A Cashmere Delphine Skirt

I'm powering through my to-sew queue with the help of Tilly and the Buttons patterns! After my Coco Sweatshirt, I traced off the Delphine Skirt from Tilly's book, Love at First Stitch and made it that weekend.

This is the third pattern I have made from the book, and the last in my queue. Based on my Mimi Blouse, Megan Dress, Coco, my measurements, and the finished garment size, I cut out a size 4. Should have made a 3, it has come out too large. 

The pattern was very straightforward, it is an amazing beginner skirt because all the shaping is at the side seams. No darts or pleats to slow you down. I left out the waistband because I have a short waist, and I wanted the top of the skirt to be at my natural waist. I added a lining so I just attached the main fabric to the lining. I did understitch, and top stitch them together, so there is a lot of reinforcement in this area. It was also a bit of a pain to unpick when I needed to pinch in at the side seam, but I did it (on one side, anyway).

The fabric is a cashmere/wool/mink blend that I got at the Knitting & Stitching Show last year. I got a meter of it, intending to make a skirt. It is lovely and soft and has some drape, but has enough body to show off the A line too. I am not sure if it is terribly durable, but it is lovely to wear.

I got the lining at the same time. While I love the colours and pattern, it is the most enormous pain to cut out. Thankfully, the pattern is geometric and actually follows straight lines. That gives me an outside chance of cutting on grain. I literally have to line up every circle with the selvedge and a quilting ruler, along both the warp and the weft, and tease every single circle into place. Thank goodness the pattern pieces fitted on to my cutting mat without me having to slide the mat around under the fabric.

I had a brown zip in my stash, so I used that instead of an invisible zip. I am pretty pleased with how it went in. Not too much wobbling about. I hemmed the skirt with some brown hemming lace that I bought in Canada a few years ago. I shortened the length because this colour is a bit tricky and I will always wear this with tights.

Costs:
Pattern: £4.50
Fabric, 1m: £12
Lining, 1m: £4
Zip, stash: £0
Hem lace: £0.79
Thread, stash: £0
Total: £21.39