Stripy Lady Skater Dress by Kitschy Coo

Say hello to my first Lady Skater dress from Kitschy Coo. I always think it is kinda funny when I write that this is my first of something as it comes with the obvious connotation that there will be a second, third and so on. Sometimes after making something and wearing it out for the day you come back just knowing that you will never wear or more often make it again. The Lady Skater is the complete opposite of that. I knew from the second I put it on that it would be the start of things to come. I will definitely be making more of these, I already have some more knit fabric looked out for my next one.

My first Lady Skater Dress

Back in September 2013 I used a PDF pattern for the first time when making my FlutterBy Sorbetto top. In my post I said that I would hate to imagine what it would be like to have to tape together loads of A4 sheets to make a full dress as opposed to just a top. Well... the jury is back... turns out, it's really not that bad. There are only 22 A4 pages to the Lady Skater dress so they take up quite fast. I also like the fact that because you can print it as many times as you want you don't need to worry about chopping right in to the pattern and making a mistake with the sizing as you can just print another one out.

All taped up

I have been looking at this dress for quite a long time but I wanted to wait until I had some more experience working with knits before I gave it a go. So with a Deer and Doe Plantain and a Sewaholic Renfrew under my belt I felt now was a good time to move on to a whole garment made of knit. The construction of the Lady Skater is very similar to the Renfrew it just replaces the waist band with a skirt (basically). The one thing that I hadn't thought about was needing to stabilise the waist seam. I used the same clear elastic that I had used for the shoulder seams. However, I think I will need to do a bit of research about the best way to do this as now that I have worn it a few times I have found the elastic a bit annoying and is seems to have a mind of its own with regard to whether it wants to lie up or down. I will need to review that situation for my next one. I also think that I will shorten the bodice by an inch or so as it feel just a bit too long. Kitschy Coo has a fantastic post explaining the process for altering the bodice and where the correct "zone" for the waist is located.

Damn those stripes

As for the fabric choice… why did I start with stripes? No idea! That little gap in the white stripe right in the centre front is going to annoy me forever. Having said that the fabric itself is one of the many pieces that I picked up from Goldhawk Road on my holiday in London at the end of last year. It was really cheap, something like £3.99 a metre. I believe it is cotton jersey but as practically nothing has a label on it on Goldhawk Road its quite difficult to know. I would say that it is medium weight with lots of drape which makes the skirt quite swooshy when I walk. 

All layered up

It also layers up nicely and looks pretty good with my boots so, I think it will be a good piece to transition into autumn.

Meadows Festival, Edinburgh

I love it when you can finish making something then put it straight on and head out for the day.That was exactly what I did last Sunday when I hemmed my dress in my pajamas and then put it straight on and headed out to the Meadows Festival, in the heart of Edinburgh. 

Cutest little sewing machine EVER!!

The festival had music, food stalls, merchandise and even a carnival. There were lots of random things on the stalls some antiques/vintage, random household and loads of clothing. These were my favourite two finds though. A brilliant suitcase full of old buttons and the cutest little sewing machine I have ever seen. I can't find a huge amount of information on it but it is an Electric Little Modiste Japanese made toy sewing machine. I have no idea how much it was being sold for but there was lots of interest in it and it was sold not long after I saw it.

Suitcase of buttons