However, I did make another iteration of the Shams Not-A-Tablecloth Skirt, correcting all the mistakes I made in the first one and making shiny new ones. Look at this lovely corner (and there are four more just like it)!
See the tidy folded hem which is not at all just a bunch of shaggy serging! (Oops, no pic.) And the nicely turned elastic waistband!
Well, sort of nicely turned. If I'd cut a waistband more than twice the width of the elastic that would have worked better. But OK.
And I learned something! In her tutorial, Shams says to make the hole for the waist (the Not-A-Tablecloth Skirt is basically a square circle skirt) big enough for the wearer's waist or hips. My hips are, um, generous. Making the waist large enough to get around my hips creates a lot of bulk that has to be gathered into the elastic at the waist. What I should have done is make the waist big enough to get around my shoulders and chest where, in my neighborhood, there is a lot less real estate.
I made this just in time to see Vogue Patterns come out with its version of the dress Shams originally copied to draft this skirt:
Mine doesn't look anything like this one--does anyone's? Mine looks more like this photo:
that is, bulky and shapeless. Success!
Anyway, here's my skirt:
It's made of a middle-weight cotton I bought to make duvet covers for every bed in the house, so I bought a lot of it. A. Lot. Then, of course, decided not to bother with the duvet covers. Since then I've made it into two pairs of pajamas and this skirt. On the whole, not a bad decision.
UPDATE: My commenters are very kind, and I must definitely stop complaining (and get sewing!), but I'll just point out that Vogue doesn't think this style looks good on anybody:
Way to sell a perfectly good pattern, Vogue!
That looks great, it's a wonderful colour for a skirt. I don't know what was up with Vogue, those pictures are so bad I get distracted from the clothing.
ReplyDeleteYou are way too hard on yourself (but then again, aren't we all???) Skirt looks super, and you have made it well. So, what is next up for the red ex-duvet covers????
ReplyDeleteYou are too hard on your self! It looks fantastic. I really like all the versions of that skirt I see around the interwebs. The fabric falls in such a nice way. On a sidenote: what is up with vogue's model poses? What is she doing in that first photo? Is the sitting on something, squatting, scratching her back on the window? Lol! So strange!
ReplyDeleteDitto above--we are too hard on ourselves. We are, after all, just people. Your outfit looks super. Wear it and be proud.
ReplyDeleteI really like it, the shaping and hemline take it way beyond being a simple gathered skirt, and you've styled it really well. But yeah, what the heck is with those Vogue model poses??
ReplyDeleteLove the color and the style looks good on you! Enjoy it and wear it in good health. In other news, I received my David Coffin book that I won in your giveaway and it is awesome! I am happy, happy, happy. Thanks so much, you are a great sewing buddy that I hope to actually meet at some point.
ReplyDeleteThe skirt looks great! Don't worry about it. And if you're obsessing about body issues, find a good women's yoga class and be super serious with daily attendance. I find the meditation helps a lot with stuff like that-not to mention the actual asanas helping with toning, weight loss, etc.
ReplyDeleteI'm too old to actually obsess anymore, but yoga is on my list of things to do. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteActually, I like your version better. I think that the color and the fabric make for a lovely sculptural shape that the skinny woman in the grey dress doesn't have. A bit of volume looks better when ther is something a bit more substantial inside.
ReplyDeleteNice FO!! Love this skirt. I also love how you belted this outfit. Is that a scarf or a belt? I love the colors.
ReplyDelete