Matching skirt and Coco sweater
My previous post promised a matching skirt from the remains of the jacket fabric, and here it is. Goodness knows how my times I have used this pattern, but certainly some of the darts are now marked by holes rather than lines. And each version is made slightly differently depending on the fabric. This being the first version using a knit, it uses the full complement of darts front and back. It also has no waistband. As always, the skirt is lined. This one has an aubergine coloured lining because I had some in stock. Although there clearly is a cost to making the skirt, this one is sort of free, as all of the ‘ingredient’ are left overs!
For a much used pattern, you wouldn’t expect much in the way of difficulties, but I had a lot of trouble with the hem, which I tried to twin needle to finish. And failed. What I’m not sure about is whether the cotton is poor quality, or whether the needle(s) are getting blunt, but I changed both today to finish the top, and had no trouble. I suspect its the thread and will purchase more supplies when I go to Guthrie-Ghani tomorrow.
So then I made my second Coco. This one is the top version, with a neckline alteration so that it could be worn underneath the jacket.
See! It worked. Now I learnt how to cut a neck facing at the knits sewing course. Measure the neck, divide by 85% and add the seam allowance. I cut on the bias, even though the course said to cut on the grain. I think the course was wrong in this respect. I did use another neck band pattern as a template to get the bias, and then cut to my length, and marked the centres back and front, and calculated the shoulder seam placements.
Obviously its the same black jersey as the jacket collar, and pockets and my first Coco sleeves.
My only concern was that it looked a bit like a Star Trek jersey when I was making it. I was trying to think up feminine embellishments, but the whole idea as to create a relatively plain top that would match the rest of the wardrobe. With the cuffs, it doesn’t look quite so Star Trek!
And the twin needle finish round the bottom looks good even though I wound about 10 cm too little thread onto a bobbin, and had to wind a second bobbin to complete it.
I’d like to finish by saying ‘And now for something completely different’ but actually that’s not going to be the case. Grey is my new black, and actually suits me better. In fact, if you look at the blog entries you will see that I am not really into black….
One Week, One Pattern
Me Made May 2016
Me Made May 2015
Simplicity Competition
Sew Over it Patterns
all my own work by ann 