Last night I put the finishing touches to a skirt and vest that I’ve been making for the last few days. I bought a remnant in Tessuti’s Melbourne – 91cm of wool houndstooth check. I bought it intending to make the skirt from Vogue 1247, but I had enough left over for the vest – joy!

Having made the skirt previously, I was pretty comfortable with the construction, but decided not to bind the seams as I felt they showed through the fabric. The wool  is not a particularly tightly woven fabric, so I decided to line both the skirt and the vest. (note: I have to pad my boots out with thick socks to make them fit my ankles!!).

I made the skirt as long as possible and it actually finished up being too long! I wasn’t going to do a waistband as I didn’t like it on the previous skirt, so instead used the cut off hem to create a hidden waistband. This seems to suit my short waisted body much better. The skirt is really comfortable and I have a smooth finish with no bulk over the waist. I used skirt petersham from my mother’s stash for the stiffening and it has worked so well.

I lined both the skirt and vest with some cotton/silk blend lining fabric bought at Global Fabrics in Dunedin, NZ. I didn’t want to use anything that toned in, this was in my stash and gave me the sort of look that I was after.

I finally have an invisible zipper foot for my new Bernina. What a difference the proper foot makes! I have a bucket load of these feet for my Janome stash (hehe), and even a universal foot or two, but none fitted the Bernina. It is bliss, and I am keen to make lots of things with invisible zips!

The vest is copied from a vintage vest loaned to me by a friend. It belonged to her mother and she estimates that it is at least 70 years old! It is a gorgeous thing. The fabric is soft and supple, and the buttons are to die for!! Such a simple pattern.

I simply traced round the bodice, cut it out of my leftover wool fabric, cut out a lining and then used “ribbons” made from some cotton and lycra fabric from my stash for the ties at the back. I thought these would look nicer than the tape ties on the original, which were obviously meant to be obscured by a jacket or coat.

I have another of these planned and am now thinking about alternative ways to fasten it at the back, as I do feel as though I have an apron on when I look at the back view.

I bought some monkey fist buttons from Buttonmania in Melbourne for the front and I love the result. I thought they were vintage, but closer inspection makes me think that they are not. No matter, I still like them.

I teamed the skirt and vest with a white shirt I had in my wardrobe, but I really can feel a fitted shirt coming on – this one was a bit too baggy.

Skirt is Vogue 1247, Vest is self-drafted. Shirt is VSSP, shoes are Paul Green and the socks are ones that I knitted for Mark, but which felted deliciously in the washing machine and are now happily ensconced in my sock drawer!

GCC:

Doing pretty well in spite of the wild weather during the week. We walked in the storm and I have to say that I felt moments of terror. The trees were swaying and the wind was so strong in places that I couldn’t move forward.

Average: 23,499 and a couple of new trophies. I am nothing, if not consistent!