Having made my first Presto Popover by Savage Coco Patterns, I couldn’t wait to make another one, and had it cut out ready to go very smartly. This one is a plain textured wool blend, so no pattern matching required – what a relief! I bought the fabric at Textile Traders and it is soft and delightful. It took less than an hour to make – after I had cut it out. The cutting out was rather stressful as I only had 1.1m of fabric and it needs about 1.5. However, I laid each piece on the fabric and drew round the pattern ensuring that I could fit the whole thing on, so this took time. It makes a huge difference when one is short of fabric to do the cutting out in this way. Having teamed the top with trousers, I thought I would wear it with a skirt and add a belt. The belt is fabric, shaped to my waist, with a wrap tie. The wide part meets at the back, and it ties in the front. I have worn the collar both standing up and folded over, but this fabric is very soft and I think it looks better folded. In this photo I seem to have a bit of both going on!

I didn’t get so much underarm wrinkling in this version, which may be because the fabric has a bit more give. I feel a third Presto Popover coming on, but this time I am going to do a sway back adjustment, add about 15cm to the length and add a smidgen to the arm length. These are the perfect tops for mild days in (Perth’s) winter or for trans-seasonal weather. I have teamed this grey one with my grey Nettie.

[Later Update] I’ve had a couple of requests regarding my skirt. It is quite a fine boiled merino wool, and it is several years old (with the odd moth hole!). I don’t have a pattern for it any more, but it has four gores – 2 which are 13cm at the top and 43cm at the bottom, and two which are 26cm at the top at 64cm at the bottom . All panels are cut on the bias, and the hem is distinctly uneven (remember that trend?).

It is very hard to see with the black, but you can see that every panel is cut on an angle at the bottom.

The seams are done with flat locking, which I used to be good at, but seem to have lost the knack now, and the hem is finished with a three-thread overlock. It has an elastic waistband, which is quite fitted, so no gathering. I have long wanted to make another of these skirts, so the interest in it has pushed me over the edge. I shall rub off a pattern and will try and publish it on the blog. I am going to have to scour the known universe for some similar fabric.