stripes

a work in progress......

All these seams (above) to match stripes, times 2, on a ridgey, stretchy knit..... and if you look very carefully, the stripes only 'pattern' one way.... not to mention diagonal stripes to match on the front facing(s)...... no photo of that yet.... to be a new top, a shorter version of NEWLOOK 6110 View B. 

I'm beginning to dream in stripes.  My next project will NOT be stripes.

UPDATE:  'Stripes' is now done!  Click here for its post.

a favorite

This is turning out to be a favorite skirt pattern.

Thought a photo outside our chicken coop/barn would make a nice backdrop.  While I was outside, our temperature gauge was registering 91 degrees!!  Needless to say it was hot!  Oh, but my new cute little skirt was perfect to keep one's 'cool'.  :)  

NEWLOOK 6192's skirt, view B, could not be any easier.  Cut two pieces on fold - one for front and one for back, cut a waistband/casing piece. Sew/serge, insert elastic and one's done in a short time..... or should be if one's serger is behaving.  Mine threw a temper tantrum last night and what should've been a quick, easy little project, became a 'til midnight ordeal.  Patience prevailed and when my serger finally decided to cooperate, this little skirt was finished in no time.

Everpresent Toby wanted to be included today.

No adjustments were made other than I cut a size 10 and used my serged seam for the seam allowance, not the 5/8" the instructions called for.  I forgot to lengthen the fabric, (per my notes I had made earlier strictly to remind me), but since I didn't use a 5/8" seam when attaching the waistband to the skirt and simply turned the fabric under for my hem after serging the edge, it seems okay.  Love this fabric.   A soft, almost silky knit it took me longer to cut everything out, than it did to sew up because this fabric was manufactured wonkily.  I guess that's what I get for buying clearance bin fabrics.  Originally wanted a shirt in this fabric, but could not guarantee the design would be 'even', so thought a skirt would be more forgiving.  Though it can't be seen in the photos here, I was careful to line up the design on the side seams and even centered the design in the waistband too.  Somewhere I recently read, depending on how one feels with the elastic, you can cut the elastic 2-4" smaller than your measurement; so with that in mind, found a scrap of 1" elastic @3 1/2" smaller than my measurement, barely overlapped the ends before stitching and this is the best feeling elastic waistband I've ever made for myself.  Nice and snug, not too tight and not too loose.  I did not line this skirt, but think I will go back and add one.

Our chicken coop/barn houses our sweet ladies who provide farm-fresh organic eggs

 

and much entertainment for us.

Though this was taken a few years ago, I still love this photo of my daughter, iPod and all, holding one of her favorites.

Back to the skirt...
Pattern:  free - (since I've already made one skirt from this pattern, I'm considering it 'free' now.)
Fabric:@$3.00
Notions:  free - elastic came from scrap drawer

So my cute skirt cost maybe @$3.00.  More importantly I love the way it fits and its comfortableness.  This is such a simple skirt to make, yet the results are quite nice.
(The little white sleeveless top and Chaps linen turquoise mid-sleeve shirt are rtw.)

P.S.  I love my new little red shoes!  

Burda skirt, a first

Lunch with a sweet friend meant the (self-imposed) pressure was on to finish my very first attempt at a (traced) Burda pattern.  And I am pleased. 

In our little rural town's public library I was so excited to find the BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook available to check out complete with all the patterns in the back that looked like they'd never been used/traced.  This book is perfect to learn how to work with Burda patterns, as well as improve general sewing skills.  They encourage the seamstress to be creative with their patterns and include a skirt, blouse, dress, coat and bag patterns with 3 very different variations for each.

Wanting to start with what I thought would be the easiest, I chose Erin's version of the skirt.  I did not include the pockets.

I think this fabric is another piece purchased at Wal-Mart for probably $2-3.00 per yard.  I had just enough for this skirt.  I like the soft taupes and brown in this paisley.  This was my first attempt at a waistband and since it's been years and years since I've put a zipper in, I chose a centered zipper, instead of an invisible zipper, as I've never done one of those and my learning curve was already plenty on this project!

Zipper/Back View

This is an A-line skirt with seven panels with a curved waistband.  Traced the pattern pieces out on freezer paper, then traced another set to mark my custom fit measurements for this particular style skirt.  I traced a size 42 and let out the front panel pieces a little, added a couple of darts in the back and think I made the front a little too big after all.  (Still have a lot to learn on 'fit'!)  For this variation it was suggested to lengthen the pattern pieces by 4-6", but since I'm a little tall I lengthened mine 7" and barely turned under my hem.

Front View

I took my time with this project wanting to work on 'fit'.  Hand-sewed the waistband because I didn't want any top-stitching to show, and serged everything else.  No lining this time.  Then hid the waistband with my belt because it helped snug everything up and I think it looks better with a belt after all.

Inside View

Originally planned to do a blind hem but because of time constraints simply turned the hem up and straight stitched with a long stitch to make it easy in case I want to rip it out later and do a blind hem.  Right now, I'm happy with the stitched hem.

This is a great skirt!  It is a little different style than what I'd originally wear, but feels good on and I like the way I 'feel' in it.  Lunch with my friend was fun and I've been wearing it all day since.  Noticed it wrinkles a little.  I can deal with that. 


Because I checked this book out at my public library, my pattern was free.
Fabric ran @$5.00 maybe.
Notions included a zipper:  $1.50


So a custom fit pretty skirt cost @$6.50 and I feel like I've improved my skill level.  This book includes so many great ideas for variations on its patterns, I'm looking forward to trying another soon.  But first, I need to sew a couple of tops now.

EDITED 5.8.2014 - I used the overskirt pattern pieces to 'Miho's Variation', but made it up like 'Erin's Variation' omitting the pockets.