Deer&Doe has just released two new patterns, both designed for knits. Since I was lucky enough to be a pattern tester for both, you will hear soon about Ondée, the cute cropped sweater (that is perfect to go with my high-waisted skirts and dresses!). Today, I’ll show you my version of the Brume skirt 🙂
You might remember my first attempt at a knit pencil skirt, with the Mabel from Colette patterns, which had left me a bit disappointed: fabric wrinkles, visible underwear lines, a back pleat sticking out, it wasn’t really the classy skirt I was hoping for. So when Eléonore told me about the new pattern I had to test, I was very excited: look at these style lines! Unlike Mabel, which looks great on straighter figures, Brume is designed for hourglass and pear shapes, with lines that follow body curves without being too snug.
As there is a lot of difference between my waist and hips measurements, I traced the pattern from a size 36,5 at the waist to a size 40 at the bottom of the yoke. The modification of the yoke (I think one might say the FBA – Full Butt Adjustment) requires a bit of thinking and I’m not sure I could improvise it without the markings that Eléonore added to my tester version, so I’m crossing my fingers for some tutorials on the subject, especially since I feel like I might need an extra swayback adjustment.
In order to make this skirt, Eléonore insists on the importance of using a knit with at least 30% of stretch. Otherwise the skirt might bag, or just not be wearable at all… Well, I can vouch for this! It turns out my local store did not have a lot of options in terms of thicker knit fabric, so I got this black interlock jersey that seemed to fit the bill. Except that when I got home and measured it properly, it was far from having the recommended 30%! And once I cut the waistband, I realised my mistake: I couldn’t even put it on!
Following Eléonore’s advice, I threw away the waistband and cut a new one in a stretchier knit (the leftovers of my latest Moneta dress!).
The hack worked and I was able to finish the skirt, but I can feel that it does not stretch enough when I put it on. As you can see on the pictures: the serged seams are actually starting to open! Morale of the story: respect the stretch percentage!
Apart from this fabric issue, this first Brume ended up totally wearable. It’s crazy how the same skirt can look completely different depending of what you wear it with. On the pictures in the shop, I feel like Eléonore’s outfit has a very edgy feel, which suits her wonderfully but is not really my style. However, worn with heels, the same skirt looks super retro, and that is more my jam 🙂
Walking with this skirt is also kind of retro, as I have to say it does not have a back split or pleat and it does restrict walking a bit. Still, nothing uncomfortable, just slightly smaller steps. I want to make one from the final pattern now, in a fabric that would be more adapted. Probably the short version this time. I wonder if I have enough left from this floral fabric…
Brume Pencil Skirt
Brume – Deer&Doe
Size 36,5 – 40
Interlock from Jo Ann
Jersey Hancock Fabrics
Le jersey me fiche la trouille (bouh !) mais l’appât des explications limpides de Deer & Doe me fera peut-être changer d’avis… Ta version est vraiment classe et les découpes sont super belles/seyantes ! C’est ce que je préfère dans les patrons Deer & Doe, simples en apparence, leur netteté et leur exécution sont incroyables ! <3
Merci Marie ! C’est pareil, le jersey me fichait la trouille comme pas possible, mais depuis le Plantain j’en couds énormément, c’est tellement plus confortable à porter ! Mon truc c’est de passer autant de temps qu’il faut à tester les réglages de la machine (tension, longueur de point, etc) sur des chutes de tissu, jusqu’à ce que le point rende bien et ne gondole pas, surtout à l’aiguille double. Du bête essai-erreur, sans conséquence puisque sur des restes de tissu, et une fois que le point est bien réglé il n’y a plus vraiment de difficulté pour coudre le reste 🙂
First, I love those yellow walls! Second, this skirt is really cute on you – love the style lines – very flattering for us pear shapes 🙂 And thanks for sharing about the stretch issues – good to know it happens to other people too 😉
Thanks Sally! The walls are from this amazing library just next to where I live, it’s full of colorful walls and chairs and carpets and I’m starting to think that it is worth facing the shame of running into people while taking pictures if the result is so colorful 🙂
I’m definitely going to make this pattern again with the good amount of stretch now!
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