Ginger Made: Simplicity 1690 Crop Top + Gathered Skirt!
Hi, guys! Hope you’re all well! I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve blogged- it’s been a strange month and life sort of got in the way of blogging for a while. But it’s good to be back!
So, this month’s Mood Sewing Network project is a bit of a different one for me. I’ve been wanting a full, mint green skirt for the longest time and it’s finally warm enough to wear one! I chose a creamy cotton voile, thinking it would be nice and light for summer.
You don’t really need a pattern for a skirt this simple, but I was inspired by Pattern Runway’s free Easy Gathered Skirt- it has a flat front waistband with elastic at the back. I don’t usually like elastic waists, but it’s nice to have the adjustability (and the freedom to eat a big lunch without fear of popping a button or breaking a zipper).
Cotton voile is SO easy to sew- I love it! It’s not totally opaque, but I left it unlined- I can always wear a slip if I want to. It’s not too sheer to see the pockets through it, so that’s fine. Since it’s a light, fine fabric, I used silk pins inside the seam allowances and did a blind hem by hand. That’s it! Piece of cake.
Next up, the top. I was immediately attracted to this beautiful silk print. It’s such a great combination of colors! I’d planned to make a buttondown with this, but I changed my mind after seeing a few girls rocking the crop top midi skirt look (check out the République du Chiffon Anne-Marie pattern! It’s got a fun hipster-does-80’s-mom vibe!). It’s a bit of a different look, but I thought I’d give it a try.
I used Simplicity 1690, a simple kimono top that I’ve made before, and shortened it by 7″ to create a crop top (it’s actually 9″ shorter than my first version, but I had lengthened that by 2″). Now that I’m looking at the photos, I think it needs to go a little shorter, even, so you can see the waistband of the skirt. I tried to carefully plan out the print placement, but I’m not certain I was successful. Ikat is tough, dude! It often ends up looking a bit too anatomically correct! Annoying!
I feel about 50% trendy and 50% frumpy in this look. I may try shortening the top even more to see if I like it better. If not, I’ll just mix the pieces up and wear them separately. I have a feeling the skirt will look super cute with my Nettie bodysuit! I am really loving easy-to-wear separates for summer this year, though. They’re a fun change of pace from sundresses! How about you guys? What are you making these days? Any favorite summer trends?
OH- before I forget, here’s the winner of the Fashionary giveaway!
Excluding my replies and duplicate comments, there were 125 entries before the deadline. The winner was #28, Rox Guillemette!
