Back in March, a skirt of mine split whilst I was cycling home. So embarrassing! Also, gutting. I loved this little cord skirt that I’d bought in the sale from Jaeger. I decided that I’d trace the skirt and make another one. It only took me nine months!
The original skirt – torn!
Eventually, I saw Roobeedoo in her Simplicity 5351 make, using gorgeous mustard cord from Our Patterned Hand. I knew I’d found my fabric and ordered a metre.
I set to, tracing the original skirt. It wasn’t difficult, although this apparently simple skirt required six pieces…
This was, in part, because the skirt hem is faced and there’s a button band going on:
There’s a dart on the back skirt and a hip pleat on the front skirt:
I’m wearing the skirt with one of my Sorbetto tops, made in printed silk bought for £3 a metre from Classic Textiles in Goldhawk Road a long time ago now. That shop is great for cheap silks. The cardigan is vintage, bought off Ebay ages ago. (Top tip: never, EVER take your vintage beaded cardigan to the dry cleaners. This is the voice of experience speaking!)
Yep, I’m really pleased with this skirt. What about you? Have you ever traced a shop-bought item? The good news with such a faithful reinterpretation is that you have a really good idea of what the final make will look like. And even at £15.50 a metre, this skirt is still a lot cheaper than the original bought in a sale! I won’t be cycling in this version, though…
I remember reading about your cycling mishap! Your new skirt looks great and i love corduroy. I’ve traced/measured and copied several bought items in the past and they turned out well. One was a maternity pinafore – i made quite a few of them and i used corduroy!
Cool. I have unpicked old favs and remade new ones a few times. It’s a sure way to get a good fit. I’m glad you’ve mentioned cycling in a skirt again. Yesterday I was thinking about this very thing because you and a couple of other bloggers have mentioned ‘cycling skirts’. I’ve recently started cycling after a 10yr break and have been wondering what you mean by a skirt suitable for cycling? I only wear shorts or 3/4 pants. Would love to wear a skirt.
Ha! The Holy Grail of female cyclists. Sometimes, I just want to cycle to work wearing the skirt I’ll wear during the day. (I’m a slow cyclist, and don’t work up much of a sweat!) It needs to be loose enough for your legs to rotate but not too long and flowy, or it will get caught in the chain. Too short and slim-fitting and, as happened with this one, it got caught over the back of my seat and trapped me!
Lol. Sounds like the skirt I had on today. I’m going to give it a try tomorrow morning in the courtyard. Here’s hoping. It would be so nice to feel like a lady and a cyclist all in one.
Skirt No 1 was not too long but perhaps a bit too flowy, it blew right up over my chest to protect me from the strong winds. Thank God I was only In the courtyard. Mark II a cute little number with a front split that enabled anyone who’d be interested to look right up there… I had vain imaginations of causing an accident from unwanted attention of heads hanging out car windows to look back at me. Then, perfection, a rear split which gave me moving room but also adequate protection from the wind and eyes. Adding more cycling skirts to wish list.
I have a perfectly fitting RTW summer dress that I bought years ago (pre-sewing) – cheapie one from Tesco or somewhere but I have been wanting to trace it. Did you unpick the seams of your skirt or just trace the sewn up skirt carefully? I would be interested to know how you traced.
Rub-off technique: you place the garment over a piece of paper, pin it down and make pin holes along all the seam lines.
That’s a great idea. I used to unpick my garment. Thank you
Nice skirt! Yea I’ve trace knit stuff (when it’s new, before it gets re-shaped from multiple rides in the washing machine). I’ve copied underoos (tute here) and tops/ t-shirts using the rub off technique (reviewed here). David Coffin’s youtube videos are pretty good for doing the same with wovens.
The colour is amazing! I remember your lament when the original tried to tie you to your bike… This is such a wonderful colour, it seems to glow!
Oh well done! And now you know why Jaeger charges a lot for a simple-looking skirt – it’s not simple at all! I don’t have anything RTW I want to copy but I would love to try doing this – maybe the next time I need a pair of jeans…. eek! I haven’t worn my golden skirt yet. I must gather my courage and extra-thick tights
Such a nice rich color and beautiful skirt! Love the placement of the buttons. Someday I’ll learn to copy garments, as of right now I am barely able to follow a pattern lol.
