Mini Tania Culottes [Megan Nielsen Patterns]

I'm excited to share with you another new project!
It actually feels weird to be sharing a new project with you already. This year my sewing has been going sooooo slow. Slow enough that is seems I hardly finish a garment a month...
I really wish it wasn't "sew". ;)
 Enough of all this sad talk...let's talk culottes!

Culottes are...

...weird.

They are shorts but yet they are a skirt...but they aren't. (Like I said weird)

...one of those things you don't know you're missing out on until you get one.

To me culottes are this amazing invention. 

When you want to wear a skirt but with the practicality of shorts/pants they are the option.

...destined to become a favorite.

When I was younger, one of my favorite outfits was this pair of dark brown culottes that had super wide legs which gave the look of a maxi skirt. I chose to wear them ALL the time! Could this happen with the Tanias as well?? 

 / Lace Top: American Eagle (Brand new secondhand from Plato's Closet) / Pink cami: Jockey P2P (Seasons ago) / Catch-All Sling Bag: Knitted by TaMera / Shoes: Payless Shoe Source (2014) \

I'm rather impressed with the Tania pattern! I thought it was going to be a long sew (not complicated just timely) but I was able to sew them up in a weekend! 

Next time, I'm going to try the midi or maxi length...although I can totally see myself sewing up another pair of mini's for Summer first. lol

-'- Jewel

• Stashbusting Sewist Secrets:
• Pattern: Tania Culottes by Megan Nielsen Patterns - Mini Length (Purchased fall of 2016)
• Fabric: Gray/Blueish Chambray - Gifted from my cousin-in-law last summer
• Notions: Invisible Zipper & Thread - JoAnn's Fabric & Crafts
• Rating: Success! 
• Fabric stashbusted on project: 1 5/8 yards
• Fabric stashbusted since January 1st 2017: 11 3/8 yards

Aztec Reversible Skirt {Vintage Simplicity 7779...sort of}

I cut this project out on January 1st and it is officially finished!

Originally it was just going to take a weekend to sew up...that was before I decided to make it reversible...

Oh yes, the pattern is a basic A-line skirt with front and back darts, a center back zip, and seam.
But I couldn't decide which side of the fabric I wanted to be the "right side" for the public to see.

What does the crazy, overachiever person do?

Make a normal skirt [from a obvious leftover piece of vintage fabric, with no possibility of purchasing more if necessary] into a reversible skirt!

Side A (pictured above) has wooden buttons and pleats for waist shaping.

To make the pattern reversible, I turned the front into the back. 

I sewed the side seams at 3/8 of an inch and used the extra width for the button band.

 Then covered the side seam on Side B with satin ribbon.

In place of darts I made tiny, little pleats. (Next time I'll try something different; they look good on Side A but Side B they aren't my favorite look.)

Finally added a hem band for a clean finish and ...that's it!

Wow...writing it out makes it sound so much simpler than it actually was! 

Much of the time spent on the project was spent thinking over the ways to "hack" the pattern into a reversible skirt and working out the problems that doing so created. 

For example, I had to figure out in which order the steps needed to be sewed and they are as follows:

1. Darts.
2. Side Seams
3. Tuxedo Stripes
4. Button Band
5. Waistband
6. and finally the Hem Band.

This was to ensure the cleanest finish on both sides of the skirt.

Normally with a skirt, the seam allowance of the side seam just needs to be finished (to reduce raveling) because it will be hidden on the inside of the skirt. Making this skirt reversible meant the seams would be visible at times so I had to come up with a way to hide the seam allowance [wrong side of the side seam] that was visually interesting, aesthetically pleasing and also not take away from the garment.

Side B has basic gray buttons and a gray satin tuxedo stripe down the side seams.

The skirt is very versatile and can be dressed up (think business attire) or dressed down for a more casual feel just depending on the blouse and shoes you chose. 

The pattern is vintage 1968 Simplicity 7779.

The main fabric is from my Grandmother's stash and the waistband fabric was purchased at Calico House Fabrics specifically for this skirt.

The buttons are from JoAnn's.

I'm so excited that it came out exactly the way I was envisioning and hoped it would!

There are a ton of projects I'm planning, with some already in the works! I'm sure I'll be talking to you sooner than later! :)

-'- Jewel

Fabric used on this project: 1 3/4 yards
Fabric sewn in 2017: 15 3/4 yards

February Stashbusting & Pattern 'N' Fabric Fast Round-Up

February...February...oh why are you over already??

Sigh...I'm just going to go out, get it over with and say it.

I treated myself to fabric for Valentines Day...

I know, I know... I should feel bad but I don't.

Fabric purchased:
3 yards Pink Poodles Cotton Twill
2 yards Butterflies Cotton Chambray

Items sewn:
3 yards Simplicity 1419 Firework Cotton for Hannah (To be blogged as a collection)
3 yards Simplicity 1419 Blue Cotton for Hannah (To be blogged as a collection)
1 3/4 yards Vintage Simplicity 7776 (Not Yet Blogged...because I finished it at Midnight on the 31st! lol)

5 yards of fabric in and 7 3/4 yards out! 

All fabric purchased in 2017: 5 yards

All fabric sewn in 2017: 15 3/4 yards

Total fabric stashbusted: 10 3/4 yards! Whoo!!

Pattern Fast:

NO PATTERNS PURCHASED! WHOO!

I have a dress that just needs the zipper and hem so I'm already off to a great start for March! haha 

-'- Jewel