Delphine in vintage tweed.

5:20 pm

delphine 1

I am still enjoying my Wednesday evenings at college, not least because I get to chat with other fabric obsessed sewists, including our tutor who it seems has a massive fabric obsession. She was telling me the other week how she had bought boxes and boxes of vintage fabrics, and brought some in to show me. Oh My!! There were beautiful intricate laces that must've been from the early part of last century, rayons from the 1940's, gorgeous tweeds and most exciting of all some Utility fabrics, still with their Utility labels on. All Viyella and Dayella, and such good quality, the kind of fabric that just doesn't really show up in fabric shops these days. (Read more about Viyella and Dayella, and Utility marks here )

I fell in love with three of the fabrics particularly, (actually I had to stop looking because I LOVED everything! ) and asked if I could buy them. I bought 4 metres of black and white dogtooth check Dayella for a dress, 1.5 metres of gorgeous 1940's rayon for a blouse, and this beautiful wool tweed.

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There was just a metre, but a metre of the best quality tweed I have ever come across. I knew I wanted a skirt in it. The tweed is rather bulky so I wanted a very simple skirt. Delphine by Tilly Walnes came to mind after India recently made one.
I had got Tilly's book free with a magazine subscription and given it to India. The book is great for absolute beginners with some nice patterns. India enjoyed sewing up her Delphine, and I liked the exaggerated A line. The skirt has no darts, and a wide shaped waistband.

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The tweed was a joy to sew. I lined the skirt in simple polyester lining, but faced the waistband with the tweed. I had to really consider any extra bulk around the waistband, and forgoe my usual waistband finish of slip stitch, instead finishing the raw edge of the facing and stitching in the ditch from the right side to hold it in place.
I also attached the zip to the lining and the tweed, so the skirt is half lined/interlined.
Initially I turned a fairly deep hem, but hated it, way too bulky, (you can just see it in the photo on the hanger above).This morning after the morning school run,I whipped off the skirt and re did the hem by using my overlock stitch on my sewing machine to neaten the raw edge of the tweed and lining together, then turning a narrow 1cm hem and machine stitching in place, which worked much better.
Lots of rule breaking, but I LOVE this skirt!

I've had Ernest at home all week with chickenpox, He likes to help me with my photos for the blog.....

 delphine 2


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22 comments

  1. The skirt is gorgeous, I just love that tweed!

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    1. The tweed is so beautiful, I'm very lucky to have got it. x

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  2. Very chic and classy, love it! x

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  3. What an amazing chance to give a modern twist to a retro fabric. Lovely matching K xXx

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  4. Anonymous10:25 pm

    Ooh! Looks fantastic!

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  5. Beautiful skirt ... Cute, funny helper!! Hope he is feeling better soon, boy is he growing up x

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  6. Gorgeous skirt and a great autumn and winter staple. Can't wait to see you using the 40s rayon...what a great teacher to agree to part with some of her fabrics :)

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    1. I know! She is a lovely teacher. x

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  7. That shoe looks great on you, what a classy skirt and you can get so much wear from it. Why don't they make vyella any more, it's just what you want for winter, I loved it! Hope the chicken pox is nearly over. X

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    Replies
    1. Obviously big typo here, the shoe!!! Means skirt.

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    2. Ha ha! Yes I was confused!

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  8. Looks very similar to a skirt I made a couple weeks ago (as yet unblogged) - very cute!

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  9. That is a lovely skirt. You inspire me to use a piece of vintage tweed I have had for a few years. But what I am scared of is how to wash and prep it. Did you wash it as wool? Hope the chicken pox is all gone now

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  10. Classic but cool, a great make.

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