Red Cord Hollyburn Skirt

Sorry about the glaring underwear!  It's flesh coloured, but shiny!

Hello everyone.

Thank you for your comments on my Agatha cardigan.

I have been sewing with a vengeance, having lost my sewing mojo for several weeks.  I always knew it would return, but until then I concentrated on my knitting.  I have another cardigan to show you but I haven't yet taken any photos.  That seems to be the thing that prevents me blogging for several weeks at a time: taking the photos.  I don't know why I find it such a pain to do!  Today I am actually wearing this outfit, so I thought I'd better take the photos as I didn't have to bother changing my clothes specially, which makes the whole process easier.  When I say "whole process", of course I mean merely standing in my sitting room for a few minutes.  Gosh I must be lazier than I thought.

I have made a few things in the last week: a really lovely 60s blouse in Paul Smith cotton, a ruched, sleeveless dress in Liberty lawn (surprise!), the skirt I am showing you now, and I finally sewed the button bands on to a knitted cardigan.  And I almost forgot, I also made a black polyester brocade shirt dress the week before.  Wow!  I have been busy.  And what's more, I haven't had any stompingly frustrating moments, either.  You know how sometimes everything seems to go wrong when you're sewing?  And you wonder why on earth you bother?  Unless it's just me...hehe!

But I did make a skirt from what is apparently nylon taffeta, and it's like tent material...horrid!  Like plastic.  Also, the skirt has a lot of gathering at the hip, and the fabric is so thick, it sticks out like a period costume.  It's pretty ridiculous, yet I have worn it!  I must show you that, too.

Anyway, my Hollyburn skirt, from Sewaholic Patterns. I have made one before, in black cord, so it didn't photograph very well.  I wear it a lot and have always meant to make a red cord one.  And I have!  This cord is much thicker than the black one I used before, but it's not made any difference to the skirt, and it's nice and warm for winter.

The Hollyburn skirt really is a great wardrobe basic.  And it's so terrible simple to make.  It took me a couple of hours, honestly.  You sew the pockets to the fronts, sew the backs and fronts together, put the waistband on, and insert the zip.  Hem.  That's it!  Oh, and I put the tabs on the front, with matching fabric-covered buttons.  I made a size 4 and I didn't alter anything, not even the length (this is the longest version).

I don't have anything more to say about this skirt, as it's so simple.  But I will try to be back pretty soon with some more photos of the other stuff I have made.

Here are some silk dupion samples from The Silk Route.  I'm trying to decide which one I would like to use for a Christmas dress.