Miss Peggy Hunts for (Diamond) Eggs

Bonjour, lovely readers! Today, I have eaten entirely too many chocolate eggs and covetously eyed my aunt's Passover menu, just as this weekend demands. Perhaps it's my southern upbringing, but all these anthropomorphized rabbits make me long to channel Lilly Pulitzer. It's the season for lemon, lavender, and bold prints! Which brings me to this month's Mood Sewing Network projects: a lemony Archer blouse and ikat-print Peggy skirt. 

Full disclosure, this post is going to focus on the Peggy skirt, because the Archer demands a full review and better pictures. I made all sorts of alterations to this pattern, including adding a dart and (accidentally, but successfully) sewing wider seams. When tucked in, as this outfit demanded, the Archer really didn't photograph well. It works much better untucked or with a knit bottom, like Thursday's Mabel skirt. 

This Peggy, however, photographed beautifully. I love this skirt, y'all! 

Thanks to everything else happening this month, I decided to streamline April's Mood project. I wanted gorgeous fabric, paired with a simple tried-and-true pattern. For the pattern, I settled on my favorite skirt pattern, Bluegingerdoll's Peggy. For the fabric, I did something every sewist loves to do: copy an elegant friend. Sam's delightful colleague, Sarah, has an ikat skirt I've been coveting for ages. It's just the right navy-and-white fabric to be at once a print and a neutral. Even better, Mood stocks a stretch cotton twill that is practically identical!

A few episodes of The Paradise later, I had the perfect copycat skirt! As I've blogged about before, the Peggy skirt is such a quick, enjoyable project to sew up. It's a lovely, a-line silhouette with a flattering high waistband. The only alterations I made to this one were to cut the waistband on the crossgrain, in order to add visual interest, and to use a narrow machine hem. With a heavier weight fabric, like this twill, I just find traditional hems way too bulky. 

There's really no other construction detail to note, since I've made this so many times now! TNT patterns may be somewhat unexciting to blog about, but I love sewing them up. It's such a stress-free experience, when I'm assured something will fit both me and my lifestyle. For me, the Peggy skirt is always flattering and always easy to wear. What's better than that?

So, tell me, dear ones. What are your tried-and-true patterns? Is there one pencil skirt or wrap dress pattern you just can't stop sewing? Also, be sure to check out Laurence's gorgeous makes this weekend, as part of the Curvy Colette blog tour. Her broderie anglaise Moneta was so lovely!

The (Abbreviated) Details...

Things I Loved:

• Everything! I can't get enough of this pattern. 

Things I Changed:

• Took a narrow hem, instead of my standard deep hem. 
• Cut the waistband on the crossgrain, to take advantage of the print. 

Notions & Fabric:

• 2 yards of stretch cotton twill, courtesy of Mood Fabrics
• 1 vintage red glass button
• 7-inch white zipper

Miss Peggy Sings the Blues

Good evening, my dear ones! I've been sewing quite a bit this week, thanks in large part to the Olympics. I'm a big sports fan--save football, which I have Violent Feminist Quibbles with--so every two years my brain gleefully geeks out on all things nationalistic and sporting. I watch all the events, even curling. There is no sport too esoteric for my enjoyment. 

Best of all, however, is figure skating. It's the combination off all my beloved things: gorgeous costumes, lovely music, showmanship, and death-defying ice twirls. I love a good ice twirl.* My event of choice is Ice Dancing, but I follow them all with rapt attention. Conveniently, I now do this while sewing. It doesn't feel nearly so self-indulgent to spend two weeks straight watching television, when I'm making things at the same time. 

*Yes, an ice twirl. I know there are real names, but no matter how many times Johnny and Tara (whom I adore!) explain the differences, they all look like fantastic mid-air ice twirls to me. I'm a plebeian, obvs. 

