Randomness

Good Lord.  It's the end of November, and I've only managed to blog once this month.  I have been sewing, I swear, but this project is taking me forever.  I'd originally thought I'd wear my new coat for a trip to Christmas in the Park on the 14th with E's cub scout troop.  That didn't happen.  Then I thought I'd be able to wear it on vacation to Branson.  Um, that didn't happen either.  Then, I thought, ooh, maybe I'll be able to wear it on the 8th grade field trip to see A Christmas Carol at the Rep.  Nope.  Thanksgiving?  Nope.  So much for self-imposed deadlines and overly-optimistic time constructs.

I'm still plugging away, but getting ever closer.  In lieu of having a finished project to show--as it may yet be a while--here's a random list of good things over the past month.

• Light keeper Pro--it may actually involve magic.  I don't know how it works, but it does.  And you get to shoot your offending lights.

• Girl, Stolen--my students encouraged me to read this, so I'm doing our assigned project over it. Yes, I read young-adult fiction.  Yes, I actually do the projects I assign, too.  Is that weird? 

• The Way Way Back--my  husband picked this up from the Redbox last night, and it was freakin' hilarious.  Cringe-worthy, relatable, and laugh-out-loud funny.

• These patterns, which I picked up for 50 cents each.  Don't know when/if I'll actually get around to making them.  Maybe if I ever finish this coat, and about 50 other projects.  That wrap dress is sheer perversity.

• This post, I Want to Be What She's Wearing, from author Jenny Crusie, on characters and clothing. Yes, that's from Call the Midwife. I really wanted a picture from the final scene of season 2, episode 8, where Jenny climbs on the back of the scooter in a great blue skirt, but gave up looking for it.

So, that's been November.  I'm thankful for so many things, not the least of which includes family and friends, and the ability to do so much, and I know December is going to pass equally fast.  Hope everyone else is enjoying the season as much as we will.  : )

The Everyday Skirt that Lives up to its Name

The Details: 

Pattern: Liesl + Co Everyday Skirt

Fabric: single weave wool, inherited from Grandma's stash

Notions: interfacing, 1/2" elastic, top-stitching thread

This was, quite possibly, the easiest skirt I've ever made. If I cursed once, it was a top-stitching thread curse, not at all related to the pattern.  Even piecing together the downloaded pattern was easy...unlike Burda patterns that get taped together in one gigantic 5 sheet by 6 sheet poster, these are taped together just into individual pattern pieces, AND they're printed with 1" grid lines so they're easy to line up.  I did have a slight head scratching moment though, before I realized I needed to cut one of my printed pieces in half in order to align the two slivers to the main piece.  Love.  Easy-peasey, and paper-saving, too.

 

The only downside I can come up with is the sizing; which really isn't a downside.  I originally cut a medium, as that's where I fit on the size chart, but went with a small in this one.  I am never a small in anything, seriously.  Ever.  In any case, if you're at the upper ranges on the size chart, you might be okay; there is ease built in, and you don't actually fit it to yourself until you insert the elastic in the back waistband. Going with a smaller size also cut down on the poofiness of the skirt around my butt, which can only be considered a good thing.

Gathered front with waistband

It was really hard to get good photos of the color of this fabric--the top picture is probably the closest to the actual color; it's kind of a green-gold, not really mustard, but more of an 'antique gold' color.  I'll be honest, I've struggled with this fabric since I first brought it home from my grandma's house--it's not chartruese, which I would have liked, and it's not khaki, which would be easy...and I'm still not sure I particularly like it, but it is growing on me.

In any case.  I had no hope of matching thread to it, so I went with gold topstitching thread, and just tried to make it look like an intentional 'design feature'.

Also, regular thread just got lost in the weave.

Side view of pocket + elastic back waistband

I also wasn't 100% sure I liked the idea of a elastic-waisted skirt.  I KNOW how I feel about elastic-waist pants, but I did that vehemence transfer to skirts?  I don't know.  In any case, this is okay.  I left my sweater untucked so it didn't show, but I could also wear this with a cardi and be covered just as well.

closer view of waistband

How I will most likely wear this

This really is an every-day skirt.  It was dead comfortable today, and I went through a whole day of teaching essay format, reviewing verbals, and ending with a curriculum meeting without a hitch. 

The elastic was comfy, but those pockets were divine.

Have you ever gotten home, and realized how much stuff you actually had in your pockets that you'd completely forgotten about?

At some point, I realized that in addition to my car keys, I had a jumbo pencil, pink pearl eraser, my name badge, and a dry-erase marker in one pocket, and my phone (and full disclosure: a candy wrapper) in the other.  

Clearly, I need more of these.