Project 2: The Cat Skirt

Do you all remember Miu Miu stunning Spring 2010 collection made up of crazy prints? If not, here is an example (see right).

On the same outfit one can observe cats, birds and a naked woman. The whole thing is looking quite classy though. Or maybe kind of preppy. The prints are mixed with a great sense of humour combined to a subtle taste. If you want to see more of this gorgeous collection, you can go there.

I don't pretend that I wanted to design something Miu Miu like. But that inspiration gave me the courage to use this lovely print that I fell in love with, and to build from it a playful skirt. The result is definitely youthful, and that's my idea of the perfectly easy-to-wear skirt.

The pattern was from Burda. I learned how to gather fabric and how to sew a zipper (however that was before I discover the invisible zipper's magic). It was also my first invisible hem: that project gave me the opportunity to discover many techniques (and the hem is for sure something that I don't enjoy doing...)!

At the end I wear that skirt very often, but I wish I had picked a stricter shape to contrast with the childish print. A little bit more in the Miu Miu spirit I guess....

Project 1: The Skirt of Liberty

For my first sewing project, I picked what I thought would be the simplest thing to do: a wrap-over skirt which included neither buttonhole, neither zipper. However I quickly realised that the shape was a little bit tricky: I had to run very long and curvy seams, while I was still not able to sew proper straight lines with my brand new sewing machine. So at the end it took me a while, but with patience and determination, I managed to do something that doesn't look too crooked.

The print though was my true inspiration for that model, and it commanded the choice of a skirt pattern. I found indeed the most amazing cotton Liberty fabric wandering among the stalls at Marché Saint-Pierre in Paris. I thought that a navy blue background would be a change, so I went for this colorful print. In order to personalise the design, I assembled two buttons on each side of the skirt: they are purely decorative (the skirt is hold by snaps) but they give a vintage feel to the look. And they allow me to combine more easily a black top or golden accessories with the skirt.

The Liberty prints are definitely to be ranked among my favorite prints. To find out more about that fashion reference, you can go there: the blog of Liberty of London is filled with lovely pictures and design ideas.