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wardrobe refashion: red linen skirt

So, what was I doing Friday evening instead of writing a blog post? Sewing! Unfortunately, I didn’t finish until it was too dark to take pictures. But to make up for it, I’ve got a before pic for this one!

red linen skirt

Another long skirt — this one I originally bought to use for tote bags. That was before I started refashioning. But there were a few nit picky things that bugged me about it, so I had to weigh my options.

Pros

  • Pockets!
  • Beautiful red color.
  • Linen/rayon blend.

Cons

  • Really wide elastic waistband.
  • Drawstring.
  • Faux zipper flap. (Seriously? What the heck?)

red linen skirt

I figured I could fix two out of three and live with the wide elastic, so out came the scissors! First I cut about 10 inches off the bottom and finished it with a 1/2 inch double hem. I removed the drawstring and closed up the holes with a slip stitch. Then I tacked down that weird faux zipper flap with a slip stitch, too.

red linen skirt

This skirt comes with a bonus matching top. I plan on using the leftover fabric from the skirt to make this a little longer. I think it might also need some shaping. Any other suggestions?

thrifted: Both of these were garage sale finds. I think it’s kind of funny that I bought them to make totes and now I’m going to wear them!

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wardrobe refashion: linen skirts

It’s no secret that shopping for pants drives me nuts. And the capri pants I complained about last year didn’t even make it through the season. So, I’ve decided to make a bunch of skirts for this summer and yesterday I started with these two linen lovelies by Laura Ashley.

laura ashley linen skirts

No before pictures because I didn’t change that much. They were really long and too big in the waist. Here’s what I did to them.

  • Washed in hot water and tumble dried to preshrink them.
  • Chopped off about 10 inches and made a 1/2 inch double fold hem.
  • Used a seam ripper to open up the elastic waist casing.
  • Cut the elastic down to the right size and then sewed everything back up.

I am absolutely in love with the result. The linen is so lightweight and soft—perfect for summer. I thought about making them a little bit shorter, but spending time at the park today with our crazy Nebraska winds convinced me they are the right length. Also, I’m loving the fact that they have pockets!

thrifted: Bought these at the Goodwill 99 cent sale. That’s right! My Laura Ashley linen skirts cost me a whopping $2.

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handmade wedding and anniversary gifts

tea towels

You may have noticed a theme around here. I love to give gifts that will get used. I have a set of mixing bowls we received as a wedding gift that I use all the time. Whenever I get them out, I always think about our special day. So, when I was brainstorming ideas for wedding and anniversary gifts, I thought tea towels get used everyday! I made these with linen and they feel wonderful. I also added some details to match both couples’ kitchen colors.

satin stitch

I had planned to embroider their last initial on the towels, but everything I tried just didn’t work: cross stitch, back stitch, running stitch. I decided that maybe less was more, so I left the initials off.

tea towels

inspiration: The pattern for these is in one of my new favorite books, Linen, Wool, Cotton. The linen fabric is a blend and the review on Joann’s website sounded perfect for tea towels. Thread was from my stash.

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new inspiration

Patchwork Style and Linen, Cotton, Wool

I bought these books for myself for Mother’s Day. I had flipped through the pages of Patchwork Style at knitting group enough times that I felt I should just buy it already. They didn’t have a copy of Linen, Wool, Cotton at the bookstore, so I ordered it sight unseen. Well, I had seen a few pics of some of the pages around blogland.

I was really drawn to the organic feel of Patchwork Style. It reminded me of how I felt when I discovered David Carson. Bend the rules of grid and symmetry. Expose your raw edges. Cut things up and paste them back in a different order. Designers either loved him or hated him. I was inspired by him to think in new ways. That’s how this book makes me feel about sewing.

Contrast that with Linen, Wool, Cotton. The beauty here is in its simplicity. Focus on that one, special, important detail. A lot of European graphic design is like that. Embrace your grid. Use your white space. Order and simplicity lead to elegance.

Both of these books have turned my thoughts about sewing upside down. Previously I’d been focused on learning and constructing. Now my head is full of fresh ideas. It’s overwhelming. I don’t know where to begin. I figured the best place to start would be writing it all down. Next step: getting out the sketch pad.

stash: Some books you just can’t check out of the library. They inspire you so much that you have to own them. There are free patterns from both over at MakeGoodBooks. I can’t wait to see Carefree Clothes for Girls!