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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Firetruck proof skirt

It's been a busy few weeks! Last time I wrote was 3 weeks ago (which I'm not going to apologise for :)), life just got in the way. For those who missed it: we are about to move into our firetruck/campervan and travel Europe. We've got three weeks left in our house, during which we have to get rid of most of our stuff, pack the things we absolutely do not want to part with and oh yeah, we're also still in the process of releasing our first pattern, the Jade Skirt. As if that wasn't enough, I heard a couple of weeks ago that before we leave, I had to have a surgery. Luckily they were able to schedule me very fast, so I could get it this monday. So here I am in the midst of all this, lying on the couch unable to do anything :) But I'm recovering, and at least there's time to blog now! I did have time to photograph some projects last weekend, and first up is a skirt that I think is perfect for our trucklife.




It's the Megan Nielsen Cascade with some alterations. I'm sorry I couldn't get such a stunning location as SewBusyLizzy with hers. The busy pattern does not go well with the busy wallpaper and the busy carpet. The pattern might also be too small for a big skirt like this, I don't know. But it's a wonderful skirt to wear, so soft and swishy. It's a 100% viscose rayon like Liz' Cascade, and I think it's the best type of fabric for this skirt.



My only problem with the pattern was that it has SO MANY 'cascades'. It's basically a huge circle skirt. I don't remember what the original circumference was, but I took out half a yard, equally distributed along the skirt front and back. Not at the waist, just pie-pieces tapered towards the top. And it doesnt even show that much, except that maybe it doesn't hang quite the same at the sides. It was also the only way I could use this fabric because I only had 1,5 metres, while the pattern calls for 2.7 metres. I also had to make the button band option because of this, but I was going to anyway. I used two black snaps, I figured that would hold better than buttons.



I cut XS for the waist and XL for the hem, because I wanted it to be as long as possible and I'm 5 foot 10. This skirt is where I first noticed (AFTER cutting ofcourse) that I've gained some in my waist. The overlap is a few cm's short. It's still decent but I'd have to cut an S next time. Oh, and why it's perfect for truck life - it's a pretty high step up to get into the truck. I've tried with maxi skirts, and it's hard not to step on them. There's no chance of this happening with this skirt! Now let's hope we'll encounter some summery weather on our way. I say this is a 'south of Spain' kind of skirt :)

11 comments:

  1. I wish you a fast recovery Lisa and I hope you'll get better as soon as possible to be able to continue on the travelling plan and the pattern!

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  2. get well soon, lady! and, damn, i wanna move into campervan this very minure, and travel til the end of my life.. i wish i can find the way to do it :)
    let me know when you approach balkans :)

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    1. Thanks! It's on the schedule, but so is not following the schedule :) I'd definitely let you know!

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  3. Hope you feel well soon! I will be waiting in longing for the pattern:D

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  4. My, you've been busy! I hope you're ok and 'on the road' (sorry...) to full recovery!

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  5. Wow. The busy pattern goes great with the busy wall paper! Dealing with all of those cascades sounds complicated but the effect is great. Sorry to hear you had to have surgery, but glad to hear you are recovering nicely. So exciting to have European travel plans, and to do it in your own truck. What a great idea. And without a house to worry about, you'll be able to travel care free, the best way to travel.

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    1. Hey Susan, yeah that's exactly why we're doing it this way. We want to leave behind as little as possible so we'll have all the freedom in the world. Let's hope the pattern business can keep us on the road!

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  6. Ah, that sounds like quite an adventure! What is your itinerary? If you find yourself in central France, I know a sympatico couple who you would probably jive with.

    I LOVE my Jade skirt; I'm so happy I got to pattern-test it, and I can't wait till you release the pattern to the delight of many other sewists. Thank you for including me!

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    1. Hey Julianne, we don't really have an itinerary yet, but France is our first destination! I'm happy to hear you like your Jade, I can't wait for the release either.

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