This year, Olympic accompaniment was provided by the Peggy skirt pattern, from Bluegingerdoll Patterns. Peggy is, as you well know, one of my favorite patterns. I've made it twice previously, in a cheery polka dot and a cozy winter wool, both of which I wear all the damn time. The high-waisted A-line silhouette is simple, but works beautifully on my figure. It highlights my waist, skims my hips, and is comfy enough to allow seconds of cake. Obviously, I need more of these in my wardrobe!

For my first warm weather Peggy, I used this blue floral cotton sateen from Gertie's Etsy shop. She's now completely out of stock, but last summer she was regularly selling some of the loveliest cottons I've ever seen. Thanks to her, I now own lobster print voile and entirely too many lengths of pastel gingham. This floral, however, was my favorite of the bunch. I'm such a sucker for floral fabrics anyway, but a bright vintage chintz on a black background? Be still my heart.

Honestly, I can't believe that I only bought two yards of this fabric. In person, I probably would have talked myself into five, so that it could become a skirt and a dress. For a sateen, it has both a lovely drape and weight. If there were just a bit more, it would have made a fabulous Georgia dress, thanks to a hint of stretch. Luckily, it was enough for a Peggy!

As for construction, there's really not much story here. I did a more exhaustive review of this pattern with my initial version and it continues to be a quick, fun project. While the pocket construction was a bit mind-bending at first, it's super easy once you've figured it out. Other than that, it's a straight-forward skirt pattern. I serged all my inner seams, used a vintage white button for the back closure, and did a standard hand-picked zipper on the back. So simple!

The details...

Things I Loved:

• The fabric! As always, I'm all about the fabric and this floral is freaking gorgeous. If a Texas bluebonnet came to life, this is the skirt fabric it would choose. I am, basically, a human bluebonnet. You heard it here first. 
• The pattern! The Peggy really works for my figure. If you're a curvy hourglass or pear shape, it will probably work similarly well on you, my dear. 
• The pockets! This cute design detail never gets old. 

Things I Changed:

1. Did a traditional zip, instead of a lapped zip. 
2. Omitted the waist tabs, because they would've been lost in this print. 
3. Took a really deep hem - about five inches. 

Things I Would Change, If Made It Again:

• Not a thing!

Tips & Tricks:

• Trust Abby's instructions. The pocket pieces seem odd, since the bag is larger than the facing, but that's what makes it poof in an adorable manner. Match your notches and believe!

Notions & Fabric:

• 2 yards floral sateen - $14/yard
• 7 inch black zipper
• 1 vintage button
• Featherweight fusible interfacing

Incidentally, this skirt is unwittingly appropriate for a sewalong. The Sewcialists are hosting Blue February, which I didn't intend to participate in, because I never follow through on such vows. And yet...here we are. One week left of February and I've sewn a thing that is blue! The mind, it reels. Admittedly, half of my stash is blue, so the odds were good on this one. Even more impressive, I've actually hit two sewalongs. Abby of Bluegingerdoll suggested people sew a BGD pattern in a blue fabric for a Blue Blue February. I am so on point! Is anyone else sewing a blue piece this month?

Miss Peggy Cozies Up to Plaid

Bonjour, my dear ones! Apologies for my unexpected blog silence, this past week. Between the holidays, my bachelorette party (a Nancy-Drew-inspired mystery dinner adventure), and crossing off my wedding to-do list, time slipped away from me. We're getting married in two weeks and, despite trying to keep everything low key, there are still so many things to be done!

Also, it's fucking cold. 

I would apologize for my language, but the high today is 22° Fahrenheit, with a wind chill of 12°. 

It hasn't been above freezing in two days. That may seem wimpy to those in the northern climes, but our average December high temperature is safely in the sixties. We're currently under a freezing fog advisory. I didn't even know that fog could freeze! "Freaking" really doesn't seem strong enough for the situation.

Snow fell this morning and is still frozen on things! Snow! On things! 

The good news, however, is that this weather is excellent practice for our honeymoon to Ireland. My cold weather wardrobe is going to be bangin', by the time our Boxing Day flight leaves. To that end, I've made another cozy skirt! 

