Hollyburn and A Sew-Along!

After a particularly crazy week I'm very excited to be able to share this with you today, as I've had to keep it a secret for what feels like AGES. So, with no further ado, my Hollyburn skirt...

I was a pattern tester for the newest Sewaholic pattern; the Hollyburn skirt. I've been a pattern tester before, for the Minoru and Thurlow patterns, and was very excited to be one again. (In these photos, my skirt is worn with my Chiffon Pendrell).

If I'm entirely honest, when I first saw the line drawing for the Hollyburn pattern and read the description I was not very enthusiastic about the skirt. But then I cut out the pattern pieces and I noticed that it is infact three different skirts; each one a different amount of full-ness, to be optimally flattering, not just one skirt with different lengths.

I made the shortest length, in a size 10 with absolutely no alterations. I didn't do any measuring other than checking how long the different lengths would be on me (approximately), and at one point in the construction I second guessed myself got a bit worried that not measuring had been a mistake and the waist would be too small. However I've made so many sewaholic patterns and I've made a size 10 in every one and had to make minimal alterations, and the same was true for this one.

The shortest length, and thus fullest-flare is a bit less than a 1/2 circle skirt when you lay out all the pieces around, which was great, as at the time I was actually already planning on drafting myself a half circle skirt, and Tasia has saved me the effort!



The fabric I used is some very narrowly striped grey and black wool, the I bought at Rathdowne Remnants. I also added a lining to my version (which isn't in the pattern) as wool can be a bit scratchy against my skin, and more importantly it stops it from sticking to tights as I walk. Of course, being me, the lining wasn't black or grey, it was bright turquoise! (Blame the girls at Social Sewing for that one! Particularly Kat)

Once I finished the skirt I was completely convinced; this is a fantastic pattern! I'm really glad that doing the pattern testing 'forced' me to try this pattern as it has great potential to become a wardrobe staple. I was in great need of finding a pattern for a simple skirt to wear with various blouses/tops that isn't a pencil skirt, and I think this might be it!

The pattern is geared towards beginner sewers - the instructions were very clear, and the steps very simple. I really do think this will be a fantastic pattern for beginners and more advanced sewers alike. It's a simple design which I think would get plenty of wear by anybody that makes it, but the construction steps are simple enough for even a very beginner. Moreover, as the only part you really have to fit is the waistband, so there's no pesky fitting issues to worry about.

In even more exciting news, I am so much of a convert on this skirt that I've decided to host a sew-along for the pattern!! (My very first sewalong too! Eek!)

My lovely wool version is less use now that we're well and truly into Melbourne Summer, so I need to make (at least) another one, and thought why not make it a sew-along, to share my enthusiasm for this pattern.

Is anybody else interested?

I am planning on starting the sew-along mid-Jan, to give everyone time to recover from the Christmas and New Year madness, and also time for people to buy patterns etc. I shall post more about my plans for the sew-along (and ask for any requests/suggestions/feedback) later this week, but in the meantime, if you're interested you should order your patterns! They're available direct from Sewaholic already, and if you're in Australia I recommend getting it from SewSquirrel, who has them available.

Missed any of the sew-along posts, or just want to re-read them? You can find the full list here.