This is one of those makes could surprise you…

Sinbad & Sailor O’Keeffe Skirt, front view. I’m standing in a typical coastal afternoon breeze, so it’s not sitting as hanging as straight as it would in the office (where onshore breezes are not such an issue).

This is the O’Keeffe Skirt by Sinbad & Sailor.

It wasn’t that I didn’t expect to like this skirt – but I was wary of the asymmetric pleats…

I think most of us are symmetrical people, we seek balance, proportion and order. I am a very visual person. I can procrastinate over a make, taking off trims, draping differently, trying another colour and so on (I’m guilty of this at the moment!). Things can annoy me when they are not ‘just so’. It’s the No.1 time waster in my sewing life.

Sinbad & Sailor O’Keefe Skirt. Front view, hand in pocket.

Turns out I actually love this skirt, it’s quirky, edgy but so incredibly wearable… oh and it has an enormous pocket under those pleats…

Sometimes we should let our little symmetrical mindset go… (note to self: this is very sensible advice and you should listen to yourself more often). Let yourself be surprised. Trust me it’s not that scary… (hang-gliding, rappel abseiling, caving, diving are all a little scary at the start I can tell you from experience… but so worth it) so walk on the wild side… clothing or sewing should not get you into a lather of asymmetric sweat and stop you trying something new…

So, let’s hold hands, sing kumbayah and get through this scary asymmetric stuff together… deep breath…

Sinbad & Sailor O’Keeffe Skirt, pleats detail – nice huh?

OK now we have smashed through that barrier, let’s just chat about the skirt.

I met Hannah of Sinbad & Sailor in London at a dinner (with rather a lot of alcohol I recall) organised by the gorgeous Clare of Sew Dixie Lou – (check out the pictures here). Hannah is just lovely and was wearing this skirt at the dinner (well not this one, that would have been impossible as the fabric was sitting in my stash at the time). She was still working on the pattern at that point. She did send me the pattern to proofread but I was having some explosion of work/life at the time post London trip and just could not get to it (my life in 2013 it seems). So it’s been sitting in my ‘MUST MAKE THIS NOW’ pile for quite a few months.

I worried about what fabric would work well with the pleats (more procrastinating). In the end I chose this heavy soft crepe from my stash. It’s perfect for this. I think the pleats need something with some drape but also some structure to sit nicely and not collapse or crease. I also think the solid colour compliments the pleats.

It’s super easy to put together, it is beautifully drafted and fits me perfectly. I made this in a couple of nights. No unpicking, no swearing, no long shifts at the machine – one of those nice little makes when you sing la la la and finish with a little mirror twirl.

The only thing I did slightly differently was run a row of basting stitches on the seamline of the waistband facing so I could turn it under exactly when I handstitched the waistband facing down – I suck at eyeballing allowances. Not rocket science but a simple trick to use when you have fabric that just does not hold a crease.

I used lining for the pocket lining – in black – simply because it was at the cutting table and I wanted to sew this NOW. You know that feeling!

The fabric is quite bulky (although a dream to sew, hello crepe where have you been all my life) and I wish I had of drafted a lining piece for the pocket bag as well so the pocket was a little lighter. You live and learn (and have an excuse to sew more – a blessing in disguise). And I should have lined it… *sigh* *smacks self* thanks heavens for slips…

The contrast pocket, my sewing machine tension is being naughty…

It’s got an invisible zip on the other side to the pocket… I love this feature because the skirt is lovely and smooth across my backside… after my last two shorts posts (1 & 2) I think we have had enough of my junk trunk for a while, yes?

Sinbad & Sailor O’Keeffe Skirt – side view. I’m rather impressed with myself on how neatly this zipper went in.

Now you may be in shock (not from the asymmetric business – we got over that ages ago) but there is no beach in my pictures! Shock, horror!

I’m standing beside a public artwork known as Folly by Rick Reynolds. I love public art, it’s often quirky and makes you stop & think. I particularly love public art that invites people to walk around them, touch them… and even play. It’s not just to be looked at – you engage with it.

My lovely home town is has some quite significant colonial history. It’s one of the oldest towns on mainland Australia – they used to send the really naughty convicts here. I know, steal a loaf of bread and get sent to Port Macquarie – hello?? has there ever been a better advert for crime??

This artwork reflects on some of our early colonial history. It’s by Rick Reynolds and is called Folly (ie garden feature). It’s name is a clever play on the original name of the area, Gillman’s Folly (an early lookout built by Major Gillman to spot approaching ships). Folly is the wooden shaft and stone grinding wheels of the mill which once stood on the site, built by Major AC Innes to grind wheat and corn.

It located by one of Port Macquarie’s most lovely lookouts called Windmill Hill… however the onshore breeze was just not playing nice so I retreated to the public art area which was more protected.

Onshore breeze and suddenly I’m Cousin It.

Would have loved to have hang around and taken some more shots, not our best pictures… but we were running out of afternoon and we had to take the dog for a surf… so we rushed home to get changed…

Sunday afternoon at Nobbys Beach, Port Macquarie

So go rock your world with a little bit of asymmetric pleating… freak out those sensible office people in their regular RTW clothing. You know you want to…

Pattern: O’Keeffe Skirt by Sinbad & Sailor, also available from this Australian online store www.stitch56.com
Top: some Victorian-style lacy number I’ve had for years. Love it, a bit old-worlde, a bit goth, a bit girly.
Stockings: Leona Edmiston (love her Pins line, I have a lot of stockings…)
Shoes: Diana Ferrari (this season)

If you live in the UK – try this triple crepe from Minerva Crafts with this pattern. I think it would be perfect and comes in a range of colours.