Sunday, June 13, 2010

A little sewing

As I said yesterday, sewing for others began to get to me a little and I had to break out and make a little something for myself.

My local fabric store, Karlin's, has been a wasteland for years. I'd go there for zippers, interfacing, lining, but rarely for fabric. Recently they said they were going to be making a change, and it's certainly one for the better. I went in this past week to get some lining for the bags I'm doing for the craft show, and I could have left with half a dozen different things.

I confined myself to this one, a black cotton/lycra with a white embroidered border. I debated a dress, but I knew from the start it wanted to be a pencil skirt. A nice simple one. I checked the skirt pattern archive, and found one I'd made before, which is BWOF 9/2008 #120. No details at all, beyond darts front and back. Faced waist. That's it.

Just what I wanted. I cut it out quickly, and started sewing. The fabric is a little beefier than I would have expected for cotton/lycra, so I decided not to line it. Not my normal choice, but this fabric could definitely handle it.

The skirt went together in an evening. Very satisfying after a week of repetitive sewing of small, unusable-by-me objects made in a particularly shreddy and annoying brocade.

I've paired it here with one of my favorite summer tops, BWOF's cutaway-shoulder blouse, 3/2006 #104, and a new necklace I picked up this week to go with it. First the fabric, then the jewelry, then the skirt. Sometimes it happens in reverse.

In closing, I leave you with Alice, otherwise known as Little Alice Roundhead, Alice Marie, the Alleyrabbit and, after a particularly vile trip to the litterbox, the A-Bomb. She's the only cat I've ever met who looks truly worried, all the time. She moved in 0n Valentine's Day, several years ago, arriving on my porch roof at midnight, scratching at the storm window.

Could you say no to that face?

16 comments:

Carolyn (Diary of a Sewing Fanatic) said...

That's a great skirt and it made me laugh! I bought the same fabric during PR weekend and have it slated for a shirtdress with white piping and black and white buttons.

You are going to look great tomorrow in that outfit!

Lori said...

Darling skirt. I bet you will be visiting that fabric store more often!

Eugenia said...

Gorgeous skirt! That certainly is a lovely piece of fabric and the style you have chosen shows it off beautifully.

Little Hunting Creek said...

I love your pencil skirt! I would have bought thta fabric too - so pretty

Anonymous said...

LOVE IT!!! I am a huge convert to sewing pencil skirts with facings. I thought I forever would be a waistband girl, but I think I've been converted now. ;)

Love the fabric. You'll look super cute in this.

Rose said...

The pencil skirt is perfect for that gorgeous fabric. I imagine you'll get lots of wear from that skirt!

Sheila said...

Lovely skirt and like the border detail. Its looks great with the top.

Rebecca said...

Great simple skirt. I like that border!

Vicki said...

Really cute skirt. Goes well with the top.

gwensews said...

What a beautiful skirt! And the white blouse is perfect with it. Very nice!

Elaray said...

That's a great outfit. Quick and easy is always good - especially when the resulting outfit looks great!

LisaB said...

Love, love, love your outfit. Makes me want to drive into the city again to check out Karlin's, even though I was just in the city this past Saturday.

Tany said...

Beautiful!

The Slapdash Sewist said...

A friend of mine got a puggle; her face is just wrinkly enough that she looks perpetually worried and insecure: "Is everything ok? Do you still like me?"

Perfect showcase for the fabric!

meredithp said...

That is a great use of that eyelet fabric! I like the sleeveless blouse too.

From this angle, seems to me like Alice is smiling. I had a cat as a child, teen, young adult (yes, she was 18 when she passed away) who was always worried looking. I don't blame her though--we had a step family move in to our lives in the middle there, and they'd never had pets. The cats spent their lives in my room, where it was safe. Cats lasted longer than parents marriage :-)

LisaB said...

Well, you and Carolyn are great enablers. I couldn't stand it, so I drove to Jomar this afternoon and found that eyelet border print still there. I could hardly believe it, but it's now safe at home with me. I just need to find a suitable blouse fabric to pair with it.

Thank you for showcasing such a beautiful outfit.