Pencils: A Study

A pencil.  A pencil skirt.  Most women love a good one.  Why? They go from night to day, have a sleek design and look, invoke images of authority, maturity (without being ancient), professional, sleek, and even sexy.  A good pencil can go so many different ways.

So today you have a study . . .a study of two pencils.  I had just bought the lovely By Hand London Charlotte pattern, and my Mom came out of her sewing room with a stack of patterns (I was visiting them on that trip a few weeks back).  I certainly wasn't going to tell her no, and even though I just ordered the Charlotte I'm all for trying out a couple of patterns before declaring unadulterated love for one.

Simplicity 9084 vs. Charlotte.

Simplicity 9084, printed in 1994.  Sewed by me, from a houndtooth wool blend I got when my Mom and I invaded the Mood of the South, AKA Mary Jos.

Ripple insisted on being in the side view.  

Yes, I have no shoes on.  I'm in my own house.  Judge later.

The lining, I added . . . leftover from the anniversary dress.  It works wonderfully with the subtle blue in the hounds-tooth wool.  For a pencil I think a lining is a must.  For obvious reasons, but in case you need a push . . . panty lines.  Linings hide panty lines, curves, and other things women work hard to obscure.  

 You saw this photo from the Archer shoot, after a full day of teaching.

And, yes, I've worn it twice already.  The waistband can get wonky, but a wide belt fixes that problem.  So the free skirt pattern from my Mom, win and win.  

Now, what did I do to the pattern . . . because I think I have noted before--if not I am now--I'm not a fan of Simplicity or of box patterns.  

I moved the seam allowance to 1/2 an inch, I really hate the 5/8ths seam allowance most commonly used.  Reduced the length from view A, the short length, by a whooping six inches (holy shit, did Simplicity design this thing for GIANTS?), and made this one in the size 18.  I hate pattern sizing.  In the store I am a 12.  Patterns . . . Gah.  My hips are coming in at a 47 this week, with my waist about 10 below that, but the chest is seven below the hips.  Like how I made you do math? 

And this pattern has ease built in.  A bit too much, so I took in the sides by deepening the darts by a quarter inch.  And the waist band . . . I merely doubled it's width to make it a wide one verses the skinny one drawn on the pattern.  

I do need to take the lining up another 1/4 inch, as if I move my legs just right it sticks out a hair.  I don't care too much, but . . . I should do that.  

For winter and late fall, I think this will look great with knee boots.  

Notice the vent.  Built in.  Love.  

Have you seen such a beauty of a lapped zipper? I doubt so.  And . . . gotta love my vintage, colored zippers.

Now: By Hand London's Charlotte 

Sewed with the leftover fishscale print I made Thurlows number two from and leftover lining from the anniversary dress.  

Your side view, and on the phone with my Momma (she called while I was talking photos).

Oh look, my ass.  Don't stare too closely. And I'm sorry these photos are dark.  When you try to capture dark grey fabric lighting and photo elves revolt.  I gave up and leave you with these.  

In the morning, in Spencos as I was on my way to walk Muttly and I am not dumb enough to walk her in heels, pumps, or "good" shoes.  And that shirt, from Banana Republic is now bye bye.  It was five years old, and this was its last wearing.  White .  .  . need I say more? My new archer is soooooo much better.  

So what I did . . . I shortened the skirt as A) I am five foot three, B) I was using scrap from the fish scale Thurlows, and C) wearable muslin.  This baby sews together, from cut to finish in less than three hours.  Less than three hours!  Including the lining I added . . . hot damn.  The Simplicity pattern is a two hour deal or so.  

All hail the sexy, invisible zipper.  Notice I had to piece together my waistband in the rear (read: using the most of the scrap fabric).  

In short, bad pun (I know), this bad boy does need a vent.  Next one gets a vent and the waistband should be a bit tighter.  Just a half inch or so.  And I might move it down two inches, as I think that would help the wrinkle when I walk issue.  

Oh wait I said "next one," and yes that means that I want another one of these bad boys.  In a nice black or charcoal wool.  I really think black wool with a peak of a hot pink lace trim would be stunning, sexy, and not really work appropriate, but hot as hell.  On work notes . . . yes, I have been making those basics as of late.  Like I keep saying, we all need them, use them, and wear them.  When you make something don't you want to wear it enough to be tired of it, get your time and money out of it, and know it was loved? I do.  And besides, I can make all the party dresses in the world but come Saturday morning or Monday morning I need articles for everyday wear that won't make me want to rip my hair out.  

So, one pencil is the basic rectangle lines.  The second, of By Hand London, is a sleek curvy line evoking Mad Men love.  Pencils are always a win, in my book, and I am certain to keep a few more of these around for variety.  Though, my fish scale one is the first one to be replaced . . . I just don't like that fabric, and it was a muslin after all.  So, October shopping: black wool for a Charolotte, one pair of Thurlows, and black jersey for two hoodies.  

In the meantime, I have silk, knit, flannel, linen, and denim to manhandle.  

And a freebie of the necklace . . . it was a gift years ago, and I still lurve it.