New Knit Skirt

  Summer is here!  The kiddos are all finished with school for the season and we had some record heat the last couple of days.  In order to survive in comfort I got to break out a new skirt from the upcycled wardrobe.  Love that.

On a recent trip to my favorite thrift store I purchased an x-large man's shirt.  I cut out the sleeves and neck. I held up the skirt to make sure it was the length I wanted and then cut the top (where neck was) in order to shorten the skirt. With my trusty sewing machine I took in the sides in to what I felt was a comfortable fit and put in an elastic waistband.  Then ta dah! A new skirt for summer.  No hemming needed as the bottom of the shirt is now the bottom of the skirt.

 I have worn the skirt several times already.  The youngest likes how soft it is for getting water out of his eyes (oh the fun of running in the sprinkler.)

 This skirt is perfect for those days you know your hair is a bit frizzy, maybe you are feeling a tad bloated from last nights cosmos, but hey you are comfortable and ready to play!

More Stash Busting (and embroidery )

  I am continuing to try and bust through some stash fabric.  I had a heavier cotton laying around.  I thought I was going to make a bag out of it, but then a skirt sounded more fun.  Using my go to skirt pattern (Amy Butler's Barcelona Skirt) I set out to make a simple skirt for spring.

 .  I did not make any changes to the pattern except that I did not hem the skirt.  I want it to fray at the ends.  The material is a natural color, why not keep it natural looking?  I love the skirt, but it is still a bit to cold for skirt wearing around here.  Right not the skirt sits in the closet waiting for the day when it can come out to play. 

In the meantime I continue to sew and to build up that spring and summer wardrobe.  It has to warm up sometime right????

Making Quick Use Of An Old Sheet

   I am going to confess that I am huge fan of sleeping in long night gowns or skirts.  I LOVE to curl up my feet underneath while relaxing.  It is like a blanket, but not so heavy.  Perfect for reading, watching t.v. or knitting.  This past week I was checking out the local thrift stores and found a sheet that was so soft and inviting. It is the perfect weight for this fantastic spring weather we are having.  While the print was not my favorite, the feel won me over.  I took it home, gave it a wash, and sat down at the serger. 

While making a sleep skirt, it must be long enough for curl up in and allow for lots of movement. I like mine at the tops of my feet.

The skirt consisted of two side seams, the waistband (which was just a simple elastic one) and finishing off the hem.  I just surged the hem to keep it simple.  In fact I just surged the entire skirt.  Of course that is not necessary. 

Then voila, the skirt is done and ready to relax in.  I was able to finish reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo in total comfort!  This particular sheet had a bit of flannel feel to it. I might be on the lookout for something more crisp and with a high thread count for the hot summer days.

You just never know what a trip to the thrift store will bring.  Of course other treasures were found, but that is for another post!

She Is All Done!

Wow, seriously I need to get back into the swing of things. Feels like I have been living in the holiday fog, and I am ready to see the light! In order to feel more ready, I have pictures of the holiday skirt. It was my first time working with a satin material, and it went better than I thought. Although there were some tense moments. Used Simplicity pattern 2512 and a satin backed shantung material. Love the color and my favorite part of the skirt are the pockets. A momma MUST have pockets.

This is my second time putting in the infamous invisible zipper. Not the best work, but here's hoping that my rear is not scrutinized to much! All in all I think this skirt was fun and might come out of the closet on more than just a holiday occasion.

Sewing For The Holidays

I was looking over Burda's magazine this month and I am in love. They have a section of patterns that have been inspired by the 40's. I don't know if it is the beautiful purple or the fun sequence, I love this skirt. Technical drawing is here. A perfect skirt for the New Year! Several pieces look great actually.
I am loving this simple top to go with the skirt. May have to make the slit a little smaller in size, but overall I do like it. So I guess I am on the way tot the local fabric shop to see if I can pick up my copy of the magazine. If I don't get around to actually making the skirt, at least I have the pattern and pictures to enjoy!!

It's Coming....

Things are seeming a little different outside. The smell is different, the sun is different. This means that fall is starting to make her way here to Michigan. While we can still expect BEAUTIFUL days for a month or so, there is something about fall. I LOVE IT!!! The cool crisp feeling, cooking, apples, beautiful trees, and the clothing. So here are some ideas that I have been thinking about for FALL!

