Deer and Doe | Brume Skirt
Introduction
I do rather love the French translation of yay, which is, "Youpi!" and I have all the YOUPI! feels for this skirt! The Brume Skirt, designed by the so-good-it-hurts French pattern company Deer and Doe, is that rarest of things: utterly chic secret pyjamas. I honestly feel like it's a little illicit to wear them; surely for a garment to look this good it has to be uncomfortable? But, sewists, I'm here to tell you, there is another way: The Brume Way.
This is an extremely elegant, pull-on knit skirt, with no closures or tricksie bits. It comes in two versions: A is an above the knee mini-skirt, and B is a mid-calf length.
As I've mentioned in previous Deer and Doe posts, their pattern names use weather words for their knits patterns and botanical words for their woven patterns. Brume means mist or fog.
Process and Progress
This beautiful bottom-weight ponte de Roma came from Blackbird Fabrics in Canada. It's a little hard to capture the colour, but it's just on the purple side of red. It's an unusual colour for me to choose, so I wanted to try it as a bottom before considering it for tops. The fabric handled like a dream.
I always rotary cut my knit fabrics, which makes it very easy, but it also played very nicely on my machines. This was a pre-coverstitch make; I zigzagged and overlocked the seams, and used decorative zig-zag stitching, but in future makes (and there will be future makes) I plan on using Charlotte Coverstitch.
I made Version B, the mid-calf-length version, which, to be honest, I wasn't sure that I would like on me. I decided, though, I could always shorten it if it wasn't me. But I fricken love the length! Teamed with some ankle high boots it feels both very demure and kick-ass (if that's not too much of a contradiction), a little like this moment from Peaky Blinders. So good.
Here's my attempt to recreate that look during Me Made May.
This is an economical sew, requiring just 1m for Version A and a 1.10m for Version B (150cm wide fabric), and you do get a lot of bang for buck because of the gorgeous design. (More on that below a series of photos of my arse! HEHE!)
Fit and Finish
I think this skirt has some of the most beautiful design lines, ever. Particularly from the back, it simultaneously reminds me of the design lines of a garter-belt, or art-deco architecture like the Chrysler Building; statuesque and old-world sexy. (Seriously, look at those lines!)
The length really adds to the era that it evokes and I'm really curious to see how it makes up and looks in the shorter length; I imagine it will alter the it to something more flirty and fun, and a little less old-world-elegance.
I decided to make a size 46—it's a little above my measurements, but I'm still working towards being able to fully embrace all my curves so I wanted a little extra ease. I could do with making the waist a little smaller, but at the moment I'm still just embracing the super-comfortable 'secret pyjamas' of it's current fit.
As it was pre-Charlotte Coverstitch days, I top-stitched with a zigzag stitch, which looks pretty cute, but I am excited about the more professional look of the coverstitch.
Final Word
I love this skirt; true to form, Deer and Doe have produced an excellently designed product. The instructions are clear to follow, supporting very clever construction. Deer and Doe rate it as a beginner pattern and I'd agree! If you have a couple of other knit patterns under your belt and are ready for a little challenge, then this is a good one to try! I have two more already planned: a shorter length black one and a deep grey one, length TBD.
This is such a satisfying make, and in different lengths and colours it is a pattern you can dress up or down with ease. Deer and Doe team it with their beautiful Mélilot Shirt, which I love (it's totally on my list), but I especially love teaming it with my two Ondée jumpers ... which reminds me, I must make more of those, too!
Note to Future Self for Future Makes
Take in the waist a little. Or be brave and drop a size, because curves are A-OKAY! It's my goal to make this from a woven substrate so I can extend the design possibilities. I'm now wondering aloud to you, dear reader, if the place to add an invisible zip is to the side of the front centre panel, with a small closure at that point in the waist line. Hmmm.
