sheilaokelly

Another Donovan skirt – this time for winter – and a Wiksten top

I got this beautiful pure wool for €10 a metre in the sale at http://www.thefabricstore.com a while ago. It stayed beautiful even after I washed it on the woollen cycle. These are the Helen’s Closet Donovan skirt and Wiksten Shift top.
https://helensclosetpatterns.com/product/donovan-skirt-pdf-pattern/
https://shopwiksten.com/products/womens-modern-shift-dress-top-sewing-pattern

The Donovan skirt fits me straight from the pattern at size 22; and the Wiksten is easy to fit too. On the Wiksten I omitted the pockets and used a jersey binding on the neckline and sleeve hems. The pattern has a facing on the neckline, but I generally avoid facings unless they look well fully stitched down. I cut the back in two pieces to save fabric.
I managed to pattern match fairly well – sometimes these things just come together! I think the outfit probably looks best with the Wiksten tucked in.
These were two easy makes that will keep me cosy this winter.
The navy top is a linen LB Pullover from Paper Theory that I made a while ago.
https://papertheorypatterns.com/products/copy-of-lb-pullover-pdf-pattern

2 comments

  1. Hi Sheila – just made my first Donovan – in the hot, humid heat of Cairns it just feels so much more comfortable than a traditional waistband and zip. I’m now looking at the six gored Upton skirt. I love a gored skirt and I’m wondering if I could incorporate an elastic waistband into the Upton design – it has a curved waistband so I’m not too sure. Would appreciate your thoughts. Regards, Sandra

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  2. Hi Sandra, thanks for looking at my blog. I have the Upton pattern, but I haven’t made it yet. I wouldn’t think you could incorporate an elastic waistband unless you redrafted. You could add inches to each gore, making sure the final circumference was about 1″ bigger than your hips, or largest part. Then you could add a redrafted waistband and thread elastic through it. But if I wanted an elastic waist skirt, I would use a different pattern. You could also email Cashmerette and ask for advice. They are very helpful. Hope that helps. Sheila

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