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A skirt #1541 - my February project

2/6/2015

In keeping with my resolution for 2015 (to make something for myself or a gift for someone every month this year), my project for February is a pleather skirt.

Since I'm also very intent in clearing away all the excess stuff in my life, I'm going to to my best to use fabrics from my, now reduced, stash.

This is the nicest feeling fake leather and I have quite a bit left.

I used it for both the boot toppers in this pattern last year.

I'm using this Amazing Fit pattern which I think is a good choice for a pleather skirt. And since it is an Amazing Fit pattern, there are 3 hip options. There is NO way I would need the slim option. So, I will be determining whether to use "average" or "curvy".

This fabric has zero give in it and the there is very little wearing ease in this pattern, just 2" at the hip. So I very carefully measure myself and check again the finished garment measurements on the pattern pieces.

Now this is where it gets confusing and even though these Amazing Fit pattern are amazing, I had to not quite exactly follow the instructions. My measurement indicate that I should use the "curvy" pattern for the back. BUT, I learned when I had Deborah Kreiling fit me in a pair of Amazing Fit pants last year, the the curvy hip they are making these patterns for is curvy in the back while I am curvy on the side ... the thigh area to be exact. When I made my pants muslin in using the curvy pattern it was laughably baggy in the back.

You can see that the "average" pattern has one back waist dart ...

and the "curvy" pattern has 2 darts at the waist. This makes the back very round. I even though my hips are wide, my backside is rather flat. SO ...

I am going to use the "average" pattern piece but then widen it out where my hips are wide on the sides of the front and the back pieces.

Now I can cut. Because this fabric is vinyl I will use weights to hold the pattern down, so I don't pin into the fabric any more than necessary.

I sew up the front seams.

Press them to the center and top stitch.

Then after finishing assembling the back and front I prepare the skirt for fitting by pinning the side seams facing outward, which the pattern says to do.

What I'm doing differently than the pattern is ... pinning instead of sewing the sides because I think a sewn seam will leave quite a mark on vinyl fabric if I need to change it after fitting. I also pinned up the back where the zipper will go and left the side seam open to put the skirt on. I am fitting myself and I wouldn't be able to see in the back to pin accurately after I put it on.

I use very thin pins to do this. Again because I don't want to leave a lot of holes in the vinyl.

The fit is pretty good.

So, before taking it off, I open the seam allowance and mark where all the pins are ...

to be continued. Hope I can finish it this weekend.

But, you know, it feels kind of sticky to wear. The pattern doesn't call for a lining, but I'm thinking about putting one in ... stay tuned.

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Thrift store Steampunk

2/4/2015

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I will be teaching at the 2nd annual Midwest Costume Academy again in St.Louis on March 28th. And it IS always fun to dress up for costuming conferences BUT these are the official rules from the website ...

Costume Wearing Discouraged -Because of the limited space available this year, we ask that no costumes be worn. All attendees should stick to comfortable, casual clothes. As our event grows, we will be able to allow costumes to be worn, as well as incorporate more showcases and competitions. But for now, wigs, hats, and other large costume pieces may obstruct the view of other attendees during a presentation, and make it harder for you to participate in the workshops!

This is a costume learning event, not wearing ... BUT, the rules don't say you have to wear boring clothes!!!

So, off to the thrift store I go and come back with 3 men's shirts, a too big skirt, knit top with a ruffle at the neck and a pretty lace vest.

The rules were the same last year, so I cobbled together a thrift store fairy sweater. Which Janet Prey liked so much she asked me to give an all day class to teach other people to make their own artsy thrift store sweater.

So, I need to play around a bit with the pieces I have to see what's possible. I will cut and sew things, but my goal is to do as little as possible. Try to keep elements of the garments intact like the collars and cuffs.

I start with the too big skirt and gather up the sides.

Add a shirt.

Use another shirt for an apron ... this is just to get and idea of the mixing of fabrics. I will be cutting up these shirts when the time comes.

