Loving Linen for Spring…

I’ve really fallen hard for linen lately. It started with the Samara pants (blogged here), and just snowballed from there- and I can tell you (with no shame!) that I now have 12 yards of the stuff sitting on my front porch, waiting for me to get home from work and throw it into the washer (never, ever skip the pre-wash step when it comes to linen-it shrinks!), and then onto the cutting table.

Since it’s my new “pet fabric” (fabric is so much less work as a “pet” than a new puppy- tell THAT to your significant other when they complain about the stash!), it was the first thing on my mind when I saw the tester call for the Twig and Tale Meadow skirt.

My last Twig and Tale project was quite a while ago (see these coats I made last spring!), but they always inspire me with their casual, free spirited aesthetic and beautiful finishes and details, and I knew the Meadow skirt would be no exception. I sourced some 100% linen slub fabric in this beautiful Ikat print from JoAnns, and got to work.

The Meadow skirt comes in a variety of lengths (and even a girls’ version!), but I chose the below the knee length, shortened by a couple inches, to acommodate the fabric I had purchased (the only downside to linen is that it tends to come in 45″ widths, rather than the 60″ that’s more common for knits and rayons).

I usually tend toward a longer maxi length skirt, but this fabric had a bit of “heft” to it, and I didn’t want to feel weighted down in the summer months, so I went for a length that would be cooling without risking a picnic-related wardrobe malfunction.

Why didn’t I cut it at midi length? Well, I find, personally, that I can’t have skirts end at mid-calf…they either need to be significantly shorter, or go all the way to the ground, due to my personal body proportions. This is a sewing situation where the middle ground is NOT my best bet.

I used to think this proportional issue was unique to my body, but as I’ve talked to more and more women about inseam length versus overall height, it’s become clear that I’m not alone! Specifically, my calves are the shortest part of my legs, and actually are where most of my overall body height is truncated (my torso and hip to knee ratio are more like that of a 5’5″ woman, whereas my calves are the length of a much shorter person!). This means that skirts (or pants) that end mid-calf serve to empahize my short legs, whereas a longer length (or a much shorter one) tends to obscure the issue.

I think this is one of the best parts of sewing- getting to know the unique shape of one’s body and making clothes that highlight it, rather than having limited “off-the-rack” options that don’t flatter, and, in my case, are designed for a much, much taller model.

The Meadow skirt also has options for a pleated, gathered or button down front, and I chose the pleated option, not wanting to waste my opportunity to sigh with satisfaction over the beautiful way that linen presses- it’s almost a crime to waste that crispness on gathers! The button down front was added very late in the testing process, so I wasn’t able to sew a sample for release, but I love it as well, and might try it in a maxi length with a lighter weight fabric.

A few of my favorite details on this skirt are the deep pockets. and the flat front/back elastic waist design. The stretch in the back saves you from needing to install a zipper, while maintaining a clean look at the front of the skirt, and the ties are able to be tied in the front or the back, depending on your preference (I prefer the back, so it covers up the elastic). I think my bow-tying skills are improving, don’t you?

Since some of you commented that you enjoyed the video of the Samara pants, I took one of this pattern as well, so you can see how it moves and wears.

This fabric was an end of the bolt special, and I have a little less than a yard left- which I think would be put to great use as a little cami, for a faux jumpsuit look!

While we took these photos the kids enjoyed frolicking in the woods- these warmer days have us all wanting to spend as much time as possible soaking up the sunshine and exploring the wonders of how nature is transforming the landscape with each new season!

Grab the pattern on sale HERE for a couple more hours! Girls version is here (and I can’t resist all those adorable little testers- so adorable! I’m still working on Sophia- she insists leggings is the only way to go..) and bundle is HERE

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2 Comments

  1. Randi on June 18, 2019 at 9:51 am

    Very pretty! Love the bow in back, although I would probably wear in front. (Personal preference and body type) I haven’t seen with linen, but your examples are encouraging me to. I just got back into wearing skirts for warm weather comfort and need to make a couple.

  2. Randi on June 18, 2019 at 9:52 am

    As you probably deciphered, I meant to say “sewn with linen”, instead of “seen with linen” above! Autocorrect! Ha.

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