It's been a while since I made myself a Maude Skirt. I do love this pattern so much; I can squeeze it out of a metre of fabric usually, it stitches together super quick, even with the pockets, and it's a flattering easy style.
I had made one up recently for a future issue of Love Sewing Magazine (you'll have to wait to see photos of that one.), and I was reminded how much I love making up this skirt, and also how I have wanted to make a denim one ever since the very talented Jayne had made a denim one when the pattern was still being tested.


Instead of having the usual side concealed zip, I opted for a centre back exposed metal zip, which I am really pleased with. And yes, lots of top stitching in contrast thread....always makes me nervous, but I'm actually pretty pleased with how it turned out, a bit wobbly in places, but nothing is ever perfect eh?

I can really see this skirt being a real wardrobe staple.


Want to try the Maude pattern for yourself ? Then head over to my Etsy store where you can buy the instantly downloadable PDF pattern for only £5, or wait until it is featured in Love Sewing Magazine and get it for free! ( Maude is only available in my Etsy store for a limited time, once it is published in Love Sewing it will be taken off sale for 3 months. )

I rarely make gifts these days, I'm a very selfish seamstress, and lately with teaching most weekends at Ministry of Craft, plus working on various other freelance projects and putting together a collection for college, there is not much time to sew for myself at all.
Despite that though, I made an exception for India's boyfriend, John. He is a stylish young man with very clear ideas about the kind of clothes he likes, (I realise my description of him makes me sound about 110 years old! ) as you can see from his blog.
He showed me a tote bag he liked and lost for ideas of what to buy him for his birthday a couple of weeks ago, I thought I would make him a bag very similar to the one he showed me.


I used denim recycled from some of Woody's old jeans, making use of some of the seams already in place, added an internal pocket with visible top stitching to the outside, a little denim inseam label and a kilt strap to fasten it.
I *think* I got the aesthetic right, of course John is far too polite to tell me if I haven't, but India assures me he likes it and is using it for University.
I don't usually enjoy this kind of sewing, but actually I really did! Very refreshing to work on something I wouldn't usually.

When I piled my most recent fabric purchases on the counter at Abakhan, my friend Mary was surprised to see a piece of denim in there. I don't do denim. I own one pair of jeans and I hate them. On that particular shopping trip though I had promised myself I would buy more solids, but couldn't find anything I really liked so took a look at the denim. This piece of heavy weight dark denim was just the right size for an Anemone skirt, and so I bought it, and I love it!

 

 

The denim was pre washed as soon as I got home, and came out of the machine with deep heavy creases, most of which pressed out, but some remain. I don't mind that, it adds just enough character.
I lined the skirt with the same green cotton I used last week to make my latest Maudella 5213 dress, added belt loops made from the frayed selvedge, and top stitched the hem with mustard coloured thread, which looking at closely today I wished I'd used my walking foot. Despite using a denim needle my machine has clearly had trouble going over the extra thickness at each seam and the stitches are not as even as I would like. No one will notice, but it will bug me.



This skirt will take me right through the coming autumn and winter, in fact today I wore it with tights and heeled brogues, although if the summer sun makes another appearance in the next few weeks I could wear it just as easily with sandals and bare legs.

Anemone by Deer and Doe is now easily my most favourite skirt pattern, it takes small amounts of fabric, stitches together easily and quickly and is super flattering and versatile. I do LOVE this pattern. The only criticism I'd make is that I am in the largest size, and although I am curvy, I am on the smaller side of curvy sizes. It seems a shame that anyone larger than me doesn't fit into the size range, especially since I think this design looks great on a curvy figure.

I had my usual faff and bother getting photos of this skirt. I took my self timed ones using the tripod, but weirdly my face is all blurry in those, and so Woody took some while we were out walking at Styal Mill gardens this morning. I thought this one might amuse you, it's my usual "just take the bloody photo" face!!