Wednesday 12 November 2014

Lotta Skirt by Compagnie M. - Part 1

I was delighted to have been chosen to pattern test for Marte of Compagnie M. for her newly released Lotta Skirt.

 
 
The Lotta skirt is an incredibly cute, very full skirt with a flat waistband and these lovely pockets. It's all about the pocket flaps with this one, and having a little peek of some special fabric, or some really sweet buttons to pin them down.
 
I'm hardly a seasoned professional when it comes to pattern testing, but I figure the rules are this: Use fabric that's to hand, follow the instructions to the letter (even if it's not how you'd choose to do things) and find every typographical or grammatical error that can be found. Then take a few pictures to demonstrate the fit and get the feedback submitted on time.
 
Of course, when it turns out that the pattern is lovely, that just leaves you wanting to sew another in some 1st choice fabric. I've no doubt I'll make this one over, and over, and over...
 
 
These fabrics might not have been my 1st choice but they were A's, and she was sticking with them. I think she would have liked everything to be aqua (Elsa influence I suspect), but I only had scraps left from P's Travel Quilt. The main skirt fabric is some blue chambray that was gifted to me via my mother in law. It was sewn together at the corners with ribbon and I suspect it may have been a decorative table cloth of some sort.
 
 
The sewing instructions were detailed and illustrated with clear photographs. There is extra detail for how to evenly and neatly gather the front and back skirts, some nice tips for hemming, and good instructions for the invisible zipper at the back. Marte refers to her website for more detailed zipper instructions.
 
As a tester the only notations I made in the sewing instructions were those to do with language and typos. It almost seemed a shame to point them out as there was a certain charm to the translated instructions with their occasional odd Belg-lish (that's my mash-up of Belgian and English) expression.
 
 
I didn't have the best of times with my invisible zipper. I don't have (or didn't last week anyway) an invisible zipper foot, so I did borrow a few Oliver + S tricks; namely ironing the zipper open and marking the top of the zipper and the top of the skirt to keep both sides level. I'm not very happy with the top part but it was getting to the point of ridiculous to do it over again.
 
The pattern also comes with very nicely written instructions for inserting buttonholes and buttonhole elastic into each side of the back waistband. Perfect for when you try the skirt on your little one, she does that weird belly out thing kids do when instructed to stand up straight, you think it fits, then she breathes out and runs off only to have the skirt fall down. Just do up the elastic one extra buttonhole. Sorted!
 
 

There's a pattern tour going on this week, check the Compagnie M. blog for the tour links and a discount code.

You know, the Lotta skirt comes in adult sizes too, and I may just have found time to make one for me as well.....

11 comments:

  1. Cute stuff.
    Brave you, pattern testing.

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    1. Thanks Nicole! This is only my second pattern test but I love the idea. Nothing bugs me more than a poorly written pattern or one with mistakes in it. More like brave pattern makers allowing nit picky me onto their testing team!
      It IS a really cute skirt.

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  2. okay, i'm really digging this skirt...which is making me crazy, because the last thing i need is another skirt pattern! it's super cute on A, and i love the simplicity of the fabric, it shows off your beautiful gathers!

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    1. You would make a beautiful Lotta skirt, I just know it! This is definitely a pattern for your style, and would suit your daughter perfectly.

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  3. Beautiful, and A looks gorgeous. My daughter is also a big fan of Elsa-blue these days. Manufacturers of pink clothing, toys etc are probably wondering why sales have dropped off.

    Those little pocket flaps are so cute! This skirt is quite similar to a Burda one that I've twice made for R and which is my favourite skirt pattern ever, so I'm with you in loving cleverly gathered skirts with pockets :)

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    1. Thanks Marisa, I'm definitely enjoying a holiday from the purple fever that has been the last six months (not that I humoured her much at all!).
      Gathered skirts with pockets are just too cute on kids. The skirt I'm missing at the moment is one with a straight hem for all the striped fabrics I've accumulated. I'm sure I'll find one in a Japanese sewing book if I look.

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  4. Super cute! I love the simplicity of the skirt and yet these extra details! I just bought myself a solid color fabric to make another Lotta for myself. The 3rd one! ;)

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    1. Thanks for the great pattern to test Marte. I have the horrors of patterned cotton for me (some bad maternity clothes sewing that still hurts), so I'm all for the solids, but I have a gorgeous big print navy floral to go with mustard pockets for another one for A. She may not like it, but I'll have to sew it anyway. In my head it's looking great!

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  5. Darling! And that top is perfection too!

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    1. Thanks Rachel. She took her job of pattern test modelling quite seriously. "now the back mummy, now the up arms, now the front again..."
      The top has been a real winner. It's a modified Flashback Skinny T from almost a year ago. I'll make another just the same when it's finally outgrown!

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  6. Cute skirt! But what really caught my eye was the shirt. I love the colors and those ruffles! Any tips if I wanted to make my little sleeve ruffles for my girl? :)

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