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Hello everyone! It is the last week of Project Sewn! First off, let’s be honest and just state right up front that my go-to outfit is jeans and a tee. Nearly every day. I have four kids. I stay home and do yard work and clean the house and am on the ground with my kiddos a lot. So jeans and a tee just work for my norm. But, each Sunday when I dress up for church or when I get a rare date night with my honey, it’s fun to dress up and I like to feel a little dolled up. So I decided to make some basic, comfortable staples that would go well with other items and were practical for me.
I love blazers. A whole lot because you can wear them with dresses, skirts, or throw them over a tee with some jeans for instant style. And what more comfortable blazer can you have than one made from sweatshirt fleece knit? I used the latest women’s Ottobre issue (2/2014) for the blazer and I seriously love it so much. It is so comfortable and so versatile and I will be wearing it often. Green is next on my wish list, and since I have made it now, the process will go quicker next time around. I did omit the zipped and cuffed arms.
I love me a great pencil skirt and decided to go with one after my lack of enthusiasm sewing up Butterick B5285. I was going for another Zooey knock-off look, but with the fabric choice and the pattern, it ended up looking like a skirt straight outta the 90’s. I had sewn the entire skirt as well, apart from hemming. So it was a bit of a pain to unpick the entire skirt (with many deep pleats) so I could use the fabric for a pencil skirt. Green is my favorite color and I almost went with green, but I was drawn over and over to this floral bottomweight fabric, and I already have 2 green pencil skirts ;). I drafted my own pencil skirt and found a great tutorial HERE for doing so. It fits fabulously. I’m excited to make many more and have some black and white vertical striped fabric picked out for another one.
I used an existing skirt to figure out the fun pleated kick in the back. And it turned out, which was a relief because I didn’t have any fabric to spare :). It’s hard to see in the picture below, but there are 4 pleats total and no slits…so it stays completely modest but allows me to walk easily.
The shirt was made using the bodice of the lady skater and just lengthening it and sloping it out to accommodate my hips. I used a polyester spandex lycra fabric and lined the bodice.
I love how it turned out. And is perfect for a cute, comfortable shirt that doesn’t wrinkle—a comfortable staple! Which brings me to this shirt.
I wanted to show you the original top I had made to go with a fuller skirt, and then the pencil skirt, because I think it’s pretty crazy…I made a black and white polka dot Burda Tie Front Blouse JUST LIKE KELLY—I mean, can you imagine if my fuller skirt vision had turned out like I had hoped? We would have both made full skirts with a bow blouse—and the blouses both white with black polka dots. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. The only difference is I like Kelly’s and I didn’t like mine once on—her photos are beautiful and the shirt looks great on her :). So I guess it’s good things didn’t turn out how I’d planned. :) It’s funny enough that we both chose white with black polka dots. The reason I changed my mind was because once I had my tie blouse finished, I felt like it didn’t drape well and looked way too poofy tucked into the pencil skirt. It states in the pattern to use fabric with body, but I think choosing something that drapes better would be wise, and I just might have to try it out with a different fabric since I bought the pattern and everything. I even changed the flat sleeves to be cute darted sleeves (inspired by Mary’s dress, of course!), I ended up just leaving the shirt and decided to go with a more fitted option.
I think the swap in shirts was a good move, however. Now that I see Kelly’s I wish it had worked out, but I’m glad that we have different looks as well this week. Check out Trine’s too, it’s so comfortable looking and so pretty. Such talent, always, on Project Sewn!
So there you have my final look for Project Sewn! I had so much fun, and especially loved getting to know the other contestants. They were all such lovely people.
I love your outfit – a perfect mix of elegant and comfy at the same time! You did a great job and I was excited to see your skirt fabric because I have some of the same fabric waiting to be made into a dress and I think the print looks really lovely as a finished garment. Best of Luck on Project Sewn – you got my vote! :)
Your blazer is amazing! I’m trying to figure out how to get a copy of the magazine that you made it from.
Seriously the whole outfit is great but that jacket…!
Christie! I just saw that you got second place in Project Sewn and I wanted to tell you congratulations! I’ve been like super nerdy proud of you through this whole thing. :) You totally rocked it!