High-Waisted Skirt

I've had my eye on this high-waisted skirt pattern for quite some time. It is from the January 2009 issue of Burda and there have been a number of inspiring, beautifully crafted versions on Pattern Review.

Image from here.

Since I recently finished a pair of high-waisted trousers, I decided to continue the theme. I'm glad I did, because the style and fit are exceptional.



I used the same wool suiting as the high-waisted trousers and lined the skirt with purple bemberg rayon. The only pattern alterations I made were to the length --- decreased the waistband by about 1/4 inch and the skirt length by about 2 inches.

I made a few design and construction changes that I think worked well. Because of the high-waist styling, the waistband needs additional support and stability so it won't "crumple" when worn. A while back, I purchased some fusible hair canvas for tailoring, and decided to use that for the waistband. I like the stiffness it gave to the waistband, and fusing was a lot easier than sewing it in.

The waistband has a cool corset style, so there are multiple panels that are shaped to achieve a fitted look. I wanted to highlight the vertical lines, so I thought it would be interesting to insert a contrast fabric. I chose some silk twill I had in my stash --- lavender with red dots.



I used a fusible interfacing to stabilize the silk and cut 1-inch strips that I sewed to each panel, making sure about 1/4 inch of the silk remained visible on the outside. I then topstitched on both sides of the silk. In addition to adding interest to the waistband, this process served to further stiffen the waistband and actually seemed to act like a very light boning. The photo below shows how the waistband seam looks on the inside --- you can see the hair canvas and the interfaced silk that has been sewn to each panel and topstitched.





I used The Sewing Lawyer's belt loop technique (again!), which is really a great technique. They would have been perfect except for one small episode that involved a furry little feline. Just as I was about to sew on the second belt loop to the back, I got distracted by Simon sitting by my sewing machine. It was so cute that I dropped my fabric and ran off to get the camera. After a lengthy photo shoot, Simon tired of it all and walked away, so I went back to sewing the loop. Unfortunately, I got turned around and sewed it to the wrong side of the seam line! Ugh! My consolation is this photo of my little sewing assistant --- judging from his expression, I don't think he has a long future as a sewing cat!



So here's the back with the belt loops.



I sewed an invisible zipper along the back and added a little tab with a snap to the inside for a secure fit at the top.



Here's a photo of the skirt without the belt.



Overall I'm happy with the result!

Just a Couple of Snoods

With the Stitches West yarn and knitting convention coming up this Thursday through Sunday, I've been inspired to pick up my needles. Nothing complicated --- just a couple of simple snoods!



This one, knit in the round using Prism Cool Stuff yarn, has one twist in it, which gives it a bit of character. The stitch pattern is simple, with six rows of garter alternating with six rows of stockinette. I've had this yarn in my stash for a few years now --- I bought it back when this type of novelty yarn was all over the place. Remember all those faux fur eyelash scarves? I've been feeling guilty about not finding a use for it, particularly because the one hank I bought cost a few pennies. I think this snood is the best use of the yarn --- it showcases all of the different novelty yarns and is a fun piece to wear!



This is another one that is knit in the round, but this one doesn't have a twist. It is just a simple tube that is knit in garter stitch. I had one ball left of Lion Brand Nature's Choice, and what better way to use it up than to knit a quick project. The yarn is really soft and easy to knit --- very cozy!

For Carolina Herrera Fans

This week, there was a cool video interview with Carolina in the WSJ as well as a slideshow of some of her past designs. While I know I'll never have an occasion to wear one of her gowns, I still enjoy seeing her collections every season.

This is one of my favorite Carolina gowns, worn by Renee Zellweger several years ago. Can it be any simpler?

Image from here.

Silk Garden Cardi - Finished

With just a few strands of yarn left, I managed to finish the Silk Garden Cardi. It definitely needed all 10 skeins of Noro Silk Garden that I had in my stash. It is a simple style, worked straight without shaping from hem to armhole in one piece. All of the edgings --- hem, sleeve hem, collar and front ruffle --- are worked in garter stitch, while the body is worked in a slip stitch. My original thought was to have long, bell sleeves and a wider ruffle along the fronts, but as I was quickly running out of yarn, I switched to Plan B!



I love the colorway of this yarn --- it was such a treat to watch how the colors would blend as I knitted the fabric. This is one aspect of knitting that I love --- instead of buying a fabric that is already made and printed, I get to create my fabric!



Here's an online source that I use for this amazing yarn and others. There are also pattern books out there using Noro yarns that are very inspiring. A recent one, titled Noro: Meet the Man Behind the Legendary Yarn, is supposed to be excellent.

Silk Garden Cardi - in progress

Noro Silk Garden is a beautiful wool/silk/mohair blend yarn that comes in a number of gorgeous color combinations inspired by nature.

When I first tried Silk Garden a couple of years ago, I fell in love with the knitted fabric that resulted. It is lightweight yet warm; has a nice drape; and the colors are just stunning. I made my mom a vest with that first stash, which she loves and continues to wear today. I used a bamboo stitch, which is essentially a 4 x 2 rib stitch with rows of purl worked in intervals to mimic the look of bamboo. The pewter clasp in front is from a trip to Stockholm --- those clasps are the best!



My current Silk Garden project is a simple cardi done in garter stitch and a slip stitch. With this yarn, the color is the star, so I'm keeping the stitch patterns and overall design simple. What is interesting about the slip stitch pattern is that both sides are really attractive. I had a tough time deciding on which side to use as the "correct" side, but finally chose the flatter side, which looks more like a tweed stitch. The other side has more of a raised, boucle-like look. It is difficult to tell the difference in the photos below, but honestly, the colors are so mesmerizing to me that the stitch pattern doesn't seem very critical.





I'll post photos when I'm finished!