FO: Wiksten Tulip skirt 2

And with hours to go, she sneaks another FO through!

A Wiksten Tulip skirt in Liberty cord. (Forgive the photos today - it's been dark and rainy all day long!)

I actually completed this about a month ago, but it was a little big, so I needed to remove and resew the buttons (the thought of which was so boring it took me an age to get around to it).

And look: this time, I lined it!

As I mentioned the first time I made this skirt, the pattern is really well designed and is a joy to sew up. I made a S-M, and added a further 2" in length - I wanted the hem to hit just below mid-knee (so that's a total of 5" added to the pattern length!).

And I lined it with some lovely bemberg rayon from my stash. The pattern itself doesn't give instructions for lining, but it isn't too hard to work out. I simply made a second version of the skirt only (not the waistband or placket), hemmed it and basted it to the main skirt pieces. I then treated the skirt and lining as one for the rest of the process.

This pattern calls for a lot of hand finishing (which I don't mind - it gives a lovely finish), so the lining helped a bit with that (it's easier to anchor the stitches to, and makes for a v clean finish):

Oh, and if you decide to make a Wiksten Tulip, this guy is your friend:

beeswax

I remembered getting into a few tangles the first time around, so stocked up on some beeswax - it makes hand sewing much easier.

So why am I not modelling this skirt? Don't I just love it? Sadly, I just don't. I don't hate it - but I'm just not excited to wear it. The fabric is lovely - beautiful sage green, greys, blues and tan - with a good drape, and a nice thickness (it's a fine needlecord). And with the lining, it works well with tights. But I just think it looks a bit blah. I might think differently in the spring - who knows.

The sums:
1.5m Liberty needlecord: £18 (funded from a destash sale on eBay)
8 x vintage buttons: £1.60
Pattern, thread and lining: stash
Total: £19.60
~

Oh, and an update on the yellow scarf. Success - the blocking tamed the curly edging.

Hoorah! The colour is much more accurate in the befores - there was no hope of getting any decent photos today! The gentle blocking eased out the curl, but also gave the scarf a lovely drape - it's much floopier now. I didn't swatch before I knitted this, as gauge wasn't important, but if I use this yarn for a sweater, I'll definitely take the time to do so - it really looks quite different after swatching. The pattern itself is super easy - mostly stockinette, so it was getting a bit dull towards the end. Details on my Ravelry page.

The sums:
3 x Rowan Pure Wool DK in gold: £14.25
Pattern (22 Little Clouds): free on Ravelry
Total: £14.25

So there it is - the last FOs of 2012! I'll be back soon with my reflections on the year, and some thoughts about what I'd like to do in 2013. But until then, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you all for your support and comments through the year, and to wish you all a very happy and healthy 2013 - may it bring you much joy.

speak soon!
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