Crazy Dog Lady Alder

 

My second #crazydogladysewing item, is this awesome Alder skirt (it's awesome because it's basically my ideal skirt pattern; elasticated waist, pockets, and hits just above the knee)

I want to blather about how amazing this is, but I have a steaming headache after spending several miserable hours tromping around town, so you'll be spared a good chunk of the blather.

 So, the Alder pattern (by Imagine Gnats), is awesome I've decided.

Pockets are a must in my world; whether it's snotty tissues (gross, I know, but allergies) or the fact that if I leave my desk at work I have to take my phone with me, or keeping my hands warm on chilly days, pockets are a requirement. I have plenty of skirts that are perfect apart from pockets, and most of the dresses I own are accessorised with cardigans that have pockets.

I cut the smaller pockets for this, because I'd seen a couple of versions on ladies with similar hips to mine, and figured that the big pockets would just make me look like I had even more ridiculous hips. Turns out even these are possibly a little bit gapey, but nothing that is too traumatic.

 

 Barring the cutting out, which took a couple of evenings due to exhaustion and the drama of having to use the floor as a cutting surface (just don't), this took me about a day (spread over the weekend) and was made while catching up with season 2 of Vikings (I want to be Lagertha when I grow up, I already have the armour).

It was a beautifully easy make (I always assume that everything will be horrifically difficult, partially because I'm a drama queen, and partially because I assume I'm way worse at this stuff than I am).

My main drama was the fact that I didn't really have enough navy thread. I ended up using a dark grey bobbin (which has ended up showing through slightly on some of  the top stitching) and on some of the inner stitching, I used the same dark grey thread on the top thread. It's thankfully come out ok, and even where you can see some of the grey, it doesn't actually look too bad.

 I think at this point I'd attached the waistband, but not put the elastic  in, and it hadn't been hemmed.

Putting the elastic in was a pain. I'd cut a size 18, and the pattern recommends 21 inches of elastic for that size. I trimmed it down to I think about 19, and it's still a little bit looser than I'd like (I was paranoid all day when I wore it). I think next time I might take a little bit out of the waistband, as it is a smidge too big on the waist (but not the hips, so I don't want to go down a size).

 How cute is the fabric? Seriously cute, that's how cute. It's Moda Here Boy, which I got from Plush Addict, and the solid is a Kona that they colour matched for me. I still have quite a lot of the doggy fabric left, so god knows what I'm going to do with it.

 See what I mean about basically the perfect length? It does make me stupidly happy. I wore it with black leggings and big stompy boots (safety requirement sadly) and it looked good.

I think next time I'll make it without the pleat, I'm not entirely sure I like it.

 Apologies for the mirror. It's normally shoved in a corner and doesn't get used, but this was the best way (barring workplace bathroom selfies) to get a decent shot.

 I did possibly question the sanity of making a skirt covered in dogs with "here boy" written on it, especially given my hyper-masculine lad culture workplace, but there were no rude comments (barring someone asking if I was wearing an apron?!) and I think it's cool (my definition of cool is a bit weird. I think science and literature jokes are cool).
I will be wearing it again (just like I will be wearing the scotties top again) and sod the lot of them if they think it's weird.