I had a lovely little remnant of fine-wale corduroy in my stash, waiting for the right project. I bought it during my patternmaking course at Iam Patterns as a "souvenir" of my time there.
Of course, the idea was to use it, not turn it into a relic... When I saw the design of the lovely Caroline skirt by Atelier des premières, I wanted to get started and cut into that special remnant.
I was working on another, more complex project, and this simple make would give my brain a welcome break from all those demanding toiles 😊!
So let's get started: here is my Caroline skirt!
The pattern
What really made me fall for this pattern was Caroline's cut. It is slightly flared, with front and back panels and a high-waisted waistband, making it a simple yet very feminine design.
It can also be sewn in a wide range of woven fabrics with some structure: fine- or wide-wale corduroy, denim, gabardine, cotton twill... which makes this skirt pattern one you can use again and again.
It looks just as good with a light blouse as with a chunky winter jumper, depending on the fabric you choose. For me, Caroline is an excellent wardrobe staple.
Caroline is also suitable for beginners. It is ideal for anyone wanting to make their first skirt with an attached waistband and insert an invisible zip. The instruction booklet is well put together and illustrated, making construction straightforward. It takes half a day to sew: allow about 4 hours.
Caroline is available in sizes 34 to 50, corresponding to a waist measurement of 59 to 103cm and a hip measurement of 86 to 130cm. It is very true to size. I made a size 36 using the measurement chart, and the fit is perfect.
Caroline worn with the Marion T-shirt by l'Atelier des premières
Caroline worn with the Wanted T-shirt by Vanessa Pouzet
The supplies
As I mentioned above, you can use a wide range of fabrics to make the Caroline skirt. I recommend fine- or wide-wale corduroy for a skirt you can wear from autumn through to spring. You can also make it in denim for a lovely denim skirt. Cotton gabardine or cotton twill will even let you wear it all year round.
The only real requirement is to choose a fairly heavy fabric with good structure. Fluid fabrics such as viscose will not give a nice result.
To sew Caroline, you will need:
- For sizes 34-38: 60 cm of fabric with a width of 1m40
- For sizes 40-42: 80 cm of fabric with a width of 1m40
- For sizes 44-50: 1m of fabric with a width of 1m40
- A spool of good-quality matching thread
- An invisible zip measuring 20 or 22cm
- Some bias binding for those who would like to bind the inside seams
- Some cones of overlocker thread for those who would like to finish the edges with an overlocker.
The techniques
The Caroline skirt is a beginner-level project, so it involves only a few, very accessible techniques.
The techniques are:
- finishing the edges of the pieces
- attaching the waistband
- inserting the invisible zip
- hemming
The sewing experience
For my version, I chose my remnant of fine-wale corduroy, and I have no regrets at all. I love the look of the corduroy, the colour and how comfortable the skirt is to wear.
I find it quite versatile, as I can wear it with boots, heels...
As for the sewing itself, it was a delight between two more complex projects. Caroline is a quick little project that is very rewarding once sewn. A real pleasure from start to finish!
I already have a thousand ideas for adapting it... now I just need to find the time to put them into practice!
To sum up, I am won over by the Caroline skirt, and I already know I will sew more patterns by l'atelier des premières because:
- they fit well,
- are well drafted,
- are enjoyable to sew
- the instructions are clear.
After the Marion T-shirt and the Caroline skirt, I am tempted by the Myriam or Karima blouse... Which designs do you prefer?
