Remember back in March/April when Colette announced they were releasing knit patterns? I squealed with joy. I was looking for an excuse to play with knits more. This is partly out of a desire to build a more functional wardrobe, but also so that I could practice using my serger for something other than finishing seams.
When the patterns came out, I was a little… underwhelmed, especially since I dropped $50 for the pre-packaged order of Mabel, Moneta, and the new book. Mabel just seemed so simple (that’s the main reason I went with version 3, since it looked more interesting). Silly me. I should have known that Mabel would quickly become a favorite.
The Basics:
Pattern: Colette Mabel, version 3.
Fabric: Approximately 1 yd. of leftover grey mid-weight mystery knit from the stash.
Alterations: Added 1″ length
Notions: Thread. I did have to spring for a twin needle since I didn’t have one on hand.
Make it again?: Definitely. I’d love to make another version for work in the near future.
Favorite parts: Comfort and how quickly I was able to finish it.
Other thoughts: A bit of back story for Mabel. I started working on this last Tuesday. I was at a weird mid-point with some of my other projects and costumes. I needed to make a store run for more supplies, but it was the end of the month and I didn’t want to spend money on more stuff until payday. Still, I had a creative itch and wanted make something. I dug around in my stash and found this fabric leftover from my first set of Lilith leggings. It took some clever folding and cutting, but I managed to cut this in a large (perfectly matched up with my measurements) and add an extra inch of length.
The overall construction of this skirt is ridiculously simple. So much so that I kept referring to the instructions thinking that I had missed a vital step. The only time I deviated from the instructions was in the construction of the waistband. I don’t have quite enough space to work with my serger and my sewing machine at the same time, so I nixed the stitch in the ditch and just serged all of it together at once. Yay laziness.
Mabel took 2 1-hour sessions to complete. I did the cutting and the bulk of the construction on Tuesday evening and then finished the kick pleat and the hem on Thursday after picking up a twin needle. My original plan was just to hem it with a zig-zag stitch, but I’m glad I picked up the twin needle. It’s a great technique to know for mimicking RTW clothes!
I really like Mable. She’s super comfy, versatile, and a perfect length to wear to work! I’ve worn her twice so far (once casually and once to work) and will probably keep her in my regular rotation over the summer. I just hope I love Moneta this much!
Have you made Mabel or Moneta yet?
The Geeky Seamstress 
I always like to find patterns that make comfy work clothes! Your skirt is ace.
Thank you! 🙂