Black Linen Midi Skirt and Jersey Halter Top

Inspiration: I've been seeing all those barrelled skirts, and It seemed a good idea because it saves you fabric, the barrel shape. 75 cm wide is just enough for a gathered at the waist skirt and some A shaping but not much. So I could pull this one out of less than a metre of fabric. 

I bought the linen in Porto, which is the loveliest city, with the loviliest linen in Armazém dos Linhos, where I was guided in the most professional, expert and kind manner. I also made some shorts out of it, which I will report later.

 

The pattern was, squaring the fabric left from said shorts, and cutting 2 wedges at the sides, 7 or 8 cm tappering down for 30 cm to zero. 

The elastic at the waist played out to be tricky. After trying a couple of simpler options, I had to go wtih a triple topstitched channel with a narrow elastic going through the middle and a couple of roulées attached to it and knotted in front. 

At some fitting, I decided to skip the barrel shape with a couple of generous openings at the side seams, which look amazing, by the way. 

As for the halter top, I was inspired by a long, red dress of mine, 15 years old. I was pondering if I should still keep it (I shall). One possibility was cutting it into a two piece... and when I decided to keep it as it is, I thought I could reproduce just the upper part as a top in black elasticated jersey fabric I'd bought also in Porto. I still had the traced paper pattern. 

It is gorgeous and I love it, specially in tanned skin. 

And it just looks great with the skirt. 

Don't I look up to it?

Palmtrees Jumpsuit

Well, it's a funny story about how I got the fabric for this project, and with it, the inspiration. 

I saw this fabric in a Catalan website, labelled as Liberty Tana Lawn, at 15 €/m. I jumped at the bargain and bought 2 m to make this wonderful jumpsuit I'd seen in Burda Magazine. I have this thing with jumpsuits, the other day I recounted them and I have 8 jumpsuits in my wardrobe, sleeveless, short-sleeved, long sleeved, jersey and woven fabrics... it seems I have never enough jumpsuits. 

Well, when I received the fabric I realized it did not have the shine, the precision of print and the hand of liberty, although it is a good cotton in a very close weight. I contacted the shop and, after insisting a 2nd time, they conceded it was not a real Liberty fabric and they apologised. I accepted their excurses because the price was not Liberty either, but then they gave me some postordering discount of 25 % as if it had been a remnant. In fact, it was the last 2 m I'd bought. 

Well, what a pitty! Liberty cotton is unique and a pleassure to sew, but I had already washed the popelin and I had the pattern from Burda ready. So, of course I made it!

I made no modifications to the pattern, but at the end I decided to obliterate the elastic belt the pattern had. It felt good being wide and loose, and I do not like to have my waist cinched. 

The final result is lovely, and above all, very comfortable, also in hot weather, even having long pants. So, I guess this is going to be a staple in my wardrobe.