Hi, my name is Lizzy from Handmade by Lizzy, and I’m sharing my version of the Tillery Skirt (aff link) from Blank Slate Patterns! This month’s theme is Gifts annnnnd I gifted this to myself. I’m giving myself a pass because it is my birthday month and as a beginner sewist, I still feel nervous to sew for others! Also, it was the perfect skirt to wear for Christmas while giving and opening gifts and sharing wonderful times with family. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
I was originally drawn to the ‘70s vibe of this skirt (I’m a ‘70s style girl at heart, mostly sewing from vintage patterns) but as I kept sewing, I fell in love with so much more!
I chose a floral corduroy fabric and brass snaps with a reddish tint to match the red flowers. I made no alterations whatsoever. Being 5’9’’, I usually add 2 inches of length to make sure that I’m covered, but I opted not to with this pattern because I knew I wanted it short and would wear it with tights and boots, which would provide enough coverage.
I also chose not to include the pockets or belt loops, which are beautiful details, but since I chose a busy print, I felt it would break up the large flowers too much. I plan to include all the details on my next solid version!
This pattern instilled a healthy dose of fear as I had never sewn flat-felled seams or installed snaps (it’s terrifying to insert holes into your garment in the last step; I was so nervous to ruin such a good thing!), but fear not, the instructions (with links to videos!) were clear and encouraging. I ended up using heavy duty snap pliers which made for beautiful snaps that I feel confident won’t fail on me while I’m out showing off this make. 🙂
Everything fell into place as this pattern is quality through and through, which is always evident when the inside of the garment looks just as good as the outside!
I look forward to sewing many more versions of this pattern, in the mini and also midi version (and mayyybe one for someone else)! I feel more confident having picked up a few more sewing skills, too. What a great feeling! What is the most recent sewing skill you have picked up? What makes have you gifted this holiday season? <3 Lizzy
Find Lizzy on Instagram!
