Koi Mini Moss

Moss selecting Liberty for Scout

With many thanks for Jen at Grainline's Thanksgiving Give Thanks pattern sale, and enabled by every blogger who's made the Moss, Archer or Scout before me….  - I've finally jumped onto the Grainline wagon with both feet and hands ;) I've added the Scout & Moss to my repertoire, while Archer & the Maritime shorts are waiting impatiently in the sewing queue ;)

I made a distressed green denim version of the Moss Mini first and when it all came together easily, I moved onto a pattern matching koi ;)

The green denim missed being photographed for the #Sewcialists Grunge Sewalong ;)

Both fabrics, the Japanese cotton drill and green denim are from Spotlight. The denim wasn't distressed until it met my spin cycle during pre washing….  I used a metre for each with scraps of other cottons as facings.

SENSIBLE POCKET FACINGS!!!! It looks much neater from the outside ;)

I cut a straight size 10 for my 75cm (30") waist & 95cm hipbones, but left >1 inch seam allowances, just incase… (old habits never really leave) ;)

The now very curved centre back seams - they work when on, really!

My main adjustment was removing 4cm at the upper back yoke edge and tapering it down over 25cm (into most of the centre back seam) to cater for my sway back - Funkbunny took a great shot of it in Clegs!

Look Ma - no gaping!!! - Sway back adjusted wonderfully

• Other additions included interfacing the bias pockets along their seam lines to minimise stretch - I left them as drafted with hand room and they're working well! I agree with 'everyone' as well about the simple brilliance of having pocket facings that extend to the centre front seams!
• I also added 4cm in length (I'm 165cm, 5'5) and considered adding the bottom hem, but am embracing the spirit of the coy barelegged mini ;)

I'm really happy with how it's turned out and it's on high rotation in my wardrobe now that we can (finally) stop wearing tights in what wasn't spring, as it looks like summer might have finally arrived.
I started following the video tutorial on inserting the fly, but found the written instructions worked for me.

• My thoughts on the pattern - it's well thought out and flattering to so many bloggers who've made it before me. The shorter length for winter with tights will be a wardrobe staple.
• No front darts!
• Proper sized pockets that have facings that don't flap about! 
• The yoked back makes for simple and subtle sway back adjusting - yay!!!!
• The fly worked!! And there's the great online tutorial.
• I'm new to .pdf taping (I'm a print at copy shop & trace kind of girl - yes, I traced these…) and tried glue sticking for the first time - MUCH easier!!!!

• Less helpfully, the 'check' square for correct printing size does go over two pages - not helpful and seems reasonably simple to fix?
• I removed around an inch from each side of the centre-back yoke, around 2 inches at the waist, yet the drafted waistband fit…. The short waistband as printed, has been commented on by other bloggers.
• I used lightweight cottons as waistband facing (I interfaced the outer main fabric waistband) and pockets (facing and lining). I can't imagine my machine easily sewing over that many layers of heavy cotton or denim if I'd used main fabric for them. - and besides… I got to use dachshund printed cottons inside my waistband which is always a desirable 'reasonable adjustment'! ;)

and, like other indie companies, the seam allowances are 1/2 inch - I've recently added an adjustable magnet guide to my sewing machine that makes it super easy to line up different seam allowances, phew!

Great fly (vintage metal zip), & centre seam pattern matching WIN!