July 25, 2012

Jegging Maxi Skirt


I'm really excited about this skirt.  I love the long maxi skirt fashions that are in these days so I've been planning on jumping on the band wagon and making a whole bunch of my own. :-)

This one is based very loosely on Butterick 3134. View C
Fabric: Jegging (jeans that are technically leggings) fabric on sale for $3 a yard.  Oh, yeah!  This stuff is perfect too because it looks like a lovely long denim skirt, but the drape is much nicer and it is as comfortable as your basic knit maxi skirt!

I cut the skirt for view C on a fold (except narrower as the fabric would permit) and made it longer.  I actually just cut out a rectangle for the waistband.  So I guess you could say I was just inspired by it.   There is no closure, which is sweet.  Knits rock.  

I wore it in London and Paris a lot.  I tried to not wear it when it was raining though because it is so long it just soaks up all the water. 

 When I was at the Eiffel Tower it was gorgeous and then it started pouring so the bottom 10 inches got super heavy and sand-laden. :-)






Side


Back 


Twirls!  :-)
When sewing knits like this you've got to make the pattern 2 sizes smaller than you normally would.  It stretches so nicely, but if it is too big it just falls off. 


Nice skinny hem.

I just realized that this skirt makes me looks short (-er, ish, etc.)  Haha.

P.S. Do you like this dynamic view design?  I'm not sure how I feel about it, but it is really simple and I like that aspect.

July 22, 2012

Splash of Sunshine Blog Party!




Hey!  I'm going to participate in the Splash of Sunshine Blog Party!  Head over to Bramblewood Fashion for more details!

1. What word are you totally loving at the moment? 
My "Be Enchanted" Lotion from Bath and Body Works.  It's perfect.

2. Any tv shows/movies you are excited for this fall? 
Sherlock.  The Hobbit.

3. Anything that symbolizes something to you? 
Deep calls unto deep at the noise of your waterfalls: all your waves and your billows are gone over me.  Psalm 42:7

4. Two favorite songs at the moment? 
Only two?!  Hmmm... "Blessings" by Laura Story, "Tell Me Ma" by The Kilkennys

5. If there was suddenly a world taker over by an evil dictator what would you do? 
Not sure.  I'd probably end up either working behind the scenes at H.Q. or I'd be a spy.

6. What is your favorite summer activity? 
Hymn-sings around the campfire with Christians from near and far. :-)

7. What has been your favorite summer vacation? 
This summer? Well, going to Europe was pretty awesome. :-)

8. If you received an unlimited shopping spree to any store, what store would it be for? 
Eddie Bauer.

9. What is your favorite summertime food? 
Watermelon, homemade burgers, & chocolate zucchini bread.

10. What is your favorite summertime movie?
I don't know.  We don't watch a ton of movies(except the pixar ones my sister puts in almost everyday).  I think Pride and Prejudice is a movie I watch every summer though.


July 16, 2012

70s Pencil Skirt


P.S. The scarf is from Paris!


Pattern: Simplicity 2654, view D
Fabric: Heavy Polyester *almost* chevron fabric from thrift store for a dollar & white sheet for lining 
1 zipper that was given to us by a friend.
Talk about afordable!  


I made a size 12 on this skirt instead of my usual 10 because I've never had a pencil skirt before.  Yes, I've never worn a pencil skirt before. I love the overall look but I don't like the super tight look that frankly isn't modest and, come on people!  You can't move.  Why would you wear something you can't move in?  Thus I made a size larger.  It is a little loose around the waist but I like the comfortable fit in the hips.  I have, um, larger hips. Bummer.f
I am SO happy with how this skirt turned out!  It looks so professional on the inside. :-)

I added a full lining because the polyester/acrylic whatever it is rather itchy and let's face it, who wants to wear a slip ALL the time?  I cut it the same as the regular skirt and just treated it like a facing, it really is easy.  

Oh, I also lengthened the actual skirt a couple of inches because I'm rather tall and I wanted the skirt to come to my knees when I was sitting.  I ended up taking like 2 inches of hem in the end so I didn't have to make it as long.  That is ok though, because I love thick hems. :-)
The lining is just beautiful!  I'm so happy with it.  I was able to cary the triple stitching from the waistline and put it above the kick-pleat in the back and on the hem, which was cool too. :-)


Back


Side
I didn't fussy cut the fabric so not all the seams line up, but I'll keep working on that.


Waistline - I actually bought the pattern because of this little design element. :-)


 Hem

See my skinned knee?  I love this skirt but it makes getting out of a tree in a rush more like falling out of a tree because I couldn't quite spread my legs far enough.  Pencil skirts I guess.   C'est la vie.

July 15, 2012

Sewing posts to come!


Look, look, look!  Proof that you will not be neglected forever. :-)  Blogging about all my different sewing projects is on the to-do list.  I was experimenting with free-lensing for these pictures...

It gives almost a tilt-shift vibe or lensbaby look...I look forward to experimenting more!  Here is a sketch I did in my everyday book while at our local Japanese Gardens.  I was teaching a photography workshop and had a little down-time afterwards. :-)


July 14, 2012

18 for 18 outfits

OK!  So I won't be signing up for any clothing challenges right before I go overseas again. :-/  Pictures were quite scarce.  Here is my obligatory clothes post, and soon to follow the good pictures. :-)

Once again, so sorry about the epic fail. :-(















 If I had gotten good pictures everyday they probably would have had this black rain coat in them anyway I suppose.