I am thinking of heading to the thrift store and finding some nice corduroy men's pants. I love my repurposed cargo skirt so much, I think the idea would be great for fall as well. Nothing like nice broken in corduroy! Also maybe a heavy knit skirt would be most comfy to tuck feet into while sitting on the couch watching a movie, reading, or knitting. I had such fun this summer with all my skirts, that I want to somehow work that into fall/winter. Time to start thinking.....

She Sews

I have to admit that I have been enjoying this skirt already this summer. It is so soft and comfortable. I hope next year to have a couple of these made up! I used Simplicity pattern 4237 as a guide and then modified it just a bit. Using view A (the full length skirt), I took out the seam down the middle of the skirt and make the front panel one piece. Did the same thing to the back. I also cut it much longer as I am on the taller side and hate it when skirts end at mid calf! Used a pumpkin color knit fabric that was purchased at our local fabric store. It is a nice light weight knit with a great drape.

In the fall/winter I really don't wear skirts, but this one may have to be made again for fall at least. It has possibilities!

Summer Skirt Part 2

The summer skirt revolution continues. Found the fabric at my local fabric store. It is a beautiful print by Robert Kaufman. The skirt was made using Simplicity pattern 7229. This pattern is a staple for me. It is a simple drawstring skirt or pant pattern. I have made both skirts and Bermuda length shorts using the pattern in the past. I like the drawstring waist. It gives the skirt a different look, but is still super comfortable and casual to wear. Which is great when chasing the kids around all summer!!

Summer Skirt

I finally had a chance to get some pics and wear one of the skirts I have been working on this year. This is the ever super easy 5 minute skirt by Amy over at Angry Chicken. While the skirt does take a tad longer than 5 minutes to make, it is a very fast project to sew. Just take an afternoon and presto......new skirt! The fabric was a simple batik print that I found at the local fabric shop. This pattern has become a staple in my simple summer living wardrobe. I think I have made 3 of them by now. Now if only the warm weather would stick around!

More Summer Skirts - The Addiction Continues

Summer sewing is still going on. I have some lovely linen that is calling to be made into a wrap skirt. I am going to make the waistband and maybe trim the skirt in the print (Joel Dewberry). Hopefully there will be some time to squeeze in this project. The weather is finally starting to warm up here in Michigan!!!

Oyi! I have finally recovered this weekend from ANOTHER day of feeling yucky! Down with a fever this time. This winter has really been a tough one around here. Before going down with the sickies I managed to get the new food dehydrator up and running. LOVE it. I did some testing with a strawberry fruit roll up and some dried root veggies. I cannot wait until the farmer's market this year. I promise to have some pics up soon.

I also did get some sewing done for spring as well. My Barcelona skirt is almost done! I am taking the advice from whispering pine and NOT hemming the bottom of the skirt. I like the idea of the frayed hem matching the rest of the frayed lines that happen with the skirt. It is my first time with a zipper and my first time with a lined skirt. I really am super happy with how it turned out. I also have my 5 minute skirt done! With the weather still very chilly there are no good finished photos, but here is one that I do have. Not the best I know, but you get an idea for the fabric and the easy F.O.E waistband. Still on the To Do list are a couple of shirts and a linen skirt. Then it is time to shop for some cute t-shirts to wear with all these fun new pieces.

Adding To The List

I am so excited! My Amy Butler pattern arrived at the fabric store. I just happen to have the same print fabric in my stash. There are 3 different skirts to make. not sure which one I want to do first. What I love about A.B. patterns is that they are so easy to read. They walk you through every step. It might be annoying if you are an experienced sewer, but for me it is a GOOD thing.

A little Inspiration

I have wanting to make a new skirt, but things have been so busy around here! I just have not had the gumption to go through my patterns, find a skirt and find fabric. Behold the power of the Angry Chicken blog! I have some out of print Amy Butler fabric that I thought would make a cute dress, but now I am thinking this 5 minute skirt is the way to go!!!



This fabric is from Amy's charm line and I have been waiting for SOMETHING to strike my fancy and easy to make with it. I am very excited about the easy waist! I also love any reason to use my serger! It does make life so much easier :D This will be a great new addition to my wardrob as it needs a little refreshing. Something to get me through the rest of summer. I think I am off to order the FOE for the skirt.