Polka dot buttonless Kelly

AKA panic sewing item number 1.

I am meant to be on a self-imposed fabric and pattern buying embargo. Compared to most sewers, or certainly most blogging sewers, my stash is miniscule. Practically non-existant. But we don't have a lot of space in our little 2 bedroom flat, so fabric jostles up against pushchairs, fights with old outgrown toys and altercates with paperwork in our solitary hall cupboard. In addition, I actually am spending far too much money on fabric that I'm not using. So I have decided that I won't buy any more fabric until I've worked through some of the stash - and I will be using existing patterns that I already own to do so (excluding free downloadable pattern and giveaway wins)...

Unfortunately I realised that I really could do with a black work skirt for MMM13 (my Charlotte is really too wintery to be wearing in May) and I spotted (no pun intended) and loved this fabric in John Lewis, while killing time waiting for a friend. I have fancied making a buttonless version of the Kelly for a while now, and this seemed like a good reason to try it.

I know that I definitely squeezed my first Kelly into less than a metre of fabric. In fact I know I did, because I made notes on my pattern and I even drew out my pattern layout. So, I bought a metre of fabric.

My handwriting truly is this bad!

But could I get the pieces to fit? I have absolutely no idea how I managed this last time. My fabric this time was 140cm wide and my notes said the denim was too, so not sure what changed, unless I just mis-measured last time? Could the denim have been wider than 140cm?

Anyway, fortunately I had decided already to do the buttonless version, which meant pattern piece 1 became narrower. But since it was to be buttonless, it needed to be cut on the fold... Luckily by folding both selvedges into the centre, I was able to fit and cut all the pieces. Hurrah!

I made a small attempt to pattern match the dots, but quickly gave up when I realised they weren't printed true to the grain. Probably just as well, given my shortage of fabric.

The skirt went together beautifully. I folded pattern piece 1 (front skirt piece) down the centre of the buttonhole placement, and treated that like the centre of of the skirt, making that the edge to place on the fold. I changed the order of doing things slightly, to account for the differences. I used a quilting cotton with a bubble spot as a contrast pocket lining.

I put an invisible zipper in the side (right hand, as you are wearing it) and I just attached the waistband accordingly, cutting it slightly shorter and leaving an overlap, so I could fasten it with a button. 

Side view

The inside is neat because I treated all seam allowances with my overlocking stitch on machine again. I much prefer this to a zigzag, so may start to buy extra thread to allow for it. I could have French seamed this fabric, as it's fairly lightweight, but as per my previous Kelly, I cut this in too small a size (knowingly this time) and so used 5/16th" seam allowances instead. Halfway through I had a "duh" moment, when I realised this is pattern is pretty much made of rectangles, so would be the easiest thing in the world to size back up to the correct size. Next time.

The buttonhole is the only thing I'm not happy with on this skirt. For some reason I decided to make it a vertical buttonhole. No idea why - I don't even know that it was a conscious decision, in all honesty. But now that I've worn it for a day, it is pulling and I can see that a horizontal buttonhole would have been preferable.

After one day's wear. Will this last?

 But the buttonhole is the only thing I don't like about this, and that's not too shabby, is it?

And that's about it!

What I liked

LOVE this pattern. Love the polka dots. It's a useful skirt and I love it with my polka dot blouse!

What I didn't like

Buttonhole directionality

Any alterations to fit?

Cut an XS because I did this last time and I cut out the paper pattern! Reduced seam allowance on side seams by 5/16ths" to make up for this.

Did I change anything?

No buttons at front, instead I cut the front pattern piece on the fold, and added a side zip instead.

Did I try anything new?

See above!

What would I do differently next time?

Horizontal buttonhole. Size up pattern to bigger size.

Will I make it again?

Hell, yeah!