Miss Peggy Sings the Blues

Good evening, my dear ones! I've been sewing quite a bit this week, thanks in large part to the Olympics. I'm a big sports fan--save football, which I have Violent Feminist Quibbles with--so every two years my brain gleefully geeks out on all things nationalistic and sporting. I watch all the events, even curling. There is no sport too esoteric for my enjoyment. 

Best of all, however, is figure skating. It's the combination off all my beloved things: gorgeous costumes, lovely music, showmanship, and death-defying ice twirls. I love a good ice twirl.* My event of choice is Ice Dancing, but I follow them all with rapt attention. Conveniently, I now do this while sewing. It doesn't feel nearly so self-indulgent to spend two weeks straight watching television, when I'm making things at the same time. 

*Yes, an ice twirl. I know there are real names, but no matter how many times Johnny and Tara (whom I adore!) explain the differences, they all look like fantastic mid-air ice twirls to me. I'm a plebeian, obvs. 

This year, Olympic accompaniment was provided by the Peggy skirt pattern, from Bluegingerdoll Patterns. Peggy is, as you well know, one of my favorite patterns. I've made it twice previously, in a cheery polka dot and a cozy winter wool, both of which I wear all the damn time. The high-waisted A-line silhouette is simple, but works beautifully on my figure. It highlights my waist, skims my hips, and is comfy enough to allow seconds of cake. Obviously, I need more of these in my wardrobe!

For my first warm weather Peggy, I used this blue floral cotton sateen from Gertie's Etsy shop. She's now completely out of stock, but last summer she was regularly selling some of the loveliest cottons I've ever seen. Thanks to her, I now own lobster print voile and entirely too many lengths of pastel gingham. This floral, however, was my favorite of the bunch. I'm such a sucker for floral fabrics anyway, but a bright vintage chintz on a black background? Be still my heart.

Honestly, I can't believe that I only bought two yards of this fabric. In person, I probably would have talked myself into five, so that it could become a skirt and a dress. For a sateen, it has both a lovely drape and weight. If there were just a bit more, it would have made a fabulous Georgia dress, thanks to a hint of stretch. Luckily, it was enough for a Peggy!

As for construction, there's really not much story here. I did a more exhaustive review of this pattern with my initial version and it continues to be a quick, fun project. While the pocket construction was a bit mind-bending at first, it's super easy once you've figured it out. Other than that, it's a straight-forward skirt pattern. I serged all my inner seams, used a vintage white button for the back closure, and did a standard hand-picked zipper on the back. So simple!

The details...

Things I Loved:

• The fabric! As always, I'm all about the fabric and this floral is freaking gorgeous. If a Texas bluebonnet came to life, this is the skirt fabric it would choose. I am, basically, a human bluebonnet. You heard it here first. 
• The pattern! The Peggy really works for my figure. If you're a curvy hourglass or pear shape, it will probably work similarly well on you, my dear. 
• The pockets! This cute design detail never gets old. 

Things I Changed:

1. Did a traditional zip, instead of a lapped zip. 
2. Omitted the waist tabs, because they would've been lost in this print. 
3. Took a really deep hem - about five inches. 

Things I Would Change, If Made It Again:

• Not a thing!

Tips & Tricks:

• Trust Abby's instructions. The pocket pieces seem odd, since the bag is larger than the facing, but that's what makes it poof in an adorable manner. Match your notches and believe!

Notions & Fabric:

• 2 yards floral sateen - $14/yard
• 7 inch black zipper
• 1 vintage button
• Featherweight fusible interfacing

Incidentally, this skirt is unwittingly appropriate for a sewalong. The Sewcialists are hosting Blue February, which I didn't intend to participate in, because I never follow through on such vows. And yet...here we are. One week left of February and I've sewn a thing that is blue! The mind, it reels. Admittedly, half of my stash is blue, so the odds were good on this one. Even more impressive, I've actually hit two sewalongs. Abby of Bluegingerdoll suggested people sew a BGD pattern in a blue fabric for a Blue Blue February. I am so on point! Is anyone else sewing a blue piece this month?