Ever heard of Scarlet Fever?! Well, I've got Skirt Fever...

Toile over, time for the real deal!

I can solely admit, hand on my heart and all that jazz that I have never made an outfit or item of clothing in my entire life! I made a handbag and wall hanging for my GCSE's in textiles and that's as far is it goes, think I  may have made a pillow in my first year at high school as well. Anyway, you get the picture, I can't sew and for the past however many months I've been avoiding it like Scarlet Fever if you like... Hence why I call it skirt fever because it does genuinely look like I'm being punished or in an immense amount of pain when I'm told too...

I do enjoy it, and it is very therapeutic, but not when you're overdue on your deadline and nervous as hell! Honest to god if I had ever wanted someone to appear out of lamp and grant me three wishes it's now.

Anyway, manufacturing the skirt has been pretty easy, it was making the tartan patterned fabric that was the difficult and time consuming part! each strip placed, pinned and sewn one by one, panel by panel! The results are well worth it in my eyes and you yourself shall see very shortly I just can not get over how much time it has taken.

Mastering the lining was tricky as in the end we had to label each pattern piece for the panels with letters and pair them all up, once sewn though it was easy.

Just placed the lining inside the skirt and attached them by pinning seam to seam and sewing around the base attaching them together.

There is a little more detail and precision to it, but you get the picture.

I've really enjoyed making my own garment I must admit, especially as the last few weeks have been pretty nail biting.

As for the skirt... Here is the process in a handful of photographs taken during the ride as they say.

These are just snaps from when the skirt was inside out and  being lined up on the manikin so that we could make sure it was as accurate as humanly possible! I also took a close up of the exposed zip which is placed along the back of the skirt down the centre. This was probably the most simple part of the entire manufacturing process, sewing the zip on!

 Lining the braces up with skirt so I was sure it would hold and also not look to out of place, my biggest nightmare is Sophie, my model, walking down the cat walk and the braces snagging off the skirt and just the whole think falling to the floor! But, they seemed to hold well and look pretty neat so fingers crossed!



And finally, the (almost) finished skirt. It's meant to look 'Grunge' and 'Vintage Punk' inspired by Vivienne Westwood which is where my idea for the unfinished edges came from. I also was inspired by Alexander McQueens highland rape collection so I stole the idea of the waste band falling lower than you would imagine for 'couture' after seeing his black trousers which exposed he very top of a woman's arse. Mine however relates to clothes always looking like they hang or are about to fall off models due to their obscenely slim frames.

Not bad for a first attempt, but I would be lying if I said I had done it all on my own. Had a little fairy godmother helping me along the way! I'd still only have scrap fabric and a design if I didn't!!!!