Wool & Blue & Something New

The first piece of clothing I made was this free Bubble skirt pattern from Burda Style. I was enrolled in an introductory sewing class in Toronto and I needed to have a pattern and fabric already selected.

In all honesty I didn't really know what I was doing. I just thought it would all work out. And happily it did.

I was so utterly excited to go to the fabric store for the first time with a plan. I knew I wanted a nice soft wool for my skirt. And I also wanted it cheaply because well, who doesn't love a bargain? Not an easy thing to find. But I was determined. I searched every bolt of wool in Designer Fabrics on Queen St in Toronto first by feel and then by price. Every. single. bolt. I was in there for a good 3 hours looking at wool. It was love.

I eventually found this blue wool suiting that has an incredible soft touch with a slight sheen. And at only $5/metre I knew I'd found the one. That feeling never goes away. I LOVE finding incredible fabrics. Oh the possibilities.

This may have been one of the only times that I had a pattern and went in search of a fabric for it. Typically I buy fabrics that I love and then figure out what to make of them. It typically works out. But I also have a large fabric stash now. Choices - FUN.

The bubble on this skirt was HUGE. Like, make me look like a hippopotamus huge. So after making the entire skirt, I had to grade down the hips, thus eliminating plenty of the girth of this bubble, to an appropriate level. I must of taken off 3 inches on each side. Re-donkulous.

Now, this skirt isn't perfect. I admit that. I added an exposed metal zipper to the left side, but it is too heavy for the drape and shape of the pattern and weighs that side down. I definitely couldn't sew a straight line at this time (I admit I'm STILL not the best at straight lines. Sometimes they weave - my bad) I used a purplish thread which shows very obviously on the hemline. And finally my pleats are uneven and my waistband is wavy. BUT, it was my first piece of clothing ever.

The fact that I will still wear it in public means that even with all its flaws and imperfections - it is still wearable to me. And that is all that matters. Plus, I get compliments on it when I do wear it so they imperfections are more noticeable to me than to others. Even better.

Me! Me! Take my Picture! Me! Take MY Picture!   -Scotia

First skirt. Forever love.