I wasn’t sure if the Tania Culottes could be winterized, but they can. THEY TOTALLY CAN.
And they look really good in the process!
I made these using a piece of fabric I’ve had in my stash for a few years… it looks like wool suiting, but it’s actually 85/15 linen and silk. The silk addition is nice because it means the fabric doesn’t wrinkle. I guess it would be more suitable (lolz) for summer wear, but summertime is not suit fabric time, regardless of fiber content, as far as I’m concerned.
Anyway, it’s a remnant from my local fabric store. It was pretty funny when I bought it, because the ladies at the register kept exclaiming, “WHAT is that? Where did you find that? Oh, it’s so amazing! And it’s so cheap!” and I’m all, “Back off bitches, I found it first.” I’d totally elbow someone over fabric, let’s just be honest.
Making these wasn’t much different than sewing them with cotton. There is no lining – I reckon I could’ve popped one in (there’s a short blurb at the end of the instructions on how to do this), but I didn’t have any lining on hand and this fabric isn’t very grabby like a wool tends to be. I did take in a bit extra at the side seams, since my first Tanias are slightly loose. I nipped in the side seams at 3/4″ and the waistband fit is perfect on these.
I was initially hesitant to make these up in this fabric, since it’s sorta drapey but it’s not sooo drapey like a rayon or a cotton voile would be (not to mention the fabric is much thicker), but I’m actually really happy with how the silhouette turned out. It’s so flippy and full!
I have a similar miniskirt (from American Eagle, oh lol) that I’ve been meaning to replace as it doesn’t fit right anymore… and this is a perfect replacement! The longer length means I can wear it to work, and the higher waistline means I can wear it with my cropped sweaters.
Not to mention, it’s essentially a pair of drapey shorts – so I can also wear this shit on my bike!
(O shit, I never realized how cool these tights are!)
The only blip I had with sewing these was the hemming… I couldn’t fit the bulk of the fabric under my rolled hem foot, and I will be DAMMED if I am going to sit and blindstitch all that yardage at the bottom. So I serged the edges and folded them under once with a quick topstitch. The fabric is so busy, you can’t really see the serging. And I finished my hem fast! Evening the hem out was also way easier, thanks to the stability of the fabric.
Doesn’t they look so good with my cropped Chuck? Ugh, I love this sweater so much, but the length makes it difficult to pair it up with just anything. These two, though – they are a match made in heaven.
I’m happy that I finally found a use for this stash fabric, and winterized one of my favorite summer patterns! Tanias year-round for everyone!
Oh, and check this out – my little photo companion for the day 🙂
This is Nimue, isn’t she the cutest little thing? She’s a corgi puppy – no, we didn’t adopt a pet (I wish! But I want cats. Moreeee catssssss), I was just watching her for the afternoon. She was very good, although she preferred cuddling up on the couch with me most of the time 🙂
LLADYBIRD 
Cute skirt and a cute puppy! Ah! so much for a monday morning 😉
They look great! And very fall appropriate
Cute! I love that you used a suiting fabric to make something fun and trendy!
YOUR NECKLACE, IT IS THE BEST
I’ve been obsessing over these culottes, and you’re only stoking the fire! I wouldn’t have thought to pair suiting-like fabric with this pattern, but yours turned out so nicely! Girl, you need a blindhemmer! Once you have one, you will want to hem everything, all the time.
Hahah I wish I had one of those – and a cover stitch machine! No monies for that kind of stuff right now, though. Maybe in the future 🙂
great use of a great pattern – i LOVE winter shorts. too bad it gets so much colder up here in NYC 🙂
Ooh, yeah, I can’t handle y’alls cold! Too cold!! 😀
I love Tania winterized! I’ve been having a hard time feeling like myself when getting dressed for a while, and now that it’s fall I realize it’s just because I am a cold weather dresser! Skirt/shorts like this fit the bill perfectly!
Me too! I hate cold weather, but I looove the clothes that come with it, so I just deal 🙂
I love my Tanias for sporty stuff (I’ve made two pairs for quidditch so far), but alas, I just can’t wear them casually. It’s a horrible irony too, really. The crotch is high enough that I can wear them without chafing… but because my thighs rub so badly, it eats the fabric in the middle, pushing it all to the back and ruining the skirt illusion. I just can’t win. Your winter pair looks lovely, though. At some point I’m going to finish my own red Chuck that I’ve been working on for what feels like aaaages.
This is great! I could imagine they might be better than a regular skirt for bike riding?
Better than a short skirt, yes. But beware the flippy – they can still show a lot of leg if you’re not careful 😉
Nice! Still love the sweater. Sweet puppy!
So great! I love the “winter-y” style of it, the combination with the red sweater – perfection!
i was sold on the wear this shit with bike part.
This whole outfit is a dream outfit for me- everything is just perfect. That sweater was made to be worn with the Tanias.
High five for the serge-fold-topstitch! It’s the best.
