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Sunday, January 20, 2013

Amanda vs Jungle January Crescent Skirt

When Annie, rocking it over at Pretty Grievences, was all throwing down gauntlets for sewing with animal prints I was up for the challenge. And I'm not going to lie. My first thought was some kind of hideous leopard print cat suit that I could pretend to be Cheetara from ThunderCats in complete with face paint. Yup. This is what happens when you wake the crazy sewing beast. But imagine my despair when I made it over to Spotlight to discover a complete lack of stretch cheetah print. Heartbreaking I tell you. As I forlornly dragged my feet through the aisles I begged the animal print gods to bestow upon me any inspiration they could muster. Zebra! Leopard! Aardvark! I'd take it. Alas, I could find none. So I was rather surprised when I pottered on over to the reduced to clear quilting section and the print of the most elegant of the beasts on the savannah was there to greet me. Goodbye Cheetara and hello Giraffe of Glory!


I had a bit of a dig through my pattern pile and discovered the Sewaholic crescent skirt pattern that I bought in the middle of last year. With some very precarious pattern piece placement I managed to squeeze everything I needed out of a 1.3 metre chunk o' fabric. Hard core! But wait, I think I hear something...


Ahh! It's the excuse for more ridiculous photos than normal! That's what I'm talking about.   This skirt came together in a jiffy and I must admit to having super fun topstitching like a boss. Oh, dear. It's been four sentences- time for a photo!


And while this didn't take me too long to put together the construction was rather eventful. I had my machine have a lovely little short out compete with a flash of light and the circuit breaker to the house tripped. Craziness. Janome is okay now though I really think she is on her last legs (the duct tapped mag light I use as a machine light may have been the first sign of this, come to think of it). I think what the universe is saying is that my sewing is ELECTRIC! Oh, yes. I went there...


So what I liked about this pattern:
  • Super quick and easy. Skirts are like the cookies of the sewing world. Grab what you need, faff around for an hour and you have something awesome with no fuss or stress. Though unlike cookies you can't eat your skirts. Unless you made a skirt out of cookies. Egads. I am a genius. 2013 challenge- cookie skirt...
  • The pockets. I'm totes converting to slash pockets (well except for the glory that is welt pockets because they are awesome) I'm thinking next time I make slash pockets I will go for a colour contrast to really play them up. Yup, I'm living on the edge.


What I will change in the future:
  • Try a size down. I had to take in 2" on each side of the waist. At the centre back seam. Because I neglected to make a muslin. And I'd sewn those rad pockets. And perhaps serged them in place too. And they looked really good. And I didn't want to unpick everything. And now I have the world's tiniest centre back panel. Yeah, I live on the edge AND learnt a lesson. Fierce.
  • Try a plain fabric and some sassy piping. I really need to get over my fear of piping. I think the cray-cray piecing details on this skirt is its feature design element and piping would help emphasise that.


So what have I learnt from this endeavour? Show no fear in the jungle when it comes to animal prints or they will devour you! I really have a hankering to make an awesome leopard print circle skirt now...  But first I need to finish my sewing dare from Gillian over at Crafting a Rainbow. I have been challenged to make something in a solid colour. Yup. No prints to hide mistakes and fitting issues- scary stuff. But I can do this because I am fierce like a tiger. ROWWWWWR!


70 comments:

  1. I nearly bought some of that. Wishing I did now- that skirt looks fab!

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  2. Give in to the Giraffe of Glory, Ellen! You know you want to ;)

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  3. Great skirt. Hysterical blog post. Note to self: do not read Bimble and Pimble posts in public due to tendencies to snort with laughter and make a total spectacle of self

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  4. Great post and loved the entertainment and had a few laughs along the way. The skirt looks great and hey when you're wearing it you can't see the back anyway... and if someone else is looking that close at your behind then they're probably looking looking at the skirt but picturing what's underneath it anyway LOL. Sorry to hear about your sewing machine being on her last legs but it's always exciting looking around and getting a new one :)

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  5. I love this so much!!! Why don't I have more skirts???

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  6. I love the crescent skirt too! And your fabric is amazing :) when I heard about jungle January I would never have thought of giraffe print, I love it even though I'm absolutely not into animal prints..

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  7. Really cleanly done, you are getting bloody good at this sewing malarky... ain't ya?!

    X bundana

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  8. raaawwwrrr indeed! Great looking skirt! Hope Janome recovers for at least a while longer, I can't wait to see what you come up with next!

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  9. I've run into the same problem with pockets a few times myself.. you get the beautifully finished and then realize the front is too big! grrr. I'd go for the quick solution there too myself!
    Skirt looks fab!!!! Now for the dread solids!

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  10. I feel like cookie skirt could be a Project Runway challenge.

    That giraffe print is adorable, as is the skirt; though I am a little sad about the lack of Thundercats spandex.

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  11. cookies of the sewing world. AWESOME. i love your pictures so much i want to cry.

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  12. As with all your projects, this is fab! I can see you also had the same problem I did a few weeks ago: sizing is a real pain in the butt for me. I am never quite sure of the size, and I dread finishing a garment to find it is way too baggy...

    And that idea of a full-on catsuit? Hilarious. :)

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  13. Once again Amanda wins! Nice job. Love the skirt of the savanah! Can't wait to see the sewing challenge. g

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  14. Loooooooove this! Giraffe! Genius! Hail Amanda! Nice save on the size too. X

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  15. That skirt is LUSH, can I borrow it for when I go on safari later this year please? And you must make a Cheetara catsuit. You simply MUST.