This is so cute! I love it!
very pretty! I love that you remade it from a borken garment although it is always sad when much loved garments break. I thought that when I started sewing I would remake a couple of my dresses but I have not done so yet. Maybe next year.
wow, your tracing came out amazing… i was patteing myself on the back for tracing some leggings. i now see that is kindergarten tracing…
Love the mustard color. Actually I love the whole outfit!
Super cute skirt. Love the mustard cord. Well done!
I remember you splitting that skirt! Lovely replacement and a gorgeous wee outfit overall. I have indeed traced a couple of things – it’s a great way top keep wearing the clothes you love. Oh sew brixton does a wardrobe cloning workshop which is great value for money http://ohsewbrixton.co.uk
I didn’t expect my readers to remember that incident, and I’m so touched that several have!
I love doing rub-offs! They are fabulous! A very stellar book for this can be found here:
Patternmaking for a Perfect Fit: Using the Rub-off Technique to Re-create and Redesign Your Favorite Fashions
Your skirt is positively delightful! I love the color! Gah! And its sooooooo cute on you – perfect fit! Fabulous rub-off!
Ooh, I love the colour of your skirt. It’s fabulous and coordinates so well with your silk Sorbetto.
Well, this was certainly worth taking your time with Karen! It’s totally cute and the gorgeous colour means you can wear it with so many things!!! Can I ask…did you take it completely apart and trace it? I have a number of shop-bought things I’d love to replicate…but without taking them apart and that often proves challenging…
No. This is such a simple silhouette that I just took measurements and redrew. But look at the comments above – Sunni & Perfect Nose have good tips for something called “rub off”!
Oooh, thanks Karen!
Gorgeous colour! The skirt looks fabulous. I love how it has a faced hem – it’s a detail I always admire but never think to use for some reason…
Perfect timing! For the first time yesterday evening I traced out a new top I’ve bought. The top is only from Zara and not expensive but the it’s stretch fabric and the fit is perfect and the cut flattering…. We’ll see how I go in recreating my own.
Thanks for posting!
Ps love your blog!
Gorgeous skirt! I love the colour. Mustard is my favourite colour for winter.
I love your new skirt! The colour is so bright and fun. I want to trace out my old leather jacket – it is my one coat that is actually flattering. I still wear it sometimes so I am hesitant to pull it apart. I would have to use the rub off method.
I love a good cord skirt and now that your replacement fits you so well, all is good in life. Mustard is a great winter colour. Nice work.
I remember reading about your split skirt too! The same day, I was in a book shop perusing the Threads sewing book, and saw the page with how to mend the same type of tear!
Your new skirt is gorgeous, the colour and cut. It goes beautifully with your Sorbetto, which is gorgeous too!
That’s so you – great colour, too!
Love the skirt! Love the whole outfit really, and especially that cardigan, I LURVE that one
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That’s a wonderfully warm colour combo to cheer you through the chilly weather. And you make it look so effortless.
When a favorite garment bites the dust — too ripped to mend, too faded to wear out in public anymore — I tend to cut it in half (symmetrical garments only) and unpick or cut apart the seams of one half, leaving the other half intact for a construction details reference. I see a divided skirt or two in your future, for cycling safety.
I literally JUST finished a copy of a shirt for my husband yesterday, and I’ve got one more planned with fabric he picked out from Mood on our last trip to NYC. It went so well that I’m planning on copying another sweatshirt he has that is wearing out. Hopefully in time for Christmas.
Love the skirt!!
The whole look is great. I love a good corduroy skirt, and this one has a really interesting design.
I love the skirt. You should make more! And that top looks so perfect with it.
I suspected that was a Sorbetto. Feels strange that I can name the clothes and know the herstory of someone living on the other side of the world?
I love this outfit! I’ve kept several shop-bought pieces of clothing but never managed to actually trace the pattern. Your skirt has inspired me to get cracking with those projects!
I’m being so slow at keeping up with my reader, but I had to stop in and say I love this skirt! I’m so glad you took the time to make a pattern and find the perfect fabric.
So cute! thanks for sharing.
that’s a gorgeous colour! so nice!
I just finished copying an H&M dress I’ve had for years… It was one of those lucky finds that fit me well and wasn’t too short. A very simple navy dress with buttons down the back of the bodice, a pleated skirt and five tiny darts along the neckline. I just took the whole thing apart and remade it in a navy and white cotton, and it worked out perfectly!
This is fabulous! Great color. I love rubbing off a store bought garment. One of my favorite ways to sew.