The Big Reveal! Summer Outfit 1

I had to call this post “The Big Reveal” so we could have a little chuckle and remember back to my Handmade Wardrobe challenge in 2013. Ah, wasn’t it so much fun?! Crazy busy but fun. I’m not sure if I’ll manage to make a whole outfit every month ever again but I’m so glad I did for so many months that year – I’ve absolutely lived in those clothes. It surprised me how well the outfits coordinated with each other – I’ll tell you all about it sometime …

Anyhow, here we have my first finished summer outfit. I’m both amazed that I’ve actually done it and super pleased that I have.

Of course my Washi top took all of fifteen minutes to finish. I hand-stitched the seam, catching it ever so carefully so you can’t see the stitching from the outside and gave it a press.

It’s a lovely fit across the chest and I’ve taken some width out from the waist/hip region so it is a little narrower which works better for me. No pockets this time which I’m kind of missing although they’d probably look silly. I’m wondering about a slightly longer, lightweight, tunic version with a simple scooped neckline and colourful pockets …

It’s hard to see the detail on my Moss skirt because it’s so dark. The fly worked pretty well although I would like to try it again with lighter fabric. The drill was so thick layer upon layer and my poor sewing machine didn’t much like it. I didn’t even try a button hole in the waistband. Instead I used a trouser hook and bar to hold the waistband closed.

It’s a groovy, comfortable wee skirt if you don’t mind having all your legs on show. I made the shorter version of the skirt and I like the details such as the yoke at the back and the angled pockets. I didn’t do any top stitching but I think I’d like to try some on another skirt.

I did find however that the skirt came up a little large on me. I could have gone down a couple of sizes and took a chunk out of both sides before I attached the waistband. It wasn’t the pattern – it was me. When trying to work out which size to make I found my waist measured four whole sizes larger than my hips. Worried that it wouldn’t fit if I made the smaller size I cut out the larger one. Now I’ve made the skirt I realise that it goes nowhere near my waist. It sits right down on my hips. Next time I’ll go with the smaller size.

My necklace is fun. I bought the beads on Etsy a couple of years ago and the black beads and leather cord were from my stash.

I tried a couple of ways of string the beads. Initially I thought I’d string them simply on the leather but it wouldn’t fit through the holes on the beads! That’s when I added the black beads, trying first one then two between each wooden piece. Two worked better and I added a couple more on each end too. All the beads are strung onto some clear plastic jewellery “wire”. I made a small loop at each end and tied my leather cord to each loop with a long tail so I could knot the cord for several inches up itself. The knots are slightly haphard and look a little like crochet.

I’m the worst critic of my own creatiions. I wasn’t sure about the necklace as I made it. Would it look ok? Would it look totally amateur? I tried to look at it as if I was viewing it in a shop. Would I like it then? In the end I decided I would, in a “tribal” meets “urban” sort of way.

Well, I’m so pleased that I’ve finally got something new to wear this summer. Let’s hope the good weather stays around for a while because I’m itching for more summer clothes now!

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