
Fabric and pattern listed above.

Notions ~
Rayon lining from the collection
9" invisible green zipper

Construction Details ~
I lined the skirt in a heavier rayon lining that I had in my collection because if I left the skirt unlined the felt backing would have caught on my stockings.  Also adding the lining gave the skirt a little heft something else I wanted.  

There isn't a hem on the skirt.  Since the fabric won't fray, I just left the hemline with a clean cut finish.  

Adding an invisible zipper was easier than I thought and gave the seam a clean finish which was nice on the pleather skirt.

I'm wearing it kinda conservatively ~ well as conservatively as you can wear a pleather skirt!  It's for Fashion Fridays at work ~ when the staff dresses down a little and I dress a little fashion forward.  It's an interesting on trend addition to my wardrobe.

This is how I will wear it out with friends...

...or with a cardigan and a tank top...

Final thoughts ~
I don't sew many casual garments but this pleather skirt will probably see more time out and about for social events than at work.  It was a fun sew and something different from what I normally make. I really like how the skirt drapes in the back. It also has a closer fit than my skirts usually do because this pleather doesn't grow and it wrinkles like heck...

Now how does this fit into my basics declaration, well it doesn't...but it wasn't meant to.  This is my Mood Project for February. One of my personal goals for my monthly Mood garment is to use fabrics that I wouldn't normally use. Also, to step outside my comfort zone to sew a challenging garment because I don't want to do the same old, same old.  This opportunity allows me to challenge myself, to use fabrics from all sections of the store and to add to my creative journey.  This skirt is the exception to my basics rule but it is kinda funky and fun, isn't it?

...as always more later!

Fall Greenery

or pieces 5 and 6...

I had two goals in mind for my sewing this week. One was to see if I could complete a well-sewn garment for each day I was off...that's nine garments. And the second was to complete an entire week's worth of outfits from those 9 garments. I think I'm gonna end up with 10 but we'll see.

So far I've created a dress that can be worn with a jacket or a sweater from my closet. Just a regular work dress for a regular work day. The second outfit is the power outfit of the bunch - the black suit to be worn for those serious meeting days. Pieces 5 and 6 are my Friday "business casual" outfit.

I called it "Fall Greenery" because of the sage green fabric. This is a soft more fashionable color and that's one of the reasons why it was used in the business casual outfit.



It is comprised of my TNT burda cardigan and another version of the Simplicity 5914 skirt (which btw has 42 reviews on PR!). I can wear this with a simple white tank as I have above or with a short sleeve turtleneck sweater for those early fall days. Or if needed I can up the ante by pairing it with the white Butterick 4980 jacket.


Some stats:

Fabric:
2 yards of cotton/linen twill from fabric.com
2 yards of a Missoni-like knit from Emmaonesock

Notions:
9" zipper
3 yards rayon hem tape
1 one inch button



Cardigan:
I've made this cardigan many times and this was the most challenging because the fabric was so unstable. It shifted and moved and wouldn't hold a pin from the cutting table to the sewing machine...ay carimba! I used seam binding in the shoulder seams to stabilize the shoulders. I used silk organza in the neck binding to stabilize the front band and it gave me a place to add a button and buttonhole. It was an amazing piece of fabric and I'm glad that it's cut and sewn!!!

Skirt:
This is my 4th version of this skirt, even though this is it's first appearance on the blog. The first time I made this skirt, I changed the center back pattern piece from a straight cut on the fold piece to two separate pattern pieces so that I could add a center back zipper. I don't know what it is but I don't like side zippers much. The pattern doesn't call for a lining but I've added one. I've also omitted the facings. I taped the waistline and the lining extends from it. This is one of the easiest and most gratifying skirts that you can make!

Six pieces are completed...I have a dress almost finished but it will have to wait until Saturday morning. I'm off to spend the day with some friends in NYC and won't be back until this evening. I'm actually glad for the diversion. I need a break from my sewing machine! *LOL*

...more later!

Another Black Suit

As much as I try not to wear black all the time, there are situations at work where a good black suit is necessary. Presently I have two black suits for fall/winter in my closet. This summer I realized that I need a spring/summer one and maybe a transitional one. Well I did purchase the fabric for the spring/summer one but just never got around to it...however, I can now take the transitional black suit off of my list.

The suit is comprised of the jacket from Simplicity 2570:

The top is the Sewing Workshop Mission Tank:

And the skirt is a version of my TNT skirt pattern.


Some stats:

Fabric:
black wool doubleknit from Metro Textiles
paisley eggplant silk from Marji - a piece from her clean-out

Notions:
8" black invisible zipper
12 - one inch silver buttons
5 - 1/2" silver buttons
a pair of 1/2 shoulder pads
4 yards of black satin bias binding
3 yards black rayon hem tape

Simplicity 2570 Jacket
I love yoke front jackets. That's one of the reasons why I chose this pattern. It also reminded me of my favorite black sweater which was worn with the black/white eyelet dress I just made. I thought that this jacket would be great with the dress as well as with a skirt. However, my jacket looks nothing like the jacket on the pattern envelope. And that's because when I went to add width to the jacket, I not only sliced and diced the pattern pieces but I added some to the front band. When I did a quick baste together of the jacket pieces for fit purposes, I liked how the larger front band looked and kept it...thus changing the overall look and feel of the jacket.

Also, I moved the pockets from the chest area (do I really need emphasis there?! *LOL*) to down by the hem. By encasing them in bias binding and adding a button to the top of the pocket, I gave them an emphasis that was lacking in the original version. My sleeves were also changed from a one piece sleeve, to a bracelet length sleeve with a center seam. I typically make this change on sleeves to make room for my bodacious biceps. The original jacket is unlined and remains so in my version. I did add some topstitching to unite the jacket and skirt.

Finally, this jacket took a full two days to sew! And for someone who was trying to make quick pieces this one was anything but quick! Then to add insult to injury not only did I have a lot of handsewing - yoke, hem and sleeve hems but there were 14 buttons to sew on which also is not part of the pattern - it recommends snaps! But all of the effort was worth it...here it is with the black/white eyelet dress:

Sewing Workshop Mission Tank
This is my go-to, TNT tank top. There is nothing different in this constuction process except that I didn't take the easy way out and turn and stitch the edges of the neckline and armholes. They are both self bound to give it a more finished look. This was not originally scheduled to be sewn but after using the fabric for the lining of the skirt, I could just "see" the tank. I'm glad that I took the time to make it because it completes the outfit!

TNT skirt
I haven't used this version of the skirt in years. But after making it this time, I will definitely sew it again this fall/winter season. I chose it because I already have a straight black skirt and a 4 gore version for fall. I didn't really want another one of the these versions and the choice was between this one and the one Gaylen has called "The Carolyn Skirt". (Simplicity 5914) Besides the three panel front and a thinner waistband, there is no other difference between it and my straight skirt. The pattern pieces are actually taken from my straight skirt, just sliced at the darts and 5/8" seam allowances added to come up with two separate front pieces. However, I did tape the waistband with twill tape to insure that it didn't grow on me during the day...especially since it is made from a double knit fabric. The finished skirt sports an invisible zipper, 2 silver buttons on the waistband as closures, as well as topstitching on the front seams. It is the perfect skirt for the jacket.

One more pic of me in the outfit...


...my next garments are made from a cotton/linen twill out of a soft sagey green. I'm tired of black...the black fuzz is everywhere...and I need a little color in my life now! *LOL*

...as always, more later!