o hey! Spring is definitely springing around here at last! but we did recently have one last gasp-y blast of winter in the last week which inspired me to make just one last little winter-y thing… I haven’t actually worn this new mini yet as per se, apart from taking these pictures! but well, you know, it’s nice to have a brand new thing waiting in the wings for when the next season doth roll back in.
Pattern; ye old fave, Vogue 1247, modified so that nearly all the interesting bits and style lines are removed and leaving it with a bare bones one piece front and two backs… Boooooring! I know, sorry, but honestly, even without the famous waitress pockets, which I LOVE, the core shape of this skirt is what makes it a great basic pattern… for me, it is the perfect winter-mini silhouette. Also, the fabric is quite thick, so pockets would have made it all too bulky really 
extreme pattern matching is my kinda sport…
Also, the usual lengthening by 12cm and full lining.
Fabric; I bought this lovely, pure woollen tartan in Japan of all places… I know! not really a place you associate with tartan, I mean, it really seems like the kind of thing you’d wait for a trip to Scotland to buy. But I saw it, in a divine little shop called Check & Stripe, instantly fell in love and thought a little mini skirt would be nice. It was a little price-y, so I only bought 80cm, which is just enough length so I could cut the waistband and then the mini with a substantial hem, just in case I should ever want to add some length back one day.
At first I thought I’d make it unlined and make a separate slip, for versatility in case I should want to wear it without tights… but common sense prevailed, obviously it’s a winter skirt and I would always be wearing it with tights… so even though I went to the effort of HongKong seaming everything inside I still put in the lining after all. It is a rather nice lining; a thin, black silk charmeuse remnant I discovered in my stash, during a recent sort through… but I have absolutely zero memory where it came from, though I have a feeling it was a cast-off from Mum.
I used all my own skirt-lining tips, here.
the inside is quite fuzzy and a little felty…
I made the bias-cut binding for myHongKong seams using an olive green cotton poplin from Spotlight, and busted a gut getting all the plaids and everything lined up and matching to the nth degree… it’s funny, once upon a time I mightn’t have been too excessively obsessive about getting the most perfectest of perfect pattern matching that the naked human eye can detect, oh well OK. I have always been a bit like that! But I do think the advent of blogging and the thought that EVERYONE CAN SEEEEE!! has ramped it up some, so that even a couple of mm has me hauling out the seam ripper and redoing seams. THE PRESSURE!!!
Details:
Skirt; modified Vogue 1247, wool tartan and fully lined
Top; drape-y top a, from drape drape by Hisako Sato, linen knit, details here
Tights; voodoo
Boots; Roberto del Carlo, from Zomp shoes
OH! and I almost forgot about this dark blue hoodie… I actually made it months ago for our holiday to Alaska/Canada, but when packing I decided two fleece hoodies was overkill and I ended up only taking the hot pink one and leaving this one behind. I shoved it to the back of a drawer and immediately forgot all about it. Well, it’s pretty boring, so no wonder… Recently I found it again and was like O hey! this thing!! I’d already given the hot pink one to Cassie…well, she looks about a thousand times better in it! and so I’ll keep this one for the unglamorous things in my life like car- and dog-washing, gardening, camping etc…
Just like the hot pink one; this is made using Burda 8042, all materials from Spotlight. Differences, I made the pockets as patch pockets, and the only matching separating zip I could find was a bit short, so it only zips up about two thirds of the way up. I really like this partially-zipped look, so that’s ok with me.
The patch pockets; I overlocked the raw edges and then simply top-stitched them on, so there’s less bulk than the welt pockets I put in the pink one.
Here I’m wearing it on its very first outing, which also happens to be Clara’s very first outing to the beach! She was so cute; growling and pouncing upon the odd patch of old smelly seaweed, being all amazed by the surf, and very excited at the seagulls. She bravely got a little wet in the shallows and generally bounced about joyfully in her usual puppy way. I’ve got high hopes that she is going to love beach walking just as much as I do! Yay!!
Details:
Hoodie; Burda 8042, blue fleece
Tshirt; modified Nettie, Closet Case patterns, white cotton mix stretch, details here
Jeans; Closet Case patterns Ginger jeans, dark blue denim, details here
Socks; knitted by me, details here
Shoes; Francesco Morichetti, from Zomp shoes
location; Eagle Bay, Western Australia
Now that’s all very well, we all need basics blah blah blah, but I got my latest Vogue magazine the other day, which always gets me revved up to MAKETH YE NOT BORING STUFF BUT INTERESTING STUFF… and I’m like, well, how does Vogue magazine make boring things not-boring?
And of course… dramatic pose! Hoodie equals kinda sporty, so; random piece of sporting equipment! Socks with heels!! now that’s more like it… ha!
what would Vogue do?? #wwvd
Wearing it here with my “she wears the pants” trousers, hand-knitted sockies and Pedro Miralles heels… what’s that? am I actually gonna leave the house like this?? I’ll never tell… 
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