I’m considering buying a bike, and I’m realizing that I need bike-friendly, cute, comfy-but-not-lounge-y-or-hike-y clothes. So what you’re saying is, I should make these before I buy that bike, yes/yes?
Absolutely. You are gonna need them so you can look cute during test riding, obviously 😉
This is amazing. I simply adore your shorts/skirt. Especially with the red sweater. I’ve always been on the fence about the Tania culottes but this winterized version is just perfect. I want one. now!
I’ve only seen these shorts made in a drapey fabric (sew Lizzy recently sewed a pair) and my initial thinking would be the same as yours – that it wouldn’t work with somewhat stiff fabric, but it does! You’ve definitely winterized this pattern. It looks like a mini circle skirt, which it kind of is.
Love the culottes and the puppy! You look very cute!
Love. Love. Love.
But as someone else said…you live in “fake winter”! I live in MN, it’s ALREADY dipping to 30-35 in the morning! 🙂
But this pattern keeps popping up all over the sewing world and I am falling more and more in love with each iteration.
I think I’ll put it on my spring pattern wishlist
lol true, I’m not going to deny our fake winter 😛 I can’t handle below freezing (or even below 80* if we’re being real honest). On the flip side, I know a lot of cold-weather folks who can’t handle out crazy heat/humidity so I guess we’re even 🙂
I love these! I didn’t even think about a winter version of the culottes, but it makes sense and you look so great! Hopefully I’ll have enough wool left over to attempt these…
Ooooo, that is so cute! And I love silk blend fabric. It just adds so much to whatever the majority fabric content. Smooth, soft, yummy.
Yay! These look so great, I just tracked down a copy of this pattern after waffling over it forever, and I was wondering how they would look in a “winter” fabric. Nice!! 🙂
These are so cute! I think I kinda prefer these as a wintry version over tights, actually!
Ah yes, they do look nice as a winterized version. I just made a pair of culottes (here: http://gjeometry.com/2013/10/25/the-hunt-for-red-october-finds-an-innocent-bhl-polly-top-and-david-bowies-pants/ ) but mine seem a bit more dressy and for the warmer weather. I wonder if I used a wool, if I could ‘winterize’ them more.
Oh my, Chuck and Tania together are so perfect! Congrats!
I see, I really have to realise my Tania coulottes next week!! And I love the idea of winterise them since it will be around 50 degree fahrenheit next weekend… uh. Thick-tights-weather here in Europe!
Amazeballs! Love how this looks like s flirty circle skirt!!!
These shorts are super cute! The fabric does look like wool and drapes so well. And it looks so good worn with your sweater. I think my daughter needs a pair 🙂
PUPPYYYY!!!! These are some great looking culottes! Just attempted a pair in mustard yellow linen, but they were oh so scratchy and bulky that I just made it into a skirt – boooo 😦
Luv the necklace as well!
I just bought this pattern, mostly because it’s my little sisters name (!) but also because we are heading into summer. It’s awesome to see a winter version too….and I totally go all elbows out mode at the fabric store, look out! 😀
Hey I knew I liked you for a reason 🙂 I was thinking about getting winter on herringbone stylee with this pattern and now I know it can only be a good thing. It gets pretty nippy along the Brighton seafront so these will be just the thing. Also that dog is bat shit cute xxx
I know the review is on the skirt, but I can’t stop admiring your Chuck 🙂
Awesome on so many levels! And the puppy is the icing on the cake!
They are totally fab, I just bought myself the pattern and I know I won’t be able to wait until summer to make them! I’m looking for winter appropriate fabric now 🙂
So last week you convinced me Anna could be a fall dress, and now it’s Tanias for winter! My pattern wish list grows longer and longer . . .
oh my! those are pretty damned darling! I must admit when I hear culottes, I got leary mostly because my mother and father used to use that term inappropriately all the time (i.e. my dad called capri pants, yoga pants and really anything that wasn’t a short or a jean a culotte.). BUT THESE ARE SO CUTE! I love the idea that I could basically sit like a dude in them…I mean I do that anyway, but this way I wouldn’t flash vag.
Love your culottes! So functional! I also love your chuck! I just finished my chuck! Check it out! http://seamstressfromvenus.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/finished-project-green-chuck-sweater/
These are so awesome!! I love wintery Tania’s – and yes, they look freaking awesome with your cropped sweater!
i’ve yet to make my summer mn culottes, but now i kind of want to skip them and make winter ones first instead…! yours look great on you, esp with that sweater!
Wha? These are so awesome! And the puppy is sooooo cute.
It turned out great! I love the fabric and the other items you styled it with!
Those culottes are beautiful. Good job. I’ve now added that pattern to my wish list . . . and I don’t even wear shorts or ride a bike . . .
These are great! I really must get that pattern.
These are superb! Silk/linen sounds amazing. These are absolutely beautiful, and perfect with Chuck too. Love them!