Take Two - Simplicity 2516

It's amazing how much you can knit in a few hours while chatting. I'm already at the underarm decreases for the back. That piece is almost finished. So is my Christmas skirt. I have the waist left to do otherwise, WONDERFUL!




It started with this rather boring Simplicity 2516 skirt pattern. IMHO the proportions of the model garment are off. I sewed the short pink version and the second layer is 3" longer than the top one. That's too long. I changed it by lengthening the upper layer another inch and adding a scalloped edge.

Whenever a garment is lined, sewing the lining is an opportunity to make any fit adjustments. By sewing it first, you are alerted to any areas of difficulty that could be changed before the fashion fabric is cut out. This is that regular $15.00 but on sale for $1.00 in the discount section lining fabric that I originally bought for the McCall's skirt. There's still enough left for one more project.

Along with being rather addicted to fabric, I must have a fear of running out because I always buy LOTS. This green lace is left over from my daughter's wedding AFTER making my Mother Of The Bride skirt. Good thing I had so much though. Everything you see in this posting, with the exception of adding the tulle, I did twice because I sewed the panels together wrong. Picking lace apart would have been a lesson in frustration so I cut and sewed another upper skirt and I'll refashion the "mistake" into something else.

The fabric had two scalloped selvages. The edge of the skirt is curved and the selvage is straight so the scallops were cut out and appliqued to the bottom edge of the skirt once the panels were sewn together. When doing this, I choose a line on the scallop to cut along that will make the edging easy to sew back on.

You can see that line a little more clearly in this picture. The edging was pinned to the bottom and then sewn in place with a zigzag stitch in matching thread. Between the scallops, you can see the layering of net and embroidery.

After stitching, the excess fabric is cut away from behind the edging. Compare between the two scallops on the left and the two on the right. Isn't it amazing how much of a difference that makes? It's worth the work. I use really sharp applique scissors.

For some reason, I really REALLY wanted a tulle edge on my skirt. A few weeks ago, I went to the mall and found a dress with a similar bottom and tried it on just to make sure that was what I wanted and I did. In the picture above, the tulle is gathered by setting the machine for a long stitch and holding my finger behind the presser foot forcing the fabric to bunch up. It's quite easy and quick.

Here it is finished. The tulle is 6" wide in this picture which is much wider than what I needed however, I could trim it down but not widen it so I started wide and worked from there. The part I cut off will be usable for another project.

After the tulle was sewn in place, the raw edge was covered with a soft lingerie elastic. This looks pretty and will prevent the edge of the tulle from catching on the lace overlay and trying to crawl up inside.




In the end, the tulle was trimmed to 2". LOL - I showed the skirt to my husband before trimming and he thought it looked like a broom was sticking out from underneath, a look that he said improved greatly when the tulle was trimmed. The women at Arts & Crafts Club said it was sexy. That's more what I was looking for.

Here it is on Millicent. I'll finish the waistband the middle of next week. I'm waiting to see if my waist size changes. I don't want the skirt falling off or shifting around while dancing. The party is a week Saturday. To go with the skirt, I'm working on this out of print Vogue 2893 top.




I plan to leave off the pockets and exchange the lacing for an exposed zipper with rhinestone teeth. The pattern is a size 18-20-22 which is MUCH too big so I've traced the 18, cut out a muslin, and will work out the fit on that before getting to the fashion fabric. A few years ago, I attempted to make a black, silk dupioni dress that became a fitting nightmare. It's in my refashion box and I'm hoping that when I cut it apart there will be enough fabric for the top and if not, that I can buy just a little bit more.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - This morning, I've been invited to a craft show and out for coffee by someone I just met. Over the last year, I've slowly starting meeting people, getting out of the house, and becoming less lonely. YES YES!

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Personal Growth - Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets. And now, isn't it wonderful all the ways in which this distress has goaded you closer to God? You're more alive, more concerned, more sensitive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible. Looked at from any angle, you've come out of this with purity of heart. And that is what I was hoping for in the first place when I wrote the letter. - 2 Corinthians 7

On some occasions, usually only the really easy ones, I have learned from the good example of others. Otherwise, the majority of deep learning in my life has come about through tough situations. I like to be in control. When I'm not, I can get upset, angry, and unreasonable because I'm scared. There have been so many tough situations now that I'm learning how to let go and lean on God and to trust that the other end will be a place of peace... eventually, if not immediately.

Apparently this is a lesson I've been slow getting. I've had to learn it over and over and over again. There seems to have been a lot of tough situations to deal with. Some of the worst have indeed taught me to be more alive, concerned, sensitive, reverent, human, passionate, and responsible. This is good. I need to keep that learning in mind in all situations.

The lesson must be coming. Someone commented the other day that I was dealing with a lot of stress right now to which I responded really, not that much. She then listed everything she knew of and I guess it was a lot. Perhaps I've also gotten used to this way of being and am leaning and trusting better. If so, I'm glad. It's so much easier than stressing. The next time I'm completely wigged out, remind me - LOL. I can know that God is the source of my strength and yet, when my head is spinning in circles, I can completely forget to ask.