Briar + Tania Culottes = Signature Style

I think I have found my new "Signature Style" and I never knew I needed one!  For Project Sewn you are to choose your signature style this week.  I'm not sure I have one but I know when I love something I've made and this top plus these culottes are my new favorites.

The patterns are from the amazing independent pattern designer Megan Nielsen.  I have several of her patterns and they are all well worth owning.  I can't say how many of her Briar tees I've made but it is quite a few.  This one is made with a ponte knit.  The pattern on the fabric was pretty psychedelic so I used the underside as the right side.  If anyone hopes to use ponte on their pattern you may want to go up a size since it doesn't have much stretch.  

The Tania Culottes are ingenious.  It appears to be a skirt, but I tell you people it is NOT its hard to believe but there is a crotch (I know awful word) seam under there hidden by a pleat in the front and the back!!!  They are amazing I tell you!  They are super comfortable and I loved wearing them all day, even when carting the kiddos around.  These are made from thrifted rayon and a lapped zipper.  You can see the zipper here.  The pattern calls for an invisible zipper but I didn't have any and don't have an invisible zipper foot, hence the lapped zip.  

I really suggest, if you make these, that you will want to let the hem hang out for a few days before hemming.  The pieces are all cut on the bias (giving them amazing drape) but they get completely wonky after hanging and have to be evened out.  Not as big of a deal as it sounds, just requires some patience.  I had to trim quite a bit from the hem and I used the XL length hem with the Medium size pattern.  I read that others pinned the hem up while wearing the skirt, I couldn't get that method to work so I would eyeball it in the mirror and them pull it up and trim on my cutting table while still wearing them.  Just be patient with that part of the construction and you'll be fine.  I am sure to have a lot of these in my summer wardrobe as they are so comfortable and more flattering than a lot of shorts I own. 

Well there you have it.  If anything was close to my "Signature Style" I'd say this was it, comfortable, a step up from jeans and fun.