The $5 Skirt

With the weather warming up and my body somehow not ready for my usual summer attire of cut-off denim shorts (!!) I decided knee-length skirts might be the way to go this year.

But I don't seem to own any. Nor did I have any spare funds to devote to buying or making any.

So, I set myself a challenge: to make a skirt pattern and then make a skirt, without spending any money on new materials. Everything used had to already been in my house.

I had a plain, light-weight fabric in my stash - I paid $4 for a chunk of it a while ago at an op shop.

Next I went to You Tube and found an excellent A-Line skirt pattern tutorial from a user called SweetMaterials (you can search her if you're interested, but oh looky - here's her website here)

I used her instructions to make a pattern tailored to my waist and hips and made the two back pieces as per her instructions.

For the front, I wanted something slightly more decorative due to the plain fabric.

So, I measured a piece of paper to 8cm width and added it to the inside edge of the front pattern piece, so it sits on the fold. Basically, it meant that the front was 16m wider than the two back pieces put together.

Then I drew in lines every 1cm apart, from top to bottom.

I used these guidelines to fold pin tucks on the right side of the fabric - three on each side and then a 2cm panel in the middle. Now, if you're mathematically inclined you might see that this is where I went wrong. I don't speak maths, so I am still unsure BUT I think I probably should only have added a 7cm panel (so the total width of the insert was 14cm). The 8cm seemed to add too much fabric and the side seams were pushed to the back of the garment slightly. I can live with it though.

I sewed down those folds...

...and then finished the skirt with some embroidery stitches to keep the folds in place, bias tape around the top, a hem at the bottom and a zipper at the back.

And now I have a cute new skirt for summer, for materials that came in under $5! It's the first pattern I've made for my own clothing and I'm hooked...

Ps. How lanky is my baby?? At 11 weeks, she's like a cute spaghetti strand. Clearly, she takes after her father not me!

Sandgate

You just gotta love it.

Hive of Activity

I had to meet Dan at our house (we're not living there any more) to meet a carpet salesman today and the place was a hive of activity.

Lucinda and I sought refuge from the crowds of tradies on the upstairs deck, but I did duck around and take a few photos.

As you can see, there's still a fair way to go until the work's done and we can rent the place out, but progress is being made.



















Lucinda found it all hilarious.

I just want it to be done so Dan's around on the weekends again.

Between this place and Karra'd Away, it's now been more than a year since he's NOT been away most weekends.

The end is in sight though, or so he assures me.

Op Shop Dollhouse

I ummed and ahhed about whether to stop into the local Lifeline Superstore on my way home today.

Lucinda was getting tired and I was keen to get home, but I decided a quick browse might be OK.

I'm so glad I did. This dollhouse was up the back of the shop, along with another even larger one which I left there for someone with a bigger house than ours...

It's handmade and was for sale for $49.

A good clean and a few nails and it'll be looking miles better already, but I do plan to paint it eventually.

Good thing Lucinda's still a fair way off appreciating it - gives me plenty of time to bring it to life for her!

Lazy Weekend

You gotta love a lazy weekend. Nodding off on the couch, lazy afternoon naps in bed and wearing the same pants, two days in a row.

Saturday:

Sunday:

I hope your weekend was as lazy as Lucinda's.

Making Baby Pants

I've been sewing a lot in the evenings recently, particularly now I have a little lady to make things for.

In fact, she's wearing pants and a top I made for her in this photo.

I have so many gorgeous fat quarters that I buy and never use, so I decided to make a few pairs of simple baby pants from them.

You can easily make these pants from two fat quarters, depending on whether you grade it up or down.

I dug out my copy of Simple Sewing for Babies by Lotta Jansdotter*.

There is a pattern for simple baby pants in there but they were miles too big for Lu, who is just moving from a size 000 to a size 00. So, I took a pair of her 00 pants and measured the outside leg from waistband to ankle.

I measured the outside pattern leg and worked out that Lu's pants were 70 percent the size of the pattern on that seam. I then worked out 70 percent of all the other seams, which is why some of the measurements below are a little niggly (11.5 centimetres, for example)

And I came up with my own pattern:

You can see the dimensions on the pattern above. With the leg and crotch area, I just measured the two straight sections and drew a curve between them.

From there, I cut two pieces on the fold and stitched the sides, with a 1.5cm seam allowance (included in the pattern above).

I put elastic in the top and, hey presto, new pants!

They were so quick and easy to make. I think, including re-drafting the pattern, this took me less than two hours.

She has several pairs now.

Lucinda

So, obviously this blog is dangerously neglected. But I thought I'd do a quick photo update with the new arrival...

This is Lucinda, born on 27 June.

We are both hopelessly in love with her.