This weeks Crafty Bloggers Club post is from Rhiannon, you can find more of her makes on Instagram @rhiannonbrum and on her blog morebluefabric.co.uk

Well these are strange times we find ourselves in, don’t you agree? The idea for my most recent Crafty Bloggers make came to me in those heady pre-isolation days earlier this year, when it felt like you couldn’t move for seeing midi-length a-line skirts on all the cool girls about town.

I love the way that they’re an effortless wear that at the same time makes everything - even a plain(ish!) white t-shirt - look that little bit more elevated than it might otherwise. Happily, my hankering for one of these skirts came at the same time as the arrival of some absolutely gorgeous ikat viscose into the Crafty Sew & So shop. A match made in heaven commenced! (Sadly, this fabric is now out of stock! Please shop our other viscoses for alternatives)

To make the skirt, I began with the a-line skirt from the My Handmade Wardrobe All the Cute Skirts pattern. When tracing it out, I extended the length by 20cm to move it from knee length to mid-calf. I then redrew the curve of the bottom of the skirt to account for the slight increase in width this created.

Additionally, I added a notch on to the skirt at the same length as the mini-skirt length. That way, I knew I would be able to create a slit in the skirt that would be the woosh I wanted (and, if I’m honest, needed) whilst also not risking me with any unfortunate modesty incidents!

The sewing up of the skirt was really straightforward; the instructions that the My Handmade Wardrobe team have created are lovely and clear, with lots of photos to guide you along. It’s also the sort of project that you can whip up in an afternoon if you fancied it, which would make it a great palate cleanser in among other projects.

When Freya and I were talking about making this project, I didn’t really have an idea about how much fabric it would need given the added length. To make sure I didn’t run out, Freya kindly sent me two metres of fabric and once I’d made the skirt to my surprise I had enough fabric left to make an Ogden cami. In other words, I’ve managed to get a gorgeous skirt, a super comfy vest top AND a fake dress all from one length of fabric. Ultimate capsule wardrobe goals here!

I love the look of the cami tucked into the skirt. It’s a more casual look than my usual dresses but still has enough structure to not look like a top tucked into a dress (if that makes sense?). Added plus points are that it has me summer ready without even realising it, and whilst we may all be looking at summer holidays at home this year, I think it’ll be just as good for sun-worshipping in the garden as it would on a Vietnamese beach.

Until next time, stay home, keep well, and keep sewing. 

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“Crafty Bloggers Club Contributors are given products and materials to test from Crafty Sew&So. We hope you enjoy their honest and impartial reviews of the products. All opinions are their own.”