Viscose Maxi Skirt

I mean seriously, I make one or two skirts, and suddenly I think I'm an expert.

The worst thing to do after you've bought a fabric that you think might be tricky is to google it and have it confirmed.

So. Viscose. Slippery, silky, slide-y.

The sequel to the pre-wash, if you like. How did I cope?


Reasonably well, I'd say - I do have a skirt out of it. It didn't take very long to do either. I decided not to cut the fabric and just gather it at the waist.  The less sewing I did, the better I reckoned.

So I :

1. Sewed a side seam with tissue paper pinned under the fabric.
2. Sewed a 4 inch channel (2 inches deep on both sides) at the top.
3. Measured the elastic around my waist and cut trimmed to size.
4. Inserted the elastic in the channel and stitched it together using a zig zag stitch in two places and backstitch over them twice to make it super secure.
5. Realised I'd made a mobius loop by sewing the elastic together the wrong way and proceeded to hunt down my seam ripper, undo my hard work and fume furiously like the most timid downtrodden sailor.
6.  Repeated 4. but the correct way this time.
7. Did a 1/2 inch and then 4 inch hem.

And it still touches my ankles. Well, the floor. I could be a bit more generous with the hem, I guess, so that I stop tripping myself over but I quite enjoy having to pick it up in a princess-like manner when stepping down from the door say or, you know, awkwardly clambering over a stile in the countryside.

I AM ACTUALLY IN THERE.
Oh, and the waistband is just under my bosom.

I found a few things - viscose is notorious for shrinking and my fabric didn't shrink evenly, so one of my side seams was slightly long on one side, so I trimmed upwards to let them meet. Other than that, once I'd worked out where to put the tissue paper, the longest part was number 5, which took about half an hour.
I didn't finish the seams and I should. I will. Well, I might.
I used a 34mm wide elastic, which was fine, but it's not non-roll, so my elastic has ended up folded in half around my 'waist'. My waist just can't do big waistbands I guess.

Next time, I'll use non-roll elastic for the waistband and see how that turns out.

Fabric wise, I love it. Like my cotton maxi skirt, I don't start burning under my skirt when it gets too hot bu.t unlike my cotton equivalent, when it's a little breezy, I don't feel like I'm standing in my underwear in public!
It is swishy and flowing and absolutely perfect for summer. I'll take 5 please.

Unknowingly inspired by Cashmerette.

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Rag 'n' Bone Man - Wolves

Mr Simple (I can call him that now, right?) and I have been a little bit obsessed with a show on BBC called New Blood over the last month. Funny, heart-stoppingly thrilling and quick paced.

Oh, and it had an AWESOME theme tune and introduced me to Rag 'N' Bone Man.

If you can, turn the bass up till your table is thumping and sing loud enough to startle your neighbours.

I do.

It helps me feel better when I miss the (occasionally begrudging) bromance between the two main characters Rash and Stefan *sniff*

Keep the wolves from the door

I hear them scratchin' like I don't know better

Won't you keep the wolves from the door? 

Won't be long before I cave in and open up -

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3 flat bags

As well as my plans for myself, I've also been working on a little something-somethng for three littlies that I know....

I have to confess - if you'd told me I'd make what are essentially three flat bags this year, I'da said you were crazy. I'd thought flat bags were mad BORING and...well, flat. No excitement!

Well, maybe I've changed my mind. A little. 

A lot.

Plus, I needed the sewing practise.

If the first bag looks familiar, it should - it started out as an interesting way to use up my scraps from the riding hood cape project. All the drawstring bags in this post were upcycled from scrap fabric I had lying around and made using this tutorial (the first is slightly longer because I was making the measurements up as I went). So this is quilting cotton, and red fleece...

Denim (from a pair of old jeans) and green scrap satiny fabric with green drawstring. I was definitely channelling Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles when I thought this up and I'm glad it worked out as I imagined. The satiny fabric frayed like no-one's business, so it's on top of some more denim so as not to undermine the integrity of the bag, especially with the rambunctiousness of the new owner >.<

The final one is cotton poplin, chosen specially by the recipient, who couldn't decide between pink and yellow, so received a satin lined patch pocket. It was only after I put it on that I realised it was ever. so. slightly. crooked.
Beh, I thought.
        Two surprises instead of just one.

 

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Prewash - the prequel.

I am very often frightened of the future.

Using all my strength, I take a step towards it 

and find that the fear transforms into excitement.

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Protective style - Summer Hat edition

In my household, we have a saying*:

Sun's out, runs out.  

Gotta get some Vitamin D, because Lord knows how seriously deficient we all are on this lovely soggy island. Hair can wait, amirite?

* I may be the only person saying it, but it's a saying that's said. In my household. So it counts.

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