::Sewing::FO:: That 70's Hollyburn

Ever since I made my first Hollyburn skirt I've been meaning to make another.

I couldn't for the life of me find the pattern pieces I'd traced and adjusted from last time. I can't remember which view I cut out last time (I checked the post and I didn't mention it. Gah!)
I traced view B pattern and then put it aside as I made this dress. I finally cut out the fabric for this skirt the other day when I was cutting my rayon kimo-no top.

I found that in the last skirt the pockets where a tad bulky so I thought I'd try to make the lining out of some quilting cotton I had in my stash. I drew a 5/8 inch seam allowance either side of the fold line. I folded the pattern at the appropriate SA line and cut out the pocket lining from the quilting cotton and the pocket from the main fabric. I could have done a pocket facing (when the pocket bag is made of a lining fabric, but the bit showing is a small section of fashion fabric), but I'm not that big a fan of them. Mine usually slip out so you can see the pocket facing edge from the outside.

I folded the pattern at the appropriate SA line and cut out the pocket lining from the quilting cotton and the pocket from the main fabric. While I was faffing about with the pockets I got rid of the point in the bottom of the pocket bag by tracing around a container lid and snipping it off.

This is my trying to show you the green pocket facing.

I took my time with this make and added some details to mix it up. I top stitched around the pockets edges. I sewed, overlocked (serged) and top stitched the front and side seams. To top stitch the seams I used my stitch in the ditch foot and moved the needle to the side.

As an experiment I used heavyweight interfacing on half the waistband. I finished the waistband by stitching in the ditch between the waistband and skirt.

I sewed in snap tab at the top of the zipper to hold the skirt up as I zip up. I came across this idea in the Pants Construction Techniques Craftsy class with Sandra Betzina.

Inspired by this post I trimmed and finished the invisible zipper by sewing pouch the width of the zipper, folding all the raw edges to the inside, slipping the trimmed zipper in the pouch and sewing across the top.

To hem I sewed a line of basting at 1 inch. I then pressed the hem up at this line. To finish I turned raw edges into the crease of the fold.

I'm happy with the fit of this skirt. It is very different to the fit of the first Hollyburn I made. The waistband is snugger than I'm used to and sits at my waist, but that was what I was going for. The skirt fabric bunches and pulls a tad above my bum, which means I either need to do a sway back or a full butt adjustment - I'm leaning towards a full butt adjustment.

~Pattern~
Sewaholic Hollyburn-View B

~Changes I made this time~

• Changed the pockets - made it a 2 piece pocket and rounded the pointed bottom
• Snap tab at top of zipper
• Invisible zipper

~What I Like~

• The snap tab is fantastic! Makes zipping up a breeze!
• The colour is a great basic without being black.

~What I Don't Like~

• The fabric is a bit rough. But I'll see how it goes after a few cycles through the wash.
• The zipper gets a bit stuck at the waistband. I think it's a  combination of a bulky waistband and slightly over exuberant stitching at the zipper while finishing the waistband  are the culprits.
• There is a bit of pulling in the back of the skirt when I put my hands in my pockets

~Changes for Next Time~

• I might try a full butt adjustment to resolve some of the bunching at the back of the skirt.
• I have sewn the Hollyburn a couple of times in fairly heavy fabric. I'll have to try it in a lighter fabric.

STATS

Pattern	Sewaholic Hollyburn (view b) - used before - FREE	$0.00
Fabric	3.0 m brown cotton canvas (can't remember how much it cost, it's pre-blog)	$15.00 ish
Notions	Thread Snap Interfacing	$3.50 $0.50 $0.50
Time	8 hours (* $16-ish Australian minimum wage)	$128.00
Total		$147.50

~Final Comment~
I think that the skirt has a very 70's vibe. I think it's a combination of the shape, length and colour. Overall a pretty good make. It will make a great addition to my wardrobe rotation.

So tell me, have you been meaning to make another of something you've made before? If so, what is it? Leave a comment below :)

Until next time,

Lets connect Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

::Sewing::FO:: Hollyburn Done!

I did it! I finished my first wearable garment for 2013! I signed up to participate in My Messing's Hollyburn Sewalong.

When sewing I didn't even look at the instruction sheet that came with the pattern I just looked at Rachel's fantastic instructions!

I was a little slow to get started. I didn't start until after the sewalong posts finished. I sewed most of the skirt last weekend and finished it up in the last few days. I wanted to wear it to a lunch I was having with friends yesterday for my birthday.

I did have a little hiccup. When I went to attach the waistband there was a difference in length between the waistband and the top of the skirt. Half the waistband measured 19 3/4 inches and half the top of the sewn up skirt was 20 3/4 inches.

Half the waistband measurement

Half the top of the sewn skirt

Luckily I had enough fabric to cut another waistband. I simply cut and spread the pattern for the waistband and recut the waistband.


I did make a few changes though...

• When sewing the waistband down I overlocked the raw edge before sewing it down by topstitching around the bottom of the waistband.
• I used in invisible zipper instead of a dress zipper 
• I made a very narrow hem by overlocking the raw edges and then simply turned the fabric up just enough to hide the overlocking and then stitched it down by machine.

Skirt Front

Skirt Back

Now lets take a look on the inside....

Inside skirt front

Inside skirt back

Close up of the inside skirt front
and the different kind of seam finishings.

Things I would change.

• I'd staystitch the top of the skirt pieces as soon as I cut them. This might stop the top of the skirt from stretching out, which is why I suspect there was a difference in measurement between the waistband and the skirt top. The skirt is a little loose. I should have shortened the top of the skirt top instead of lengthening the waistband.
•  I'd overlock all the raw seams instead of using a bound seam finish. It would be a lot quicker than bound seams and I want garments that I can throw in the washing machine (on a gentle cycle of course)
• My mother and I measured the hem to it would sit parallel to the floor, but it looked a little like a mullet hem when it was hanging up because the skirt sits lower at the front when I'm wearing it, but I ended up just hemming it as is. I think next time I'll cut the hem so that it sits parrallel to the floor instead of what I did this time.

And this is how I styled it for a lunch with friends.

Final word...
I love the skirt design. POCKETS! (need I say more) It's a very flattering cut and I love the colour.  I'm not entirely sold on the length, I may shorten it in future. But all in all I'm very pleased this skirt fits in with my S.W.A.P. and is a garment that counts towards my Sewlution pledge.

Until next time I hope you are making headway with your goals too,
Vanessa xo