Brumby the Third

Here's my third iteration of Megan Nielsen's Brumby Skirt. The first two were wearable muslins preparing for this fabric, which is Robert Kaufman Dots Indigo. I made the third version a bit more midi-length so that it would be more versatile for work.

I wore it Friday to work before Me-Made-May & down in the country at my father-in-law's house to kick off #mmmay16 the following Sunday.  I'm already hankering to wear it again, but holding off to give other me-mades some love.  Here's its debut, after a full day at work - pardon the rumple.

This picture shows a pretty good view of some of the topstitching, which I did with heavy white mercerized quilting thread.  I couldn't decided whether to use navy or white thread so did a couple of tests before settling on white, with the thick thread to top-stitch for a further accent. I didn't have any proper topstitching thread, but the mercerized cotton worked pretty well in a pinch.

I have really been enjoying taking extra time to add a bit more detail, now that I have the fitting worked out from the muslins.  I thought about an exposed zip detail too, but decided to go with a thick white mercerized thread for the zip instead - it is something a little different - a bit experimental.  I didn't want the finish for the waist band to be the same prominent white thread, though, so I slip-stitched it by hand inside with regular navy sewing thread.

I must confess, this was a slightly eccentric zipper installation. Once I finished the top-stitched zip, I liked the look but the fabric flaps were too far out from the teeth and I thought it would get messy with that much loose fabric once it was washed & worn a few times, so I went back in closer with regular navy thread and hand-picked the zip, as well.  I really enjoyed the process of hand picking.  I'm kind of strange in that I really enjoy some handwork and ironing. Here's an extreme close-up of the double row of stitching on the zipper.  I've already hand-picked another zip on another work-in-progress and I am pretty in-love with the method. I look forward to more practice and refinement in projects to come.

Not too much ekse to say about the construction of the Brumby after three makes.  I definitely like the pattern a great deal and am quite sure I will make it again, but not for a while.  It's time for some other projects. I realized this pattern in the fabric in which I had imagined it and am quite satisfied for now.

One thing that this project illuminated for me is that I want more chambray &/or denim in my life. I'll keep my eye out when thrifting & definitely on my next new fabric purchase, there will be more indigo!  Till then, it's stash-busting and getting reacquainted with old me-mades for #mmmay16. (I can't believe I'm really doing it this year!  Yay!)

Happy trails, till we stitch again...