A Skirt and Top Outfit

My most recent project was to sew up the black fabric I got on my winning gift certificate into a skirt and top outfit. I choose two patterns I had used several times before - a sleeveless button-front top from one of those "wardrobe" patterns and an 8 panel skirt. I think I had 3 metres of fabric to work with and I was left with not much so it worked out pretty well. The fabric was quite heavy and had a waffle weave kind of finish so it looks pretty substantial but I don't think it looks TOO heavy.

I decided to use sew-in interfacing instead of the iron on kind, partly because I was going to use black and couldn't find the iron-on and partly because the fabric has a little Lycra in it and I thought this would work better. I cut out all the interfacing pieces and then sewed them to the corresponding pattern pieces around the edges of each piece.

Even though I had sewed around all the edges (and therefore reduced the tendency of the fabric to fray) and even though the fabric was thick, I decided to finish the edges of the top facing by turning the edge under and sewing it down.

I laid out the pattern pieces on top of the fabric with its right side folded inward. This made it easier to see any flaws as well as see anything generally because the fabric is black. When I marked the darts, I used chalk because the texture of the fabric really grabbed the chalk and it wouldn't wear off. Once I had made the markings on the reverse side of the fabric with the pattern piece on top, I took the pattern piece off, turned the cut piece over and using the markings on one side, put pins in where they were and made markings on the other side.

With eight pieces for the skirt, I find I can get confused as to which one lines up with which other one, even if I do cut out all the notches and things. What I did in this case was sew the two front and the two back panels together first (finishing the seams in a modified flat fell of course). Once I had two panels together for the front and two for the back, I could then attach the two corresponding side panels. (In the photo above, I am pointing to the single notch that indicates this is a front piece.)

When I was done this step, I had two skirt sides - the back and the front - sewn together, with four panels each. I could still tell the front from the back because of the single or double notches still showing. The pattern calls for a zipper on the left side so I put the zipper in next and finished the seam. Then I followed up by sewing up the right hand side of the skirt, completing the circle.

I put the facings on the skirt, hemmed it and it was done. The top was also finished easily. I had some large matte black buttons in my collection that seemed to work really well with this fabric so I used them. They are large so I only needed four for the front.

This was just a quickie project to get that fabric made up while it is still summer. Next, I am going to make up my niece's jean jacket in the lovely faux suede.