**Warning:  This post contains gratuitous use of exclamation points.  You have been warned.**

Here it is!  My first sewn item for the Colette Spring Palette Challenge 2011! 

I am so proud that I made this skirt!  I realize, as I’m looking at the pictures, that it isn’t particularly striking to look at, but I suppose that is the point.  The perfect basic grey wool skirt.

For some reason, darts are easy for me.  There are six darts in this skirt, and I sewed them up in a snap.  The waist band was a little trickier, but I am happy with how it came out.  I sewed the hem at 1.5″ and then trimmed the excess fabric on the inside.  I’m pretty sure that’s not how it’s supposed to be done, but for this, it worked fine. 

I sewed by hand the two hook and eye closures; I am happy with how that came out.  I basted around the zipper and then sewed by hand the fold of the fabric to the zipper.  It was a lot easier than trying to sew it in perfectly by machine and looks pretty sharp, if I do say so myself.  (Also as you can see, I left this unlined.  I have a half slip that works perfectly underneath this and didn’t want to fuss with a lining.)

So there it is!  I am so happy to have made this skirt.  I know that I will wear it a lot (I tried it on with all of my shirts last night, and it looks great with most of them!), and I made it myself.  I am awesome. 

Just a re-cap, here are the two items I have finished for this Challenge:

I can’t wait to get started on the next project!

So, what say you?  What have you been working on?  Please leave a note in the comments.  I would love to hear what you’ve been making.