Thursday, April 7, 2011

Clearing my head

Okay, sewing for others is over for a while. After I finished the theater costume (which is actually back visiting so that I can make minor adjustments), I quickly knocked out one of my favorite skirt patterns to make myself feel better.

BWOF 10/06 #117 is my go-to pattern when I want a quick skirt fix. I know it fits and it takes a yard of fabric. What's not to like? The simple style lines make it nearly perfect for some of the prints that I can't seem to resist.

Remember last year, when everyone was making wonderful things from madras patchwork? I saw the fabrics, I liked the fabrics, I didn't buy any of the fabrics. However, when I was in NYC a few months back buying fabric for my wedding jacket, I stopped to visit Kashi at Metro and picked up a piece of the patchwork that had ended up in his remnant bin. He actually gave it to me for free because it was slightly under a yard and he said I probably wouldn't be able to do anything with it.

Don't tell me I can't use a piece of fabric, it'll jump the line and end up on me before many other, more worthy fabrics!

Turns out there was JUST enough fabric to not only make the skirt, but also to make a change to my TNT pattern.

After I realized I would have some excess (nice wide fabric), I laid the pattern pieces on the folds, then pulled them back by about 2" and cut. The excess fabric in the center was pleated and stitched down, and added some extra fullness to the skirt. Since the pattern has a narrow yoke instead of a waistband, the pleats weren't sitting right at the waist so they don't make me look puffy. I did 6 pleats in front, 4 in back - same amount of excess, I just wanted it spread out a little flatter in the front.

I've already worn the skirt this week, and I can see this one in heavy rotation all summer and into the fall, because of the colors.

Next up: finished a set of curtains for a co-worker, so it's going to be a dress for me! I'm using another TNT - the Burdastyle Fatina - combined with some 3 year old fabric and trim purchased at the PR NY shopping day last year.

4 comments:

AllisonC said...

You can't get much more of a bargain than that! This does look like a great skirt that will get worn a lot, the colours are lovely.

Anonymous said...

Ah free fabric.... a dream come true.

The Slapdash Sewist said...

I think those colors match everything in your closet! What fun.

SEWN said...

Cute skirt and even cuter in person!