Quick update

My green wool skirt is already stitched up, except for the invisible zip. I started a thread on Patternreview about why invisible zips disgust me, but perhaps my problems are due to the fact that I'm using a Coats&Clark zipper on the generic invisible zipper foot that is designed for the YKK ones. So today I'm ordering some YKK invisible zips and hoping the experience will be a bit more pleasant.

The skirt needs to be lined so I washed and dryed the lining yesterday. Today it will get a good press and since it looks to be bad weather tonight here in the Poconos with freezing rain and snow, maybe it can actually be cut out tonight.

One thing that is great about the skirt--the pattern is TNT. What a time saver and it's quick sewing too. The skirt was actually long, somewhat fitted, and had godets, but I cut to the part just above the godets, added a hem, and now it will be a mini skirt.

On my leather mini, I unstitched the side seams for the lining. It will need another long strip of lining fabric just like the leather did, so maybe that will get cut out today too. Once the lining issue is taken care of, everything else should be quick to get this done.

Lately, I'm trying to be fearless. For too long I've been looking at my stash, especially my more expensive wools from NYC, and just dreaming about what they could be. I'm actually cutting into them and making garments and it feels GOOD! Just like the leather mini. It's been sitting around while I'm thinking, "What if I screw it up?" And what if I do? (Which I won't ;) !) The leather can be used for something else. Somebody has the tagline at Patternreview which goes something like this, "Feel the fear and do it anyway." That's what I'm doing. Expensive fabrics seem to bring out that fear. But really, what is there to lose. It's not a life, just an expensive piece of fabric. Gotta keep it all in perspective.

The Reconstruction Period

And I'm not talking US History either. It's my leather skirt. I was SO proud of this mini skirt back in high school. Bought it when I was a Senior and felt so hip in it when wearing it.

Fast forward 24 years...my sister just gave the skirt back to me. I gave it to her once I started having kids, but she feels she'll won't be able to wear it. We both have to be at our skinniest to wear it. A couple weeks ago I previewed my retro Simplicity jacket and was wearing the skirt. I was really smiling in the pic because I felt like one of those pattern models. Everything looks good in the front, but don't look at the back LOL. My zipper wasn't zipped up ;) !

The skirt is such a nice length and is still such a nice wardrobe piece that I just can't part with it now, but it needed updating. I started deconstruction of the skirt so it could be reconstructed to my age 40-something size. It's great doing that and seeing what RTW manufacturers do in making their garments. The waistband was removed and I found a nice, stiff piece of hair canvas used for interfacing. Lots of glue too. Ribbon was used to secure the free-hanging lining to the side seams of the leather skirt. Last night I seam ripped the side seams and cut the waistband in half lengthwise. I'm using those waistband strips to create a narrow leather (about 1") insert strips down the side seam for some extra width. I really don't need the width at the bottom, just from the hipline up to the waist, but it seems like it will work out fine. There was a enough time last night to attach the side seam strips to the original back seamline. Today I will attach the other lengthwise strip to the front side seam. Tomorrow I'm hoping to work on adding some width to the lining. Here's a pic of the skirt in progress right now. On the left side you can see the waistband strip connected to the skirt back. The other side is the same. Just that little extra strip on both sides should help me get another 20 years out of this skirt :) .

Next Sunday's church outfit will be this black leather mini, my patterned lace hose with black heels and my new green wool short swing coat that I finished yesterday. The mini is actually long enough to look elegant and not sleazy so that should be okay for church.

I also plan on whipping up a matching skirt for my green wool swing coat. There seems to be enough fabric left and I have a great TNT pattern to use with it. Once I get that done, I've decided I'm going to need a black blazer. Slowly my dressy wardrobe for my go nowhere lifestyle is becoming more coordinated. And, of course, I need to make one more winter coat before focusing on spring dresses.

Oh...to many things to do, too little time. Focus! Must focus. So, my plans for the week are finishing the leather mini, cutting out and sewing up my green wool skirt, and cutting out my baby blue mini dress. These are my goals for the week.

Tomorrow I will write about a great book that I intend to review over at Patternreview. The inspiration for this book purchase was a comment/terrific idea in one of my garment reviews by Phyllis, one of the Sewing Divas.