After my trial run of the Peggy skirt, we all knew there was a love affair in store. I absolutely adore this pattern. The pretty pockets, figure-hugging high waist, and simple lines are the stuff my skirt dreams are made of. For my second version, I used a dreamy black, cream, and pink wool blend from Fabric Mart. 

As soon as Sam and I decided to honeymoon in Ireland during the winter, I invested in some pretty woolens. It's easy to talk myself out of such purchases, since we live in the sweltering Texas heat for half of the year, but I always lust after winter fabrics. The trip is a great excuse to indulge that fancy!

This wool blend, medium weight and with a nice drape, is such a Mary lust fabric. The combination of black, cream, and light pink is one of my favorites. There's something so 1950's Paris about those colors together, you know? It's only by the grace of looking bad in hats that I haven't bought a pink beret to pair with this skirt. I loooooove it. 

This round of Peggy skirt construction was a breeze, y'all. After my first time inserting those pockets, it was remarkably easy to repeat, and the rest of the skirt is just a few tucks and a lapped zipper. If you have any questions about construction, it would be best to reference my muslin post, which is a true in-depth review. 

The only challenge of this skirt came in matching the large scale plaid. I cut it on a single layer layout, which is time consuming, but a great way to make sure every line is straight. For matching the plaid itself, I took the Lladybird approach to things and cut everything I could on the bias, which meant the waistband and pockets. I love how the bias-cut waistband turned out, specifically. It emphasizes the beauty of Abby's design to perfection.

Since the Peggy Skirt side seams are curved, I settled for matching horizontal lines there, which turned out reasonably well and made hemming way easy. Meanwhile, the back. Let's talk about the back...

Oh, look! Mary matched plaids perfectly! Or wait...

I spent a ridiculous amount of time and effort matching the back seam, only to realize after sewing it up that I'd omitted the two white vertical lines that were supposed to be there. Instead, I oh-so-brilliantly matched one thin white line instead. Whhhhhyyyyy? 

It doesn't bother my eye any, but after all that effort, it feels like such a fail. I was so proud of myself! I even trotted out to Sam mid-construction, so that he could admire my plaid-matching skillz. All for naught. Whatever. I'm pretty sure that I'm not meant to be a person who perfectly matches plaid, anyway. That's for far more sophisticated people than I. 

I like my thin white line! Take that, gods of plaid!

The details...

Things I Loved:

• The pocket! It's a genius little design, once you have confidence in the method, and adds a really special detail. 
• The pattern! Fun fact: After my first Peggy, Abby informed me that I was actually the first person to buy the Peggy pattern. Ergo, logic insists that I'm a superfan and have the authority to say...go buy it now. Now! Now! Now! It's the perfect skirt pattern, friends. This is one you'll go back to again and again, I promise. 
• The waistline! I love a high waist so hard, y'all.  

Things I Changed:

• Cut a smaller waistband.
• Took a very large hem again - over five inches. 

Things I Would Change, If I Made It Again:

• Add the tabs! I still haven't added this design detail, despite how adorable it is. Next time...

Notions & Fabric:

• 7 inch hot pink zipper, which Sam insisted on while accompanying me JoAnn's. He was correct. I love the pop of color, when it peeks out. 
• 1 vintage button
• Two yards of wool blend - $16
• Fusible Interfacing

Construction Time:

• Three hours, including the hand-sewn zipper and hem.

Miss Peggy Walks in the Woods

Happy Thanksgiving week, friends! Or, my dear international ones, Happy Week of American Friends Posting Pictures of Turkey Dinners on Instagram! This week has been much busier than expected, with family coming in early and wedding plans demanding attention, so my promised princess seam FBA post will have to wait until this weekend. In the meantime, I'm going to channel Macy's and parade out some giant balloons finished objects.

First up. we have my wearable muslin of the Peggy Skirt from Bluegingerdoll Patterns. 

This fall, I've made a point to sew up more separates. It would be easy to sew up dress after lovely dress, but in the chillier months I love having layers to pile on. A skirt that works with sweaters and boots is priceless! Ergo, when Abby from Bluegingerdoll released the retro high-waisted Peggy skirt, I bought it the same day.

