Third time (un)lucky: Burda 11/2012 #112

I wanted to title this post 'third time is a charm' but I've just had one of those weeks, sewing wise where nothing goes right!  I am just so exhausted from Toby still sleeping quite badly at night combined with being cooped up in an office for three long days each week that I've barely had any energy or desire to sew which is so unlike me.

I decided to make a third version of my current favourite A-line skirt pattern, Burda 11/2012 #112 from a rich red velveteen that I pulled from the stash recently when I was cleaning up the red shelf.  I'm hoping that we will start enjoying some cooler weather around these parts - the hot summer weather has been lingering far too long for my liking.  After making a green cotton drill version and a dark denim version with no dramas I thought I'd be able to sew this quickly - but no, what a painful journey it was to get this done!

Firstly I stitched up the side seams and centre front seams before doing the welt pockets.  Little mistake number one.  No big deal, it's still doable it just means there's more fabric to wrangle with.  And because I've made this skirt twice before I didn't bother doing a practice run of the welt pocket. How arrogant of me! Mistake number two.  After sewing on the welt strips properly I then went ahead and ruined it by sloppily snipping the welt pocket open - I cut the 'y' end past the stitching line so that when I pulled the strips through there was raw fabric and no saving it.

Time to walk away from the sewing room for a while!

The following night I tried again, unpicked the skirt, cut out a new front piece and sewed a perfect welt pocket.  Yippee, things are moving again. I powered through sewing the rest of the skirt and a lining and all was going well until I pressed the lining after sewing it to the invisible zip and this happened:

Big mistake! I forgot to turn down the iron after pressing the thick velveteen and immediately burnt the lining fabric.  Huge sigh...... This time I walked away from my sewing for a few days to regroup.

But happily I managed to finish sewing the remainder of the skirt with no major dramas, and I even remembered to sew the skirt with the nap of the fabric going downwards on all the skirt panels so at least that's something!

Maybe it's the universe telling me to try a different skirt pattern - three times is possibly enough.  I do love this skirt though, it's so comfortable, functional with its pockets and a flattering shape to boot.  I've worn this skirt with the black and white striped Burda top that I made for the green cotton drill version - funnily enough it turns out that the colours that go well with green go well with red too!

Now I really want to sew a long sleeved shirt in some beautiful Liberty cotton I picked up at the first Sydney sewists meet up last year but I'm too scared I'll stuff it up so maybe I'll do something a little easy first.

Speaking of a sewists meetup, have you all seen the photos of the gorgeous dresses and marvellous time the Melbourne ladies had at their SewcieTea, organised by Melanie of seamstress:poppykettle fame? Especially the gorgeous Liberty dress that Rachel at My Messings made and wore with a crinoline. Sydney ladies - I think we all need a special occasion to frock up as well!