Retro Skirt of My Own Design With Tutorial

And here's my new skirt from the fabric I was so fortunate to receive from Molly. Thanks, Molly! I love it. It has a wonderful retro look and feel to it. The skirt is of my own design. Below is a little tutorial on how I did it. It's quick and easy and something you can do in about 15 to 25 minutes. So if you need a quick skirt, grab some cute fabric and go for it. I'm off to do a photo shoot. I'll show you Monday what a fun skirt this is to wear. *Update: Photo Shoot is now complete. Go here to see the photos.

First of all I decided how long I wanted the final length to be and cut off the excess. I also cut off a strip to use for the waistband since the is knit and has a bit of stretch to it. Otherwise, I could have used a piece of wide elastic on which to attach the skirt portion. If you use cotton or something other knit to makes yours, use wide elastic for the waistband. You don't even have to make a casing. Just sewing the the pleated or gathered skirt to the bottom inside portion of your elastic tube. Be sure to use the zig zag stitch so your stitches don't pop when stretched.

I measured just above my hips where I would like the skirt to sit and cut the waistband strip to that measurement and sewed together the ends with right sides together to make a tube.

I cut the width of the skirt portion to be about 1 1/2 times the width of my body. Then sewed it into a tube right sides together. The seam will be the back center seam.

Here are the two tubes, waistband and body of the skirt.

Then I folded and pinned the top of the skirt into little pleats all the way around. You could gather the top edge instead of pleating it by sewing two long basting stitches along the top and pulling the threads to gather. Then pin and stitch so your gathers don't come out.

Continue making pleats until the skirt is the same width around as your waistband. Then straight stitch over your pleats along the top, two rows a quarter of an inch apart to make sure the pleats do not come out. The turn the waistband inside out, lay it over the top edge of the skirt right sides together matching up your seams and stitch the edges together.

Flip the waistband up and turn under the top edge a quarter of an inch and stitch. And  that's it.  I didn't hem the bottom of the skirt since knit doesn't fray.

Thanks for looking. I'm off to do a photo shoot now and will show you how fun it is to wear this skirt on Monday. See you then.

Do Not Read This Post!! Trust Me. You Won't Like It.

Hey! I told you not to read this. Are you sure you don't want to visit someone else today? Okay. Okay. If you must continue on, be very, very careful. You may leave inspired to create something, and then people would come see you instead of me. I guess that's the risk I have taken when I did this post. I hope I will have future visitors after this.

I have been tagged by The Sew Convert in a game of eight questions. Here are my answers:

1) Which is your favorite piece of creation so far? Who was it for?

I made this dress from a 1940s pattern. I love vintage clothing. You can see more pictures and details of this dress by clicking here.

I also made a dress from a 1974 pattern. I call it Lady in Lavender. You can see more of that one by going here.

And besides the vintage garments I've made, my most favorite thing I've made is a little suit for my daughter Emily, who by the way has her own sewing and crafting blog. You can see more pictures of what I am calling the Faux Channel Suit by going here.

2) Which is the most memorable place you have travelled to and why?

Actually two, the Virgin Islands and Cancun & Cozumel. The latter was mine and my husband's honeymoon. I love hanging out at the beach. I just have so many wonderful memories of my time there: the blue waters, white beaches, beautiful shells, snorkeling and seeing the amazing coral and colorful fish, scuba diving, long walks on the beach hand in hand with the love of my life. 

3) What’s your favourite accessory?

I don't wear a lot of accessories. I always wearing a pair of earrings and sometimes a hat. The one thing I always wear are my sunglasses when outdoors.

4) Which is your must watch tv programme?

My must watch tv programme is Scooby Doo. "Ruh Roh." Just kidding. I don't watch much TV. When I do take the time to sit down and watch something, though, I much prefer shows that are along the lines of Pride and Prejudice. I also love old movies like My Fair Lady and Sound of Music.

5) Do you have another creative outlet besides sewing?

Yes, I do. I am so glad you asked. Two things: I am also an artist. I have an art blog as well, Artistic Creations With Trudy.