The Peggy skirt comes in three waistband variations--straight, curved, and sweetheart--with eased-in faced pockets and optional waistband tabs. For this first one, I used inexpensive polished cotton leftover from my Elisalex muslin, so I went with the simplest construction possible: a straight waistband and no tabs.

The Peggy skirt was my first Bluegingerdoll pattern to sew up, though I own both the Mae blouse and the Billie Jean dress, and it was a joy to create. One of my favorite things about sewing with indie patterns is, of course, the packaging. Bluegingerdoll added some great personal touches in this arena: heavy weight pattern paper, a pretty Kraft paper envelope, and a twine closure. Lovely!

Even better, the pattern itself is a mentally stimulating project. At every step, there is something to differentiate it from a Big 4 straight skirt. There are two small tucks in the front--which not only add visual interest, but increase the ease of movement--in addition to darts in the back, the aforementioned bagged pocket, a lapped zipper, and button waistband closure. While all those details don't make it an ideal beginner's pattern, I absolutely loved them. 

The only true weak spot of this pattern is, in my opinion, the instructional insert. Perhaps it's because I began sewing with Simplicity patterns, but I prefer exhaustive directions and these were a little skim. Like some other indie companies, the Peggy instructions periodically referred one to online tutorials, instead of providing all the directions right at hand. If you don't already know how to do a lapped zipper, for example, have your computer at the ready!

For the pocket, specifically, I wish things had been clearer. It was such an unconventional construction that, without a really great diagram, I ended up sewing my first one incorrectly. Though it doesn't show on the outside, my pocket facings are inside out, as a result. If this wasn't a muslin, I probably would have re-done it, but my first rule of muslin-making is not to be a perfectionist. I absolutely love how the pocket turned out, however, gaping just the right amount to be cute and hold my cell phone perfectly.

Fabric wise, the polished cotton I used for this Peggy is a classic red with tiny white polka dots. It wrinkles like crazy, as you can see from these photos, and was a quickly regretted sale purchase. Y'all, I bought five yards of this stuff for some unknown reason. Five yards of icky-feeling, slippery, polka dots. Thank heavens for muslin making! This is no longer staring at me from the stash and I've actually ended up liking both garments I made with it.

There weren't many changes to make for this skirt either, just a few pesky fit adjustments. As the pattern was drafted, I was between two sizes, so I cut the larger one and graded down at the waistband by three inches. Aside from that, I took a much larger hem than instructed -- a little over five inches, in the end. The Peggy skirt is designed for a vintage-inspired length, with the hem falling a few inches below the knee. This skirt length can look adorable on some people, but I'm decidedly not one of them. So, I indulged myself and took a deep hem instead, which put it at the top of my knee. Much more flattering!

In the end, this turned out to be such an adorable skirt. I absolutely love the high waist, which seems to work better in this skirt than my other autumnal love, the Zinnia, and could wax poetic about these pockets for days. I won't, though! Instead, I'm already making another one for Thanksgiving day, in a large scale wool plaid. This is the perfect pattern for a TNT cozy skirt. If the Peggy is anything to go by, Bluegingerdoll Patterns is an indie to keep an eye on. I can't wait to try out Abby's other designs!

The details...

Things I Loved:

• The pocket! It's a genius little design, once you have confidence in the method, and adds a really special detail. 
• The pattern! I love when indie pattern companies opt for thicker pattern paper. It's so much nicer to trace and cut around. 
• The waistline! High waists can be uncomfortably restrictive, but because of the front pleats in the skirt, the Peggy is delightfully comfortable. 

Things I Changed:

• Cut a smaller waistband.
• Took a very large hem - over five inches. 

Things I Would Change, If I Made It Again:

• Add the tabs! I love this design detail and will definitely implement it next time around. 

Notions & Fabric:

• 8 inch zipper
• 1 vintage button
• Two yards of cotton - $8
• Fusible Interfacing

Construction Time:

• Three hours, including the hand-sewn zipper and hem.