SEWN: Simplicity 2215 by Cynthia Rowley

So it's been a while. I looked in horror at the date of my last post... and then thought "So what? I said I'd sew at my own pace"... yeah, but then another voice said, "But people will lose interest". Bollocks to that, here I am!

I actually finished this project over a week ago, but it's taken me this long to get some photos taken. I've been indulging one of my other passions... mountain biking - but more of that another time.

So here it is...

Image from http://www.simplicity.com

I really love the Cynthia Rowley's collection for Simplicity patterns. This one is no exception. I couldn't wait to make View C (skirt), and truth be told, this is my second version of this skirt. I love it that much! And I love the fabric I used equally, a gorgeous cotton sateen, in an abstract (is that the right description?) floral print. It's bright and happy and perfect for a Sydney summer.

It's what would appear at first glance to be a pretty classic pleated skirt with side pockets, but that's where you would be wrong! The pleats are actually a collection of inconsistent, assymetric pleats, folded one way, then another, around the waistline. I loved that feature, it just adds something a little different.

It's not that obvious though with a casual glance and is probably a bit more visible on an earlier version I made in a plain dark indigo denim...

I live in this skirt!

Or maybe not... they really are assymetrical I swear!

Anywho... The skirt is a pretty easy make - the marking of the pleat positions and fold lines onto the cut fabric takes forever (or is that just me?), but once that's done, it comes together really rather well. At least my first denim version did. I think I was having a bad sewing day on my floral attempt - I think I quick unpicked a thousand times quite a few times. Not happy, not happy at all.

There is a tricky section where you sew the invisible zip into the side seam where there is also a side pocket. Just be careful, take your time and I promise, you won't sew the pocket closed like me. Here's a look-see.

You can just the see the pull-tab of my invisible zip. Ahhhhh, I love invisible zips...

I really do love this skirt. Everytime I wear it, I get the most lovely comments. And it makes me feel swishy and feminine and pretty.

And for the budget-conscious amongst us, at only 1.3m of 115cm wide fabric it's a great, generally inexpensive, wardrobe addition.