Brown Wool Skirt finally finished....

It took a snowy day where I couldn't get out to finish my skirt. I know this took more than a month. I'm not sure why the hemming slowed me down but it did. Here's the pattern that I made:

This time I made View D with the double pleats in the front.  Here's the finished skirt:

I put an invisible zipper in this version of the skirt.  Here’s a link to the best tutorial that I have found on putting in an invisible zipper - http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com/2006/11/08/sewing-invisible-zipper/ . There are no puckers when you follow her directions.

I changed the waist from having a facing to having a waistband.  I don’t know if I did it correctly but it seems to work.  I removed the 5/8” seam allowance on both the skirt and the lining.  Then followed the tutorials over Katrina Kay Creations for both the lining and the waistband.  Here's the link:   

http://katrinakaycreations.com/sewing-tutorials/    .   The name of the tutorials are:   How to Sew Your Skirt Lining to your zipper by machine  and How to Sew a Waistband that will not round or wrinkle.

 Here's a peek at how the invisible zipper turned out:

I will definitely be using both the zipper technique and the waistband technique again.  The skirt actually turned out a little bit big.  There were other mistakes with this skirt along the way.  `I haven't decided yet if I will actually wear it.  I would not consider this a failure as the techniques that I learned long the way were definitely worth learning.  I love knowing how to sew the zipper opening in the lining by machine.  

I can tell looking at the picture that the skirt needs to spend a little more time being pressed.  I will also need to find a different top.  The sweater I have on in the picture definitely isn't the right one.  

I did mention that the hemming slowed me down on this skirt.  I ended up stitching both the skirt and the lining hems on the machine.  The skirt hem is done using the blind hem stitch which took a little bit of fiddling with the adjustable blind hem foot that I have.  For Viking owns, that is the clear "D" foot.   the lining was just a down hem stitched down.  Nothing fancy there.  Do you like sewing your skirt hems by hand or machine?  Any particular reason.

Overall, I would say that this is a very nice pattern. It seemed to have been well drafted and went together well.  I will definitely consisted revisiting this pattern for one or two summer skirts.  

Ok, I have one more wintery item left.  It will be another experience.  If it works out, I will have another top to wear over the next few weeks. If it doesn't, it is just one less piece of fabric in the stash.

Happy Stitching

Happy New Year! and Projects from December 2013

Happy New Year!  Can you believe it is 2014?

Sewing was an accomplishment in December and frankly, I was surprised at how much was accomplished. Here’s the list:

 First up is an OOP McCall’s 3343 skirt VB –

I made it in light grey wool and lined it with a light gray lining.  The skirt pattern doesn’t have a lining with it.  The pattern was very easy to create a lining using the existing pattern pieces. 

The fabric and the lining were from my huge stash.  I did have to convince myself that I didn’t need to continue saving it.  If I lose weight, I will make more.  This is a big plus in my book as the stash in now down about 3 yards. 

Second project was the Round Folded Star Hot Pad pattern by Plum Easy. Here it is:

Here’s my version:

This was the craft project for the month.  A friend and I get together once a month and do something.  This was a nice project.  We both had everything cut out and ready to go.  Start to finish was 2 ½ to 3 hours.  I’m ready to make more for seasonal decoration in the kitchen.  This was also a stash project.  It didn’t reduce the stash by much.  Maybe  2 or 3 fat quarters.

Third project was the Easy Striped Table Runner pattern by Quilt Company P:

Here’s my version:

This was fun to make even if it took me a little while to get to it after I cut it out. I quilted it with perle cotton using big stitches.  This technique really needs a thimble.

Fourth project was a new cover for a butterfly chair where I used the existing cover as the pattern:

My son picked the colors.  Yes, it had to be Steeler colors and it had to have the stripe.  I was a little bit worried that the machine I had at work would not have the umph to make it through all the layers of canvas but it wasn’t a problem.

I also finished a crotchet project before Christmas. Here it is:

I found this project in “Crochet One-Skein Wonders” by Judith Durant & Edie Eckman.  Yarn was Patons Lace Sequins in Crystal.  Love the yarn that I used.

I do have four projects planned to January. The first will be another skirt from the same OOP McCall’s pattern but a view D with the double pleated front.   I’m also thinking that I want to change the waist area from a facing to a binding.  I need to locate the instructions for doing that. The second will be completing a dress I started last year and then promptly lost the collar which put it on hold.  Not much left to do.  The third project will be another one of the butterfly chair covers.  It will be a matching one to the one above and shouldn’t take too long to do since I have everything figured out how to do now. The fourth will be a cover for a step stool. I guess there is a fifth item and that will be the monthly craft/sewing project. This has not been decided on yet.

Happy Stitching!