With the release of our very first collection of sewing patterns, we thought it only fitting to host a little sewalong for the beginner pattern: the Charlotte Skirt. And let's face it, we'd quite like to squeeze out another version or two in time for Christmas! Keep reading for all you need to know to get involved...

So, a sewalong... excellent! When does it start? And long will it last? 

The first post will be going up next Monday 12th November and we'll be done by the end of the month, leaving December free to concentrate on the holidays and the many millions of handmade presents we've all committed to...! We'll be publishing two posts per week, with six posts altogether. The sixth post will be a bit of a Charlotte Skirt party, a sew-and-tell showcasing all of your wonderous creations!

Cutting it a little fine, no? What if I can't get everything prepared by next Monday??

We realise that it's all a little short notice... but we really wanted to get this sewalong up and done by the end of November as we are aware that not many of you (us included!) will have any time for personal makes during December. Please rest assured that the Charlotte Skirt is a quick and easy project, easily do-able in less than a day, so spreading it out over a three week period will give you plenty of time to catch up if you can't start on Monday, or to skip ahead if you're feeling confident. Of course, you don't even have to get involved in the sewalong right now - the sewalong posts will be up on the blog forever for you to come back to as and when you feel like it. However, if you want to be included in the sew-and-tell you will have to be finished on time!

How will the posts be broken down?

• Post #1: choosing your size, tracing and cutting, altering the pattern for a full hip adjustment (FHA).
• Post #2: assembling the skirt - darts, side seams, zipper, back seam. Here we will also show you how to alter the side seams for a more fitted, wiggle silhouette.
• Post #3: peplums & ruffles!
• Post #4: attaching the waistband.
• Post #5: hemming.
• Post #6: Sew-and-Tell!

Count me in! What's my checklist?

• A Charlotte Skirt pattern.
• Fabric. We've recommended medium weight woven fabrics with a teensy bit of stretch. Things like wool, flannel, denim, velveteen and brocades are best. Check the pattern specifics for how much fabric to buy according to which variation you'd like to make. Make sure you pre-wash your fabric before cutting! There is nothing worse than making a beautiful garment that you want to wear all the time, only to discover that it shrank after the first wash. Ugh. Been there. Never again. Pre-wash!!
• An invisible zipper to match (or contrast!) your fabric, 11" long.
• An invisible zipper foot for your sewing machine. This will make your life a lot easier. A worthwhile investment if you don't already own one.
• A hook & eye/snaps/buttons etc to fasten your waistband. We will be covering the various fastening options in detail.
• A spool of matching thread. It's a good idea to buy this at the same time as buying your fabric (or keep a swatch with you) to make sure you get a good colour match.
• Various dressmaking supplies: a sewing machine, fabric scissors/rotary cutter, paper scissors, tracing paper, pens & pencils, pins, a hand sewing needle, a tape measure, tailor's chalk, an iron.

If you'd like to officially sign up for the Charlotte Skirt Sewalong, just leave us a comment below with the name of your blog (if you have one), Flickr, Facebook, Pinterest or wherever you'll be documenting your progress or posting pictures of your finished skirt so we can see what you're all up to! You can also grab the Charlotte Skirt Sewalong badge - simply save the image below onto your computer and attach the following link to the image in your blog layout. Clicking on it will swiftly take you to all the sewalong posts, and help spread the word!!

http://byhandlondon.com/topics/charlotte-skirt-sewalong/

See you Monday!!