where are my ballet slippers?
this is just like finishing my first ever sweater almost 10 years ago, this weekend, i have made my first skirt!! flouncy, circle skirt in all 50's glamour. spring, anyone?
sewing has always been an intimidating craft for me hence the hesitation. however, now that i have made my first ever skirt, i can honestly said that it was really not as difficult as i had thought. i learned a lot about my machine, sewing, fabrics and patterns. but most importantly, the process was nothing but fun!!
the making of my circle skirt (mccalls M4875)**:
after the fabric is washed, dried and ironed, lay it flat for the cutting...
a pair of sharp scissors makes clean edges and makes cutting a lot more enjoyable. this step is probably the most crucial, i have documented my thoughts here.
now ready to sew: pin the sides together, mark the seam lines, baste it (i found it easier to sew if the fabrics are basted).
one side sewn. thanks for the blue seam line, the stitches are straight.
seam finish: i am not sure if this is the best method, i used the zig zag stitch to finish the seams, i guess i could have overcasted both of them and pressed it to one side?
side openings: narrow stitch. still need to work on pivoting. look how nasty the sides turned out. humph!
the right side of the seam looks pretty darn good though...
attach the bands: instruction said slipstich (by hand i suppose), i said: stitch those suckers with sewing machine. done in two minutes! heh...
now, sew the hem using narrow hem. circle skirt has looong circumference. plenty of opportunity to practice narrow hem. and, pressing hides all the flaws!
lastly, sew the hook and eye (two sets), i need to tidy up my hand sewing skills
and finally, the finished skirt...
it was a fun sewalong! thanks to stephanie, yaiann and mari for hosting. i look forward to sewing more interesting projects. now i need to find a pair of red ballet slippers.
** thank you becky for sharing your skirt. when i first saw the skirt, i never thought i would one day be able to make one myself. the power of blogging!
Comments
Great looking skirt. I *heart* the colors and length. You did an awesome job sewing it.
posted by Jessica on March 5, 2006 06:18 PM
Yay! You did it! I think you chose a very flattering combination of pattern, fabric and color.
posted by Karma on March 5, 2006 07:08 PM
Love your skirt, it is so gorgeous! I just finished mine an hour ago.
posted by vanessa on March 5, 2006 07:44 PM
Oh, it's such a lovely green with a matching T shirt too. Lovely drape of the fabric and pattern. Congrats on your gorgeous first skirt! Hmm, this is an interesting pattern - is it a wrap around skirt - no zip?
posted by erin on March 5, 2006 07:58 PM
Congratulations, Blossom!! The skirt looks wonderful on you! Thanks for sharing your progress photos.
posted by caitlyn on March 5, 2006 08:25 PM
Such a pretty skirt! Congratulations on your sewing, looks beautiful.
posted by Areli on March 5, 2006 08:28 PM
Great job Blossom! It looks great! And to think, you weren't even going to join the sew-along! =)
posted by Angela on March 5, 2006 09:14 PM
It looks wonderful! Great work!
posted by Beverly on March 5, 2006 11:06 PM
Beautiful skirt! Very inspiring... I must try to make one myself one day soon :).
posted by grumperina on March 5, 2006 11:32 PM
Beautiful! You did a fabulous job! I can't believe this is your first skirt ever. :)
posted by Cyndi on March 5, 2006 11:37 PM
Fantastic job, Blossom! I would never dare to show my sewing stitches close up, too uneven.
posted by Siow Chin on March 6, 2006 12:41 AM
it looks fantastic blossom! i am feeling inspired...
posted by jacqueline on March 6, 2006 12:41 AM
very lovely! hope i have the moolahs to get an electric sewing machine soon.
posted by Lois on March 6, 2006 02:10 AM
Congratulations on your first ever skirt Blossom. It is a lovely one. I am sure it is the start of many more sewing projects. May I ask if you've started something else already???
posted by francoise on March 6, 2006 02:51 AM
Oh WOW!! What a fabulous job you did and such a beautiful choice of fabric. Well done!
posted by nichola on March 6, 2006 05:29 AM
Beautiful! You have such neat work and the color looks great on you.
posted by brooke on March 6, 2006 07:32 AM
Hee hee! Congratulations on your first sewing project! Great job
posted by li on March 6, 2006 08:34 AM
I love your skirt! I can't believe it is just your first sewing project. Enjoy wearing it--it suits you!
posted by amanda on March 6, 2006 08:39 AM
Congratulations! You did a beautiful job! And it looks great on you!
posted by hege on March 6, 2006 08:41 AM
It looks fabulous! Now you'll love making more.
posted by margene on March 6, 2006 08:47 AM
Pretty pretty! All ready for spring!
posted by Jade on March 6, 2006 08:56 AM
I've always been a bit intimidated by sewing, but the skirt is so pretty I may just need to get over it...thanks for the inspiration!
posted by Michaela on March 6, 2006 09:35 AM
GORGEOUS! Blossom, that it one fabulous skirt. Great job on the sewing, the pattern, the fabric, and, as always, the photos. I'm so very glad you joined us in our little sew-along!
posted by Stephanie on March 6, 2006 09:57 AM
Wow! Great job! It turned out beautifully!
posted by Scout on March 6, 2006 09:16 PM
Wow! Fantastic and congratulations- you totally deserve a big smile on your face creating something like that as your first skirt!
Great to see the pics of the details and reading about the process too. Yes slip stitching is done by hand, and I usually finish my seams open- it tends to sit much better, especially on curved or shaped seams.
Well done getting the hem to sit so well! I hate hemming curved edges myself :)
posted by di on March 7, 2006 05:48 AM
The skirt is beautiful, nicely done! I enjoyed reading about all the details, very nice progress photos, thanks for a great post.
posted by Carin on March 7, 2006 07:57 AM
Great job! I love the print and color of the fabric - perfect for spring. You've inspired me to get out the ol' sewing machine - hopefully next week - and stitch up some goodies, particularly a new spring skirt. :)
posted by Elizabeth on March 7, 2006 08:57 AM
I'd love to make a skirt like this.
posted by Pip on March 7, 2006 11:57 AM
Oh that is just soooo very pretty - looks terrific on you! That's such a springy, poetic lovely green!
posted by karen on March 7, 2006 01:31 PM
I thought I'd look up your blog when I saw the lovely fabric choice you made for the Sewalong. You did a great job for someone who's never sewn a skirt before! I'm impressed!
posted by Marg on March 7, 2006 07:06 PM
So pretty! You did a great job, such straight stitches. I think I'm going to pick up that pattern too!
posted by joy on March 9, 2006 12:41 AM
Blossom - the skirt is just beautiful! i love the fabric and the simple construction. Great work!
posted by Lolly on March 10, 2006 06:52 AM
Great job on the skirt! It looks terrific. All the photos are wonderful too. Now I am thinking it is time to learn to sew...
posted by Diana on March 11, 2006 09:28 AM
Beautiful skirt and beautiful pictures. You did a great job, it's hard to believe this is your first skirt ever. I've been running into a few problems with mine but now I'm inspired all over again.
posted by Steph on March 13, 2006 01:24 PM