Skirting the Issue

On Friday I got together with my sewing buddy, Linda, to participate in a skirt sew-along hosted by Stitched in Color.  The free pattern is by Anna Maria Horner and so is the fabric I used.  The pattern calls for a yard and a half of a lightweight fabric and an equal amount of lining fabric.  I used this gorgeous Anna Maria Horner voile, Field Study Cell Structure.  I wish you could feel it.  It is divine!  I bought it on sale from Pink Chalk Fabrics.  For the lining I used cotton batiste which I bought at my local fabric store.  It really worked well with the voile.

Basically you cut two rectangles based on your waist measurement and the desired length of the skirt.  You sew the rectangles together in a tube and then do the same with the lining.  You sew the feature fabric to the lining, right sides together, along the top.  Next, you sew four channels along the top where you will thread four pieces of 1/4" elastic.  This step is not hard but it is tedious.  The result is a wonderfully comfortable waistband that you can easily position where you want to wear it.  Then you sew a machine-stitched hem and you're done!

I love everything about this skirt!  The cute fabric, the lightweight feeling, the style, and the ease with which I made it.  I encourage you to look at the pictures of the other skirts and check out the pattern.  Try it!

Anna Dress

Recently, my friend, Linda, her daughter, Megan, and I took a dress class at the Finch Sewing Studio in Leesburg, Virginia.  The three of us, plus two others, spent a delightful day making a dress.  The class was taught by the owner of the Finch, the incomparable Nicole.  She knows everything there is to know about sewing.  The pattern we used was the Anna Dress.  It comes in a short and a long version, with two different necklines and an optional slit up the front of the maxi version.  I am so pleased with the way my dress came out.  What a great day!

Urban Girl Wrap Skirt

In March, I attended Sew South, a modern sewing retreat, which was tremendously fun.  The founder and organizer, Jennifer of Ellison Lane Quilts, solicited sponsors which resulted in us receiving a huge amount of swag:  fabric, thread, interfacing, patterns, etc.  One of the sponsors was Kati Cupcake Pattern Company.  From them we received a free pattern to make the "Urban Girl Wrap" skirt.

Well, friends, I made the skirt!  Isn't it cute?  And it was so easy.  Just three pattern pieces plus the waistband.  The pink you see in the picture is bias tape which is used to enclose the raw edges and also forms the hem.  Ingenious!  The fabric is Amy Butler from a few years ago...from my stash.  Love it!!!