Ruffled Skirt

You'll never believe where I found the inspiration for this skirt......drumroll, please....Pinterest! Yeah, seems to be where I get a lot of ideas these days. I saw this skirt, which was pinned from this Etsy shop. She makes gorgeous skirts there, but I was not going to be paying $75+ for one. Being crafty can be sort of annoying sometimes. You see something you love, and you tell yourself 'I could make that!' and a lot of times, you never do. But I really loved this skirt and had to make it. I found just the right a-line skirt pattern and used that as a springboard. I had been saving this awesome herringbone-style fabric for just the right project, and I found some blue corduroy to go with it. The ruffles are about a zillion miles of hemmed and pleated strips. Let me tell you, $75 is a good price for the time put in making all the pleats! For the top layer, I used the same skirt pattern, but redrafted the front for the tulip shape. The buttons are these awesome vintage mother-of-pearl numbers with a little bit of carving on them. I added a side-lap zipper on the left side, which was a modern day feat of engineering since the corduroy later and the ruffled layer are sewn in such a way to be self facing...clear as mud?! I just made the thing up as I went along, basically. I really love how it turned out and if it weren't for all the darn pleats I would crank out another one right away. Maybe next time I'll be smart enough to take pictures before I get the skirt all creased up. Sheesh!

Skirt From Outgrown Jeans

This is one of those projects that hasn't been getting much use. I like how it turned out, and my daughter said she loves it but never ever wears it. I just hacked the legs off a pair of outgrown jeans and sewed the ruffles on the bottom. The fabric is Michael Miller princess castles, and you get bonus points if you spot my signature notion...

Bandana Skirt

I made this skirt a really long time ago, but it was too long. Now it finally fits! I had the bandana from my Grandma Heppner's stash, and the waist band is from an old t-shirt. As you can see, it turned out super twirly!

Bubble Skirt

I recently bought some stencils to play around with. I had a leftover chunk of cotton/spandex blend that I used. It was really fun to play around with, and so far the paint is holding up nicely. It is Martha Stewart multi-surface craft paint. The skirt is just a basic bubble skirt, but I did manage to add a little yellow rick rack between the skirt and waistband. Bonus points for added rick rack! 

Kasia Skirt From Burda Style

About a month ago, I finished my version of the Kasia skirt from Burda Style. I have been wanting to try this free pattern for a while. I am happy with the results, but getting there wasn't so fun. Actually, I have since picked apart the side seams to take them in. I made a size up, figuring I could take it in if needed. I took it in almost an inch on each side and it is still too loose, thus the reason I have it ripped apart. While I love the look of the pattern, the directions could use some help. I have tried a few Burda patterns and I am not sure if it is a translation thing, or what, but they confuse the heck out of me! I would like to make this skirt again, but change the construction methods to make it easier. A unique feature of this skirt is the zipper, hidden behind the front panel. The printed fabric is Michael Miller and I also used that to make self-covered buttons. The gray is broadcloth which I wouldn't recommend because it is a bit thin, and wrinkles too easily.

Skirt McCalls 5523

I went to JoAnns a few weeks ago and saw this wool-blend tweed (?) that I just loved. It is a deep plum-y purple. I don't normally buy fabric without a pattern in mind, but this time I made an exception. I decided to use McCalls 5523 to sew up a skirt. The pattern has 4 different options for the lower back panel, included pleats, ruffles and flounces. I made the option for the 'shaped lower flounce.' I am very happy with how it turned out. I will be making this pattern again, with a few adjustments. First, seems to run small (even by following the measurements on the envelope) and fortunately I had cut a size up just in case. I also want to try the different back options, as I think the flounce isn't all that noticeable. However, that might be the fabric I used.

The Three Eggs, Sunny Side Up Skirt

Someone passed along a cute dress for my daughter, but it was too small for her. I almost put it in the thrift store bag, but decided instead to do a little up-cycling. I chopped off the skirt, gathered it and made a waistband. Voila! New skirt. I will say that after seeing the construction of this store bought dress, I am not impressed. The hem is just a serged raw edge. Scandalous! I think I will stick to sewing my own.

The Skirt That Does Not Love Me Back

I love this skirt. Alas, it does not love me back. This is the second time I made this pattern, and I **thought** I had a nice idea of what I would do better. Ha! I added a bit to give it a little more ease in the back, or at least I thought I did. In all honesty, I have no idea what happened. Somehow the same skirt, from the same pattern, turned out not to fit me and I really don't know where I went wrong. I am going to keep it around in hopes that it will work out. The fabric is from the fabulous yard sale we hit a few summers ago. A lady was selling boxes of brand new curtains that she had from her job. (She would photograph them for catalogs) She was selling them really cheap (like a buck or two each). This one is a purplish color...hard to describe and even harder to photograph realistically. It is a nice sturdy weight. The top of the curtain had a whole row of wooden toggle buttons that I cut off and saved for another project. The skirt buttons are vintage shell buttons from the stash that my Grandma and Aunt Phylis so generously gave me last spring. Seriously, I have such an obsession with buttons I could plan whole projects around them! I think a project like this is in my future.

Skirt Simplicity 2451

Here is a skirt I made to try out the pattern. I am happy with the way it turned out, although I will change a few things next time. I have to say, sizing of patterns drives me nuts!! So inconsistent!!! Glad I got that off my chest. This skirt ran a little small and I had to tweak a few seams. Overall, I am happy with it. I used vintage buttons from Grandma's resale shop (the awesome-est...both the Grandma and the resale shop!) The fabric was again, a nice quilter's cotton from the clearance sections: $2/yard! I am planning on making this again soon.

Wherein I Post Really Crummy Photos of a Really Cute Skirt

(Pardon the pictures: getting her to stand still sometimes is like trying to herd cats)

Dad donated a few shirts to the cause recently, and I was able to eek out both a jumper and a skirt out of one of them. For the skirt, I used the suiting fabric I mentioned in the previous post. The bottom band is cut on the bias, from the shirt, so that the stripes are situated diagonally.

(jumper pictures to come, if I ever figure out what to do in lieu of buttons)

One Yard Wonder Skirt, Take Two

Here is another skirt I made from the One Yard Wonders book. This time I used black jumbo rick-rack as trim between the two tiers of the skirt. I am really happy with how it turned out and she is too.

Another Skirt

Here's another skirt I made for myself and have yet to post. The pattern was from a book I found at the library called Twinkle Sews. I really like the look of the skirt, but I do have two things to say about it. First, the yardage listed in the book was off, so if you make it, but extra fabric! Second, while I love the ruched waistband, it needs to have a little more shape (unless you are shaped like a brick). I keep debating whether I'll try to modify it or not. Also, the question is, what kind of shirt do I wear with this without covering up the waistband?? Any ideas?

A Skirt

Here is a skirt I just finished. I am proud to say that I installed the zipper myself. Score one for me! (However, I may admit defeat on the current dress I am working on and coerce Mom to do it :)