The little muslin that could

My Colette Meringue muslin was almost not meant to be. Quite a few things went wrong while constructing the skirt, beginning with the fabric choice. You’re meant to use a very crisp fabric. I bought a very cute light polka-dot remnant fabric with quite a bit of drape. I was desperate to use it…NOW. So I figured I would experiment and use it as a muslin for the Meringue. If it didn’t turn out I would just be out five quid, nothing to cry over.

I began with grading the pattern a size up, adding two inches at the waist, using the pivot method Sarai mentions in the Colette Sewing Handbook. It worked great and got the right fit. Feeling confident that things were going my way I cut out some lining. I had quite the issue figuring out how to get that lining attached to the zipper, forgetting which way was right. Thank goodness for my little seam ripper. What a life saver! Once the lining was attached correctly I moved on to attached the waist facing and found that I had forgotten to grade it up. Luckily I had some spare fabric and was able to cut a new pair, attach and slip-stitch it to the skirt. Finally, I was getting somewhere.

Next up, scallops. I took my time making them. I really did not want them to look jagged and uneven. I cut a template and used it to draw the seam allowance along the scallops. Too bad by the time I was ready to sew them the chalk had rubbed off, so I suggest using carbon to mark the seam allowance instead. With the lines gone I really took the sewing slow but I got my pretty scallops!

When it came to the facing on the scallops I really really understood why a crisp fabric was needed. Even though the scallop facing was stitched at the seams it still fell. After the waist and lining issue I really was not in the mood to sew on the facing. But there’s this thing that comes over me when I start a project, I call it Sew Glow. With blinders intact nothing (hunger, a ringing phone, a chatting husband…sorry Babe!) takes away my attention from my project. Sat watching TV I slowly and carefully attached the facing. The fabric was such a nightmare to work with. It moved so easily. But finally I finished it.

So with all that time spent on the hem (a bit over an hour!) I don’t think I will choose a flimsy fabric again for the Meringue. For my final version I am going crisp and cotton all the way.