Maybe add another layer with the lace vest on top. I'll probably just use pieces of the lace vest sewn here and there. You can see there are some nice usable motifs and I can always just cut the entire edge lace off.

OR!!
I have this great knit top with a beautiful ruffled collar ... how can I use that?

I'll try the apron again. I kind of like the way the waist looks small because the bunched up skirt and shirt have puffed the hips out. I need to keep that in the finished outfit.

Now, put that striped shirt back on. Hmm, I'm liking this.

You can see the variations are endless. It will be hard to decide. But I have a month. This will stay on my dress form for a while so I can play with it on and off.

Hope to see many of you in St. Louis.

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The REST of my personal stash

2/2/2015

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So ... when I showed you the stash I kept a month ago, those were only my RECENT acquisitions. Today I bite the bullet and dive into these last 4 boxes full of old stuff that came out of my scary closet ...

And as long as I'm working on things I can't show you yet, you have to put up with me sharing my organizing and cleaning up.

There are many things that I need to deal with in this closet, but to do that I need space! So the process begins.

First these things I will be donating to the theater department at my local Community College. My mother designed and ran the costume shop at a Community College for years and was always grateful for fabrics. I really do try not to give them junk or pieces too small to be of any use.

Looking at this pile reminds me that I used to really like brown. That was before I started having a lot of grey hair. I just don't think brown looks good on me anymore.

Now for what I'm keeping. These are two pieces that I love, but really would only be good for a costume. The stripe is silk, the brocade cotton and rayon, I think. There is enough to make a renaissance gown. Not sure when that might happen, but I really to like these fabrics. And remember that is my criteria.

I'm only keeping 3 of the cotton prints. The two on the left because I love them and the University of Maryland one because my husband, one of my sons and I am affiliated with the University and it might come in handy for something.

These will be stored with the stash here, I organized last month. I'm keeping all the fabrics I want to use for personal projects on a shelf I will look at frequently. (out of sight, out of mind) The shelf below is where I store all the working copies of my Simplicity pattern projects, so I'm in and out of this part of the closet frequently.

I'm keeping these. Onethe left is black and off white dull polyester satin and on the right is three colors of raw silk. I have no idea for any of this yet, but they are all good fabrics.

LOOK what I found at the bottom of one of the boxes. We spent a month in Munich 16 or 17 years ago. You all know I found my Swedish roots this last summer. But, I found my German roots in Munich all those years ago and brought back materials and patterns to my myself and my sister dirndls.

I have this silk brocade and fringed scarf left. It was very fashionable to wear a fringed scarf around your shoulders when wearing an evening dirndl out to the theater in the 90's. The German dirndl is interesting because it isn't a national costume that is frozen in time. It changes right along with contemporary fashion. The hems go up and down as do the colors, sleeve and collar change. All the while staying a dirndl. So interesting.

I also have these FUN man and woman buttons ...

and lacing hooks. These get sewn to the front of a dirndl bodice so it can be laced closed.

This is some beautiful fabric I cannot give away. The embellished border lace was given to me by my mother about 15 years ago when I was still singing in local concerts. I needed evening gowns (very fun!), so she gave this to me, but I never made it up. So, it will be for someone some day. I love it too much to not keep it.

This is my collection of what's left of a bunch of hand woven fabric from Egypt, Thailand and Guatemala. There is one 3 yard piece left. BUT, this hand woven fabric is so beautiful. I want to patch all the scraps together to make something ... a pillow? an artsy top? Don't know yet.

This is what's left. Four pieces of fabric I put on the shelf I look at everyday. The beautiful silks and dressy fabrics are in these boxes and I've carefully labeled what's up there so I don't forget.

I'm starting to get addicted to the wonderful light feeling I get every time I clear out another section in my house. But, I've got to get back on that project I can't show you yet.

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A skirt #1541 - my February project

Thrift store Steampunk

The REST of my personal stash

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