Selfish swap

Hi all!

Well, things did not go as planned for my project. My first mistake was leaving this swap until the last week (I know better!) but I had other swaps and well, I put it off.

Then, my car died earlier this week.  First, I was stressing over what was wrong and how much it would cost.  Second, I needed a car during the day because of course, I have a dentist appointment and there are errands that absolutely cannot wait.  So, I shared cars with my husband for a couple of days while mine was in the shop.  We both work, but I work nights and he works days so theoretically this should work.  My toddler and I had to wake up EARLY to take him to work...and my sewing time is night-time, after I get home from work and everyone goes to bed.   I was way too tired from being up at dawn.  Sewing was just not gonna happen.

Anyway, finally tonight I have had a somewhat normal day, I am rested and I am ready to sew. I go looking for my car seat cover, and can't find it.   Anywhere.  

I think it's in here...somewhere?

Ok, no problem. I have plenty of other things I want to do for myself. I started this little makeup bag a week or two ago - isn't it cute?

The pattern (I need to find the link, it's an internet freebie from somewhere.)

Fabrics for the makeup bag

When I originally started the makeup bag I got stuck because I don't have a zipper foot for my sewing machine.  I went to the fabric store, bought a generic one, and it didn't work.  So I went and exchanged it for another one last weekend.  Tonight, I install the NEW zipper foot and try to sew...and the needle hits the foot.  This foot doesn't fit either.  Gah!  (I live in a rural area and my nearest actual sewing machine dealer is an hour away.  I had been trying to save time with the generics but clearly, that didn't work.)  So I put the makeup bag project away and find yet ANOTHER project I want to do, just for me. 

This denim skirt is beyond old.  It is soft and comfy and worn in just right.  I stopped wearing it after losing 50lbs in the past 2 years, because it is mid-calf length and the length looks weird to me since my shape has changed.  It still actually fits...just looser than before.  So I decided to give it a new life.  I originally started this a few months ago and just put it away for some reason.

First, I cut off the extra length to make it just above the knee - a more flattering length for me:

Faithful denim skirt circa 1998-ish?

I had found some pretty ribbon at the fabric store a while back, and some fabric to match from my stash.  I cut the fabric into 4 inch strips.

I knew I wanted the ribbon and fabric along the bottom edge, but I had to decide if I wanted it like this:

Fabric is flat, following the line of the skirt

 Or like this:

Fabric is gathered, making a little ruffle at the bottom of the skirt

I decided that while the ruffle is very cute,  I wanted to do the more plain style for this project.  I didn't have enough fabric to make a ruffly enough ruffle, and ruffles are time consuming.  I will save the ruffle idea for another project - I have lots of old clothing to repurpose.

So I got started.  First I sewed up each of the vertical skirt seams about 1/8" in from the original seam, to reinforce them and also make the skirt a little smaller.  All these seams of the skirt were a bit worn looking and doing this really made a difference right away.  I forgot to take a pic of this step.

Next, I realized that I was a dummy and ripped out the bottom couple inches from the skirt's back seam, since I needed it to be open in order to add my embellishments.  I want to be able to close it all up at the end and have it look nice and neat.

And as ye sew, so shall ye rip. Or something like that.

Then I took my strips and combined them all together, and sewed a nice double seamed edge for the bottom of the skirt.  I don't have a serger so I have gotten used to double or french seaming everything I do.  I don't want to have to worry about stuff coming undone in the laundry. 

I sewed the fabric to the bottom of the skirt:

1/2" seam or so.  Hope it's not crooked!

And pressed:

Already an improvement from the boring old skirt

Then I pinned the ribbon around the skirt. 

Ok that is adorable.  Who knew I was so talented?

The ribbon was hanging off the edge of the table, so my cats "helped."

Violet and Kinsey staring intently, but resisting the impulse...

Kinsey just couldn't stand it anymore.  That ribbon had to DIE!

And this is where my story ends, for now.  I want to stitch the ribbon down CAREFULLY, because this is the part that will show.  And it's midnight, and I am tired, and I don't want to jack it up. 

Thanks for reading...hopefully tomorrow I will have an update with the finished product!  Maybe if you are lucky I will even model it for you :)

>S<