Move over, Spidey Skirt

In the spirit of 'blog it today or it will never happen' I present some hastily taken, rumpled-looking photos of the proper Grainline Moss Skirt that Spidey was a test-run for.

Not much really to say about a skirt that has been loved-up around the blog-o-sphere so much already. It has filled a glaring gap in my wardrobe where jeans fit in during the colder weather. It's in a lovely cotton/hemp dark denim that has jeans-like sturdiness but sews like buttah. Might have to move heaven and earth to source more when we run out of it at the shop. I topstitched in all the likely places with the same navy cotton thread I used for construction.

I put kitties in the pockets (leftover from my pyjamas).

I decided against the optional band at the bottom of the skirt, but added 2 inches to the length of the front and back panels for decency's sake and then turned up a minimal hem, bound with bias for a bit more 'secret detail'. (Scraps of Sarah Watson's 'Indian Summer - Forest Trail' that Charlie chose for pj shorts.)

The zip fly - having done it twice, I can say I am no longer afraid of it, but not exactly leaping at opportunities to make them everywhere. I am happy with the result but it was quite fiddly, and I am curious to investigate any other methods. I didn't find out until after I'd finished that there's a step-by-step guide on the Grainline blog. Oops. If anyone has a preferred method of zip fly construction I'd love to hear.

I found the pattern instructions to be fine, but with a fair amount of assumed knowledge (e.g. terms like baste, grade, understitch used without any explanation). 'Insert your buttonhole according to placement on pattern' - I couldn't find it - maybe small un-labelled notch? - so just winged it. I don't want to come across all whingey because it's a fabulous pattern but (in my opinion) it wouldn't take much to make it a lot more friendly to sewists with only a bit of experience.

I followed Lara's tip of stabilising the pocket openings (prone to stretch since they're on the bias), which I did with some light twill tape I had on hand, sewn into the seam.

Anyway, I love it. Hello, new skirt. Prepare to be thrashed to death.

And completely unrelated, this is Clem asleep tonight. He was not wearing that Miffy hat when I put him to bed. It's terribly hot and I'm a bit afraid he'll overheat but do I want to ruin the cuteness? Hmm.

- Jane x