Peacock and Pleather Easter Outfit

Business first. I made this outfit for the Girl Charlee Easter Sewing Contest. Both of the fabrics I used came from their fabulous site. I assume the winner is by luck of the draw, so let's hope I'm lucky. Either way, I absolutely love this outfit.

The top is Simplicity 1613 and made up with this terrific peacock feathers fabric. I'd seen it before in a different colorway I wasn't too crazy about. This set of colors? Love it! 

Blue Eyes wanted to join in the picture taking fun

As for the pattern, I love that too...with modifications. When I say "modifications" I mean altering the pattern to fit my body and give me my desired level of coverage at the neckline. And by "desired level of coverage" I mean "not cut down to my navel." More or less. I'm pretty confident in my pattern drafting and alteration skills but I knew it would be a tall order to fix everything that needed fixing without a mockup. I will spare you that picture, but include the shot of a few of the pattern alterations I ended up with.

So many alterations, so little time

The result was well worth the effort. The neckline is now wearable and sufficiently modest. If I make again I'll choose a fabric with more stretch. 

Of course I examine my hem frequently. Don't you?

Now the skirt. Hehehe! I have been excited for this skirt for years. No joke. I've had the pattern, Vogue 8750, for at least two years. I've made it three times for other people, but never for myself. It was time. I decided to really spice it up with the fuchsia vegan leather. It's so fun!

Just loving on the skirt

The trick about this skirt is the topstitching. This fabric does not glide under the presser foot. At all. As I don't have a walking foot I had to be a bit more creative about how to get the topstitching done without the seams curling into oblivion. Add to that the curved seam on the side and the fact that once a needle goes through the fabric it leaves a hole and you've got a recipe for making me brag. I used strips of pattern tissue directly under the presser foot to help the fabric move along. I've also heard you can put tape on the bottom of the foot to achieve the same result but I haven't tried it.

Not perfect, but pretty darn close.  Brag. Brag, brag, brag.

I installed an invisible zipper (insert more bragging on account of the you-can-only-sew-it-once factor) and used leather glue for the hem. That's a new trick for me. I'll probably try it again in the future but I find I prefer to just hem things on the machine when I can.

I may not be wearing this outfit for Easter (we're watching General Conference instead, yay!) but it'll look great at church the next week and every other time I happen to wear either piece.