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  16. Love this! Love the giraffe print. After I finished my first Crescent skirt, I had the same reaction you did, that I want to make another that highlights the seaming details. I'd love a lightweight denim one with bright colored topstitching.

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  17. Bwah ha ha! My reign of public transport mischief continues! Thanks, Hanny :)

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  18. teehee! My poor Janome, Chris. It breaks my heart. I need her to keep holding on for a few months as I have a new pair of skates being made at the moment. GAH! You can do it Janome!

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  19. Annie, you need a Giraffe of Glory skirt STAT!

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  20. Thanks, Sophie! I was rather surprised to find giraffe print too :D I'm deciding Team Herbivore is so much cooler- I mean giraffe AND zebra?! Win!

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  21. Thanks, Caffy :) I'm mos def giving it a red hot go!

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  22. You and me both, Tors! Maybe I should offer some kind of machine oil to the sewing gods...

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  23. Thanks, Jenny! I'm liking living on the wild side! (lame puns are free here)

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  24. I'm so geared up for this, Miss Gillian! I've got my fabric cut and ready to rock. It's going to be RAD!

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  25. Charlotte, the lack of a Cheetara catsuit is something that is going to haunt my dreams for a long time I feel. All I have to say to you is THUDERCATS ARE GO!

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  26. Give in to the cookie skirt, oona! It's totes a thing now...

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  27. It's such a pain, isn't it Rox? Normally I make a muslin but I was feeling confident with this project- epic fail Amanda. This is what happens when I live on the edge... teehee!

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  28. Ohh... skirt of the savannah! I like it! Thanks, G :D

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  29. Merci, Sarah! I feel like I coped out pretty badly with the size adjustment but you get that on the big jobs! ;)

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  30. Sabs- if you are going on safari you simply must take this skirt and get a photo near a giraffe. That would be so meta I fear my head may explode... *boom*

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  31. Ohh, that sounds super cute, LLBB! What a rad idea... I may be inspired/style stalking you now :)

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  32. As soon as you start the cookie skirt sewalong I'm in! :)

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  33. Great skirt, love the fabric! It's a nice shape on you too :)
    Thundercats are go! Now I have that stuck in my head, lol!

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  34. Jacq, I think the cookie skirt needs to happen!

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  35. Thanks, Suzy! Thunder, thunder, thunder, thunder CATS!

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  36. Awesome skirt and awesome fabric! Can't wait for your next sewing challenge. I need to get over my fear of piping too. I have seen some awesome dresses with piping detail and I really want to make one.

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  37. Thanks, Kat! Piping is darn scary- I think it is time we have a go at it!

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  38. That's sooooo cool! I hope you get a lot of wear out of it, because it's awesome :D

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  39. Looooooooooooove this! So rad!

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  40. Mmmmmm...cookie skirt. I would buy that.

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  41. oh my gosh - can you say FABRIC ENVY!!! I was looking for this exact print, and couldn't find any ANYWHERE, not even online!! lol Lucky girl :) Love the skirt :)

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  42. This is AWESOME! Great use of the fabric too, I love the giraffe print. This is totally wearable, although pretty sure you would wear the cat suit too!! I can't find any animal print fabric that I like so perhaps my jungle January won't happen :(

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  43. You and me both, Suzanne. You and me both!

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  44. I'm more than happy to grab some for you if you'd like, Symon! Let me know :)

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  45. Thanks, G! I'm rather stoked about it :D

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  46. Merci, Sonja! And bonus points for the use of rad!

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  47. It's always time for catsuits, Lizzie! I hope you find some great fabric STAT!

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  48. Totes cute skirt! I adore that giraffe print. Nicely spotted! (yep, I had to go there :) )

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  49. This skirt is awesomesauce! And "it's been four sentences, need to put in a picture" LOL! Bummer about the catsuit, maybe next time?

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  50. Bad puns are always welcome here, Carolyn!

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  51. That catsuit will be mine, CG! BWAH HA HA!

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  52. Noice! Who said that quilting cottons are not to be used for awesome clothes.

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  53. Cookie skirt!?! I believe it can be done. I've seen crazier out there. I mean if Lady Gaga can rock a meat dress surely you could pull off a cookie skirt! I just love your posts, your writing is so entertaining! And love the skirt!

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    1. We can so make cookie skirts a thing, Shanni! Let's do this :)

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  54. Lol. Cookies Sew Along!! Do we need a sewing machine or oven? In any case, that's great! Love your skirt and I think it will look wonderful in two colors, dark colored for the top yoke and light colored for shirred ..

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  55. We could make cookies whilst wearing rad skirts, Rosy! I like the idea of contrasting colours :D

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  56. I love the print you chose! It makes for a cute skirt without looking overdone like leopard sometimes can.

    And now I want a cookie...

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  57. beautiful print. I am in awe about how fast you work.

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  58. Great skirt! I love the crescent pattern and your animal print fabric is fun and wearable.

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  59. Thanks, Megan! I am rather smitten with the Giraffe of Glory!

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  60. Merci, Kestrel :) It's a pretty snazzy pattern!

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  61. Thanks, SS. It looks a lot faster than it looks- skirts and I have finally come to an agreement so we get things done quickly ;)

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  62. I want to buy this skirt! I am dressing up as a giraffe and can't find one anywhere (topshop does a blue and orange one - no good) xxxx

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  63. What kind of crazy is that topshop? :(
    I can seriously suggest a simple A-Line skirt in giraffe fabric as a quick and easy make to get your costume rocking. There is an easy one on the Burda site that you can download cheaply (the pattern) and it is very easy. Good luck :D

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