Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Orange you glad I didn't say banana again?

Well, orange you?*

Y'all, I made the most fun skirt I've ever owned.
Just a simple A-line, side-zipped cotton skirt, with a little rickrack trim.
And it makes me fantastically happy.


I found this yummy orange print at JoAnn on clearance for $2/yd.
Two dollars a yard!
I had spied it earlier in the season and thought it was cute, but I didn't think I "needed" it. Once it showed up on the clearance rack, though, I couldn't resist. This little skirt only used about a yard and a half. So I call it my $3 skirt (okay, okay, plus rickrack and a zipper - I guess that makes it my $6 skirt).


pattern: Sew What! Skirts, A-Line Skirt, Fitted Waist
This book doesn't really do "patterns" per se. She teaches you how to draw your own skirt patterns based on your own measurements and specifications. It is an awesome book. I first read about it here. I would highly, highly recommend this book for anyone even thinking about sewing a skirt. It was by far the simplest skirt effort I've made (I much prefer the size-zip to the back-zip of Sew U, though with Sew What! you can choose to do back-zip if you prefer. Basically, you can do anything you want.) I added the rickrack trim that the book shows on the "Singing the Blues" variation. I LOVE rickrack.
fabric: 100% cotton, orange print.
notions: black medium rickrack, black 7" zipper.
modifications: You can't really call anything a modification since the whole book is based on modifying everything to your personal fit and tastes. Still, after all was done, I did have to add darts to fit my waist a little better. In fact, I should probably go back and add a couple more. It's a tad loose (and I can't figure out why, since I thought I measured myself pretty accurately).
verdict: I LOVE this skirt. It is comfortable, cute, and a little bit sassy. I've gotten so many compliments on it that I just want to make more, more, more. The best compliment of all, though, came from My Old Man, when he declared it "perfect." Not bad for a few dollars and a couple of hours of work!


My original plan had been to embellish with an applique on one of the lower corners of the skirt (I've never really done applique). I cut a circle out of black fabric (about the size of a navel orange) and then cut a smaller half circle out of the orange fabric. I was going to applique the half circle on top of the black circle and then applique the black circle onto the skirt. But once My Old Man declared the skirt perfect as it was, I decided to stop there (I was a little nervous about my first applique attempt anyway). Now I'm having visions of maybe making an appliqued totebag with the black and orange fabric. In my head, it looks awesome. We'll see if I actually pull it off. (making totebags is kind of far down on my list right now since I have so many clothing items I want to make first)


Close-up of the rickrack.
I loooovvve rickrack.

So, there ya go. My first summery skirt. Can you tell I'm freakin' proud?


And now for something completely different.
Dude.
Look what I did.
Or, I should say, look what I had done.
Kind of by accident.


I went in for a pre-vacation trim.
I walked out two hours and a few inches later.


But I kind of like it.



*This is the punchline from the aforementioned knock-knock joke.
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Banana.
Banana who?
Knock-knock.
Who's there
Banana.
Banana who?
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Banana.
Banana who?
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Orange.
Orange who?
Orange you glad I didn't say banana again?


11 comments:

Unknown said...

All way too cute, the skirt, the fabric, the hair and you!

staceyk said...

That skirt is too cute! And, we have been through the knock knock phase with my 4 year old! I heard that one alot!

OMG! Your hair is great! And I have to say, I think you look younger! Not that I thought you looked old! But, still, younger!

Unknown said...

Wow, the skirt and the hair both look fantastic!

I also get the knock-knock joke a lot, but my 4yo's take on it starts with orange. Orange, orange, orange, orange, orange you glad I didn't say orange? Which makes absolutely no sense but which he finds hilariously funny.

Melinda said...

Adorable! The skirt looks fantastic and the hair is cute and summery.

nova said...

I love the skirt, and I love the haircut. My hair always gets cut too short by accident. The curse of the curly-haired girl...

Meredith said...

I love the skirt! I actually just cut out pieces for a skirt from that book, but I'm afraid that I may have made it a bit too small so I haven't put it together yet.

I love your haircut too--it's perfect on you!

lyca said...

OH MY GOSH I LOOOOOOOOVE YOUR HAIR!!!!!! WOW!!!!

Felicia said...

LOVE that beautiful orange skirt. Plus, you look beautiful in it. Thanks for bringing back elementary school joke memories :)

Felicia
http://fluffyflowers.typepad.com/

s.i. michaels said...

You have made some ridiculously cute things. I've heard so much good stuff about the Sew What book that I know I'll have to pick it up eventually.

Rachel said...

Wow, your hair looks phenomenal! And the skirt is incredibly cute. There's nothing better than cute for cheap, is there?

tarot cards said...

What a goregous skirt. I love the print! it would make me feel happy too!