Sew Colette: The Meringue Skirt
I’m taking part in the ‘Sew Colette’ sewalong hosted by Sarah over at Rhinestones and Telephones and Erin of Miss Crayola Creepy. I figured I might as well take part as I had already planned to make three of the five projects included with the Colette book, so why not go the whole hog and make all of them, in the company of so many other lovely bloggers!
I didn’t make a toile for the skirt. I must admit I usually find it a waste of fabric. At my local fabric shop, the price of calico is often the same price as actual fabric, so being a tight northerner I naturally find it hard to splash out on something that I’m just supposed to chuck away afterwards. I often make what people call ‘a wearable muslin’ – which explains why I usually make two of each thing! (Incidentally, Elena wrote a post on the pros and cons of making muslins the other day – check it out here).
For my Meringue skirt I bought black suiting fabric with a herringbone weave which is 55% wool and 45% polyester, for a grand total of £3.99 per metre:
I wanted to make an absolutely basic, hard-wearing skirt. I didn’t add a waistband or lining. Having a waistband is not particularly important to me, and I always wear slips under my clothes so I didn’t feel the urge to line the skirt. It was a very quick and easy make, in fact the instructions are so detailed that at a glance it looks as though it will be really complicated! This is only because Sarai guides you through every step, leaving no room for confusion or doubt, which I think is fantastic for beginners, and for more experienced seamstresses, it allows you to make something perfectly.
And the verdict is… I love it! This skirt is one of the two patterns in the book I didn’t feel immediately drawn to, but I’m so, so glad I made it! It goes with all my tops. Mr Tweedie likes it too, although it wasn’t until six hours after he’d first seen me in it that he noticed the scalloped hem. He claimed that he had been looking ‘higher up’! 😉
The wrinkles are because I'm standing at a stupid angle!
Why not check out some other people’s finished Meringue skirts in the flickr ‘Sew Colette’ pool? I particularly love Ellie’s tweed version!
Next month: the Pastille dress!
UPDATE: Karen has just noticed that this same style of skirt in Topshop is selling for £38! Check it out!
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It looks great! I am loving it in black. I have some cotton twill that it would look great in…Hmm…
Thanks. I love your turquoise corduroy version too!
The skirt is luuuuuush, and those boots are *gorgeous*!
Ooh thank you my lovely! The boots were a Clothes Show purchase – my friend and I both bought a pair (we lived 100 miles away from each other so it was allowed!) x
Great skirt! After seeing how practical yet lovely this looks on you
I might just have to try it 🙂
Thanks Morgan! It is indeed practical, and because it’s plain black it goes with everything and can be dressed up or down. The scalloped hem gives it a bit more interest than your average plain black skirt though!
This is very lovely and will go with everything. The Meringue wasn’t one of the patterns I wanted to try from the Colette book but every version I’ve seen has been lovely, may have to change my plan! x
I think it’s worth a try. You don’t need much fabric and it’s quick and easy to make so there’s not much to lose really! 🙂
This is so nice! It’s really basic, but sweet. I really want to do this sewalong, but I just can’t see myself actually wearing it (I just don’t get around to wearing skirts), so I’ll just live vicariously through all of your cute creations!
Thank you! I hardly ever wear skirts either; I’m more of a dress girl. I have very few nice tops, which means I’m even less likely to wear a skirt- something which I’ve been trying to rectify over the past year or so by making more tops. I wasn’t convinced I’d like this skirt or wear it that much, but it goes with absolutely all of my tops apart from one that is navy blue! So you never know, making this skirt might just revolutionise your wardrobe!!!
I recognize those boots!!! The skirt is gorgeous – dammit you make me want to make things that I don’t have time to make!!! I might have a go, I seem to be better at managing my time now I have the little one…. who needs sleep anyway…
Heh heh, do you still have yours? I’d really recommend the Colette Sewing handbook! x
Yay!! That is one cute meringue! Brilliantly practical fabric too Well done. I’m lining it up in my queue too.
Can’t wait to see yours!
That skirt looks great Tabatha! I have the Colette Sewing handbook too but in all honesty, I must admit, I don’t think any of the styles are really me… but I am still tempted to have a go purely from how much I would learn as the book is so excellent. The tips on wardrobe planning especially
Thank you! You never know, once you’ve made something from the book you might fall in love with it! 🙂
I love the tweed, although I’m sort of wishing I had gone with something a bit more serviceable..ya know, like black herringbone that I could wear every day! Just need to convince myself that the scallops are actually working for me…
I think they look great, and I love the colour of your tweed! Mine is practical, but yours is so pretty!
Lovely. It looks great with the blouse.
Thanks Katy!
Looks stunning, I have to admit I’d kinda missed the potential of this pattern until I saw all the version popping up and it is very straight forward (although I’m having to complicate mine by lining it and adding a lapped zipper!)
I love the colour of your Jasmine too 🙂
I love that skirt. Nice job.