And I am passionate about hooping. I'm fairly new at it, but I'm picking it up quickly. It's a great way to get in shape.  It strengthens your core, is a good cardio workout and tones the entire body. Hooping works your upper and lower abdominal muscles, obliques, lower and mid back, gluteus (butt), upper thighs, as well as your heart and lungs because it is a great cardiovascular workout. It basically tones your entire body, as well as strengthening the back. Hooping is also low impact with no stress to the joints; so it is safe for everyone. It burns 2 to 400 calories per half hour. A half hour goes by very quickly because you are having so much fun. Another benefit is it is not possible to be unhappy inside a hoop. So if you feel down or depressed, pick up a hoop. The main thing I love about it is it is something that the whole family can do together. I don't have to sneak away from my kids to workout. I have tried many different workouts, but this is something I know I can stick with for life because I'm really playing not working out. I do not enjoy exercise at all. Exercise should be fun; as a matter of fact, getting in shape shouldn't require what we call exercise. It should be something that comes natural to us; for example, swimming, running around with our children and grandchildren, & hooping. Afterawhile walking another mile on the treadmill or sticking another aerobic dvd can get pretty boring. This I can do. If you would like to learn more about it, I recommend Googling Hoopnotica, Hoop Girl and Hooping with Safire on You Tube. Hooping.org is also another great resource. Also keep in mind that hooping is excellent for seniors. Hooping is spreading like fire across the nation, and many seniors are hopping on board. Here is a great article on the subject. Another thing to keep in mind is the kid hoops at Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, etc.,  will not work all because you are now bigger. You will need an adult-sized hoop, the larger the better. They are bigger around and heavier. My husband had to get one as high as his sternum before he was able to hoop. He is 6 foot. Mine goes up to my navel. I am 5' 7". My husband and I make our own handcrafted professional quality hoops. Email me if you have any questions how to get or make a hoop or about hooping in general. You can go to my about me page for my email. We are trying to spread the word because we would like to promote family fitness and the family having fun together. We will probably start a hooping group at some point. There are other groups, but one of the requirements of being a member of our group will be modest dress, clean language and non-sensual moves. I don't believe those things are necessary to enjoy this sport. I would like to provide a wholesome, family friendly environment while hooping without all of the inappropriate distractions.

Another thing I would like to do at some point in the future is learn how to play guitar. I love to sing, and I would love to enjoy both simultaneously.

6) What’s your favourite colour?

Purple.

7) Who or what inspires you to create?

I find my inspiration from the many blogs I visit. You guys are amazing.

8 ) Besides the sewing machine, your most important tool is…. and why?

A good pair of scissors; for without them, I would never get started on my projects. I also love to use a bodkin to pull elastic through the casing instead of a safety pin. Much easier. And I love my Fasturn for turning tubes. It takes two seconds. No struggling.

Well, that's enough about me. Now I will tag eight people I've recently met on blogsphere, well, actually six because Emily wants to be tagged. How can I not tag my sweet, precious little daughter? And I also thought I would tag my 17 year old daughter Kimberly of What to Wear's fashion blog as well. It's my duty to promote my kids' blogs. Right? All of these ladies are amazing. I find so much inspiration when I visit their blogs. Enjoy!

Here they are:

1. Emily of Super Stitches

2. What to Wear

3. Sassy Lassies Vintage Life 

4. Casey's Elegant Musings

5. Sing Me the Old Songs

6. Molly's Sewing and Garage Sale Adventures

7. Welcome to the Good Life

8, Kim's Kouture

Your eight questions are:

1. Why do you sew?

2. Do you have a favorite sewing technique that you could share with us which would help us improve our sewing?

3. What are your favorite things you have sewn?

4. What are your five most absolute favorite sewing blogs?

5. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

6. What is something you would like us to know about you that you have never shared on your blog?

7. What is your favorite memory from childhood?

8. Can you share with us any secrets you have learned to successful living or your motto?

I guess that wasn't so bad. Thanks, Everyone. Come back soon!

SIDENOTE: I would also like to add that I was also tagged by Carolyn of Handmade by Carolyn. I love her blog and read it every day. She posts every single day. I highly recommend you pay her a visit and look around. I was too busy to answer a second set of questions, but would still love to give her a mention since she was so kind to include me in the game of tag. Thank you so much, Carolyn.

Linen Gauchos - Butterick 4744

I made some gauchos out of embroidered linen from Butterick 4744, View E. It has a fitted waist with facing and zipper in back. It sewed up very easily and is so comfortable to wear. I adore them. I'll probably make some more. I may even make the long shorts, View A.

While my husband was snapping these pictures for me in our backyard, my toddler ran up and wanted me to hold him and then our dog wanted me to play.

