I haven’t gotten around to sewing this week. I’m going crazy without it! I traced a really cool pattern, now I need to just cut it out and figure out how to do the funky sleeves (more on that hopefully next week).
In the mean time, I got an email from reader Natasha asking what to do with some special yardage she’s had stashed away for years. It’s a bright double-knit type fabric with polkadots. It’s got good drape, but also some structure to it and not a whole lot of stretch (from what I can tell from the pic).
I think for this type of knit, a peplum pencil skirt would be really neat. The peplum would have a little extra drape so you could make it a full circle peplum and the layers would fold on top of each other nicely. Depending upon how “sticky” the knit is, you may want to line the under part of the peplum so the two pieces don’t get stuck on each other. There’s a full skirt pattern from By Hand (I have it, it’s a really well designed pattern, but I can’t vouch for the pattern itself as I have yet to make it) or DIY your own using this tutorial from a pair and a spare.
Not to toot my own horn (but totally tooting my own horn), I think it’d look really cute as a box pleated skirt. I made a knit version of my DIY Kate Spade-Inspired skirt tutorial and I love how it swishes. I’d recommend going about 2-3 inches shorter on the proportion, though. Merrick just posted her own version of a box-pleat skirt tutorial as well.
Lastly, I’ve had my eye on one of the new patterns from the “Just Add Jeans” collection by Pattern Anthology. I love the casual Day Tripper top. The sleeve is just right and the tabs on the sleeves are a fun detail. Break up the bright polka dots with white or chambray colored knit on the hems and the tabs.
There you have it! So, I don’t intend to replace my sewing posts with these challenges, but that’s just how it worked out this week. If I get enough reader requests, I may make it more of a regular thing just on a different day. Contact me using the form above if you have a crafty project that has you stumped or some yardage that you want ideas for!
I’ve been drawing up all sorts of clothing plans the last week, it’s been fun to get my sewing brain working again! Hopefully I can sit down at the sewing machine this weekend and do something about the sketches I have piling up!
I’m over at 
