I’ve really been on a roll with knits lately, but when I saw this beautiful flannel I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make something a little bit out of the norm! I’ve always loved flannel, but have never been drawn to wearing button-up tops, so I’ve never been quite sure what to sew with flannel! A couple of years ago, before I really understood that your pattern has to dictate your fabric purchase, I picked up a yard or two of some really cool grey herringbone flannel with some little flicks of color throughout. In my mind, I bought it thinking it would make a cool Toaster Sweater… Until I realized that the Toaster Sweater calls for knits, and the flannel wasn’t going to cut it. It sat around on my shelf for a year or so while I wondered what in the world I would ever make with it! In early 2019, I had the opportunity to pattern test a fun pinafore / skirt for Nina Lee London, and it was finally a match! The skirt was great for a fun winter flannel.
While I’m still not a button-up girl, I was so excited to bring this flannel into my closet! I have used flannel with a couple of other patterns since I first sewed the Camden Skirt, but I felt like this was another perfect pairing. I pulled out my favorite pattern for flannel and got to work! This skirt calls for a lining, so I used up some of my fabric stash by pairing the flannel with a black woven remnant from a previous project.
This flannel is so lovely to wear. It is thick and plush, but not so thick that I had to wrestle with it to get it through my sewing machine. It is very soft, and I feel like I’ve just got a little blanket wrapped around my hips wearing this. The colors are perfect – black and white, but on the warmer side, and such a nice classic pairing. Between the plaid and the mini-skirt silhouette, I do get a little bit of a 90’s vibe with this skirt, but there’s nothing wrong with embracing that! I was feeling some Clueless vibes when I was figuring out what top to pair this with, but my husband later referenced some Britney Spears …Baby One More Time undertones. To be quite honest, I’m pretty much alright with any of that!
I’ve said it before, but pattern matching isn’t the most important end-game for me when I’m sewing. Sometimes, it matters, but often I’m okay with a little mismatch here or there. When it came to this skirt, though, I wanted to put in the effort in certain areas! The front skirt calls for a center seam. While I considered simply cutting the skirt on the fold, instead, I didn’t want to lose the integrity of the skirt’s shape, so I followed the directions and made sure that my plaid would line up across the front of the skirt. In a slightly more painstaking endeavor, I also made sure that my pockets aligned with the plaid of the main skirt – I wanted these awesome, giant pockets to be a bit of a surprise! I love the way it all turned out and I’m glad I took the little bit of extra effort here. It’s such a nice touch, and really helps to show off the great design of the fabric.
I’m thrilled with my new winter mini skirt! It was a grey and rainy day when I took these photos, but warm enough that I didn’t need to wear anything underneath. I loved the pairing of this cropped cable sweater with the skirt – I have this sweater in 2 colors, and have been ~this~ close to getting rid of both of them at least 5 times, but every year I’m glad to still have them in my closet for some reason or another! I’m also looking forward to pairing this skirt with black or grey tights and my black Nikko Top – another classic winter look.
This is maybe the most dressed up I’ve been in 2021 – thanks Raspberry Creek for getting me motivated! I also had the opportunity to show off these great earrings that were gifted to me by a local Texas clay polymer artist – ClayBae Creations! She has LOTS of great designs in her shop, and you can get 15% off using code “YAY15”! These cream loops were the perfect addition for this outfit.
Hubby’s birthday is next week – maybe we’ll attempt a little stay at home date night. If we do, I’ll have something perfect to wear for the occasion! What would you sew with this awesome snuggly flannel??
Skirt: handmade by me
Pattern: Nina Lee London – Camden Pinafore and Skirt
Fabric: Raspberry Creek Fabrics – Cream and Black Robert Kaufman Mammoth Plaid Flannel
Key Ingredients:
Brother XR9500PRW Sewing Machine
Brother 1034D Overlocker
Schmetz Jersey Ballpoint Needles
Dahle 36×48 Self-healing Cutting Mat
Heat & Bond Soft Stretch (Lite)
Thanks for reading my thoughts on this make! The fabric used for this post was generously provided to me by the team at Raspberry Creek Fabrics in exchange for a blog post about my experience working with this fabric; the pattern used here was originally sent to me for free as a pattern tester. The words and opinions expressed throughout this post are my own, as always. Links provided throughout this post may be affiliate links – if you choose to purchase any products through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. This simply helps me justify the costs of my sewing habit and the time it takes to share it with you!! Happy Sewing!
- XX Elizabeth
