It is quite normal for me that I get behind my schedule and planned things remain UFOs for quite some time. And sometimes I am so surprised to finish projects in time, that I forget to blog about them, even though I announced them boastfully.
And today - tadaaa - voilà, my finished "Happy Belated Birthday To Myself" skirt. It's basically so belated, that it was finished one month after my birthday - 3 years ago. Frida Kahlo, the Mexican painter and her artwork, are pictured in this fabric. She lived from 1907 to 1954, and her birthday was, what a coincidence, on July 6th - exactly the day when my skirt was finished and worn for the first time out. But as tomorrow is my birthday, this is, once again, a birthday skirt.
For once I didn't want to make a simple pleated skirt, even though it would have been suitable for a folk art inspired fabric. But I didn't want a too bulk skirt, and then I found this pattern in my stash and thought it would look nice. It's a 1949 Simplicity pattern, 3033, it was still in fabric folds (exciting!) and it was quite easy to realise.
On my husband's advice I skipped the pockets. Today I wouldn't ask him, but back then I was still unsure weather it's yes or no to big pockets. Somehow I miss them, as I find myself all too often fiddling with the side seams in search of - obviously non-existing - pockets. Only trouble was - the construction of the waistband respectively the front pleats was somehow wrong. It was not possible at all to make it as described in the instruction sheet. I was wondering if I was too stupid to understand, if my English was not as good as I thought, if I just had misinterpreted something, but then I just realised that there certainly ARE patterns with errors or badly drawed, mismatching pieces. In the end, I just moved the front pleat folds and it worked.
There is also the pattern for the blouse included. I think the version with the huge collar would look nice made from a lightweight, white cotton fabric to be paired with the skirt.
I really love to wear this skirt, the colours are fantastic and great to add various solid tops. On these pictures I'm wearing a self made knit top. The pics are taken by my daughter.
Skirt pattern: Simplicity 3033 from 1949
Skirt fabric: Frida's Garden by Alexander Henry
Peasant top: self drafted, made from a cotton-spandex knit
Shoes: Moheda Toffeln from Sweden
Earrings: Splendette