And now for something completely different

Last night, I got some uninterrupted sewing time and I have to say I'm making good progress on the curve collar shirt. That collar is on, it's just sleeves and finishing now. I'm not sure how well I've been doing on documenting important instruction details for any of you who may want to make something similar but we'll have to see about that in another post.

Now, I want to show you the project I sneaked in before starting on the shirt.

Short half circle skirt? No. Culottes. Seriously.

If I had ever made a list of weird items of clothing which are unloved by a vast majority of people to try and make work for me, I'd almost be through with it by now. Shorts? Check. Jumpsuit? Check. Culottes?? And.... check.

Do you know other candidates for that little list? Anything I forgot? I guess I should get to it ;)

The thing is, I had the basic idea for very flared culottes at the back of my head for a year or so.

The fabric has been in my stash for at least as long. Once more, bought very cheaply on one of those everything-must-go crazy sales at the market where I found it among mountains of nasty polyesther. It's largely wool and has a rugged sort of texture. I've liked it all along but I knew it would look frumpy in any kind of 'normal' garment. Go for short or for a strange pattern, it seemed to say.

Last December, when I decided not to use this fabric for a wide skirt, the two finally came together.

I still didn't start drafting the pattern until the last week of Januari. And by then, I had added another element to the mix.

While looking through those vintage Marion magazines, what jumped out to me from the pages of those from 1952/53, where the pockets. Endless variations of cleverly drafted pockets. Not just your normal scoop, slash and patch pockets but also hybrids of those and versions decorated with band and flaps of all different kinds.

I didn't copy the pockets for these culottes from any specific 1950's design, but it was certainly inspired by seeing these (and I may make that dress with the pockets in the detail picture. Those are great, although I can't get my head around how they must be constructed)

Because these are culottes, they feel quite a bit more safe than any skirt this wide and short ever could. I think I could ride a bicycle in these (which, being a Dutch girl, is major priority for me).

Look: I can move without any trouble!

And twirl without indecent exposure!

I'll have to wait and see how well I can actually make these work in my wardrobe, but I think I reached my goal in making a pair of culottes which, at least to me, are fun.