You can sign up as a fan on my Sewing With Trudy Facebook Fan Page in my sidebar by clicking "Like." And please vote for me for the Seamingly.com directory today and each you come to my blog. Just click on the button in my sidebar. I really appreciate it.

PARTING SHOT:

My daughter Emily made herself a skirt. You can see more pictures on her blog.

Country Girl For a Day In My New Skirt

City girl turned country for a day. I made this lovely skirt in another paisley fabric, pink paisley. I love pink. I love paisleys.
We went to visit some friends in the country on their 130 acres. We carved pumpkins and ate dinner. The kids played outside while the adults visited. We had a wonderful time hanging out with friends. And it was a great place to take pictures of my McCall's 4875 skirt. It was so easy to make and is so comfortable to wear.

Construction tip: Do you know how long it takes to hem a circle skirt with this much fabric? A long time. I'll let you in on a little secret. It took me less than ten minutes. I didn't have to use any pins, and I didn't even have to fold up the hem, iron it or anything. I used a hemming foot. You just place the raw edge of the bottom of the skirt fabric in the foot, press the presser foot, and the foot does all of the work. It folds it and stitches it. Try it. You'll love it.

I'll post some pictures of the pumpkin carving on my art blog sometime during the week after Thanksgiving.

PARTING SHOT:



My daughter made some mittens for her baby doll and a bonnet for her Barbie. It's so sweet. I know it would mean so much to her if you were able to take the time to stop by her blog and pay her a visit and say hi in the comment box.




I'm participating in the Sew Mama Sew December Giveaway December 2nd. I've chosen an awesome prize to giveaway. Check back Tuesday for details.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone!

Lovely and Stylish Muu Muu Dresses

I made three very lovely muu muu or caftan dresses, whatever you like to call them, for my aunt out of 100 percent cotton from McCall's 5640. She chose View B, but without the sleeves. It has a square neck. The brown one she had me lengthen 4 inches. They were very easy to make. I only had one problem, the inside shoulder straps, which I will explain with the pictures below. They are all pretty, but the brown one is my favorite. My aunt agrees. I just think the fabric is so gorgeous. She says they are very comfortable. She wears them when she's home relaxing.










I sewed a ribbon on the inside of the back neck piece to show which side is the back.



In the next two pictures, the gathers are very easy to see.






Here you can see where I was having a problem with the inside shoulder seam. I just can't figure out for the life of me how to get those pieces to meet so that I can neatly slip stitch it closed. If anyone has any tips, please share.



So I just sewed a piece of fabric over it on the inside just to cover it up because it bothered me so much. I thought this would look better than leaving it wide open.




I did the French seam on the side seams.








I made my own bias tape for the arm holes with the same fabric. I like how this turned out.



This clearly shows the top stitching. I top stitched the yoke pieces in all of the dresses.



NOTE: As a reminder, and for those who may not have seen my previous post, I have started a separate blog where I post my art: collage, painting, crafts, just whatever. And this blog will, for the most part, stick to sewing topics. Currently on my art blog, I have a tutorial for how to make the card that is pictured. The previous post is of a cardinal that I painted with acrylics. I will be showing some collages I've made soon and the papers I prepared beforehand to use in the collages and explain how I did them. I also plan to show some crafts the kids and I have done and will be doing. I have a beautiful photograph I took of an American Beauty Berry I'll be putting on there as well. So if this interests you, please go and take a look from time to time. Thanks again for taking the time to come to my blog and/or blogs. And thank you to those of you who leave me comments. You make my day. You are so encouraging. You-all are great!

PARTING SHOT:

My nephew is heading to Iraq in December. It's hard for me to believe he's all grown up now and that he is going over there. He just graduated from high school this past May. He made a huge commitment. He signed up with the Army for seven years. He says he wants to make it his career. He's very excited. Please keep him and all of our men and women who are serving in your thoughts and prayers.

Dreamy Paisley Skirt

Romantic, dreamy, four-tiered, comfortable, boho, gypsy skirt. How's that for a description? It sort of qualifies as a refashioned or repurposed project as well because the material I made it out of was originally being used as a table cloth for a round end table and as sofa pillow coverings. I love paisleys; so I didn't want to throw out the fabric. There was enough fabric to make myself, my daughter and her doll a skirt. If you are wondering what that is peaking out from beneath, it's pantaloons. It kind of added to the romantic feel.

I am so sorry, but I can't find the pattern. I believe it is out of print. If I find it, I'll be sure to add it to this post.