Wear More Pencil Skirts

After all of your incredibly nice comments on the refashioned pencil skirt I never wear, I'm also feeling more comfortable wearing this one. Stef had some wise words about that as well. He said that I have a potentially great style, but I sometimes lack the courage to actually take it on. This applies to the pencil skirts: they look great on me, it makes me stand out in a good way, if only I could become comfortable with wearing them. The solution to this would be to just put them on and get used to it. Because I really do see that it looks good, standing out just makes me self conscious. But wouldn't it be great to look good and feel good about that at the same time? To put this into practice I'm wearing the dressed-down version on the right today!



This time it's made out of a heavy double knit jersey. Which is already a lot more comfortable than stiff cotton. Another geometric print, in black and white so it can be easily combined with coloured tops. I didn't use a pattern, but started with two squares of fabric. I pinched them at the sides starting at the top, and then noticed that if you take in all the fabric at the sides, the skirt will hang down straight from the widest part of your butt. Which is not what you want: you want it to move towards your legs again so it curves around your butt. I figured out that you need to start pinning bottom up instead of top down to achieve this. And if you do, you notice that you get excess fabric at the top. Which is what darts in the back are for. MAJOR AHA-ERLEBNIS. I used to think that these darts were for people with bigger butts. Seriously. It's okay, you can laugh now.



For those who didn't know this either (probably no-one), I've illustrated the pin-direction and the way the fabric will fall when seen from the side with arrows, red being the wrong one, green the right one. Instead of darts I inserted an exposed zipper and took fabric in this way. Which is not a very good idea because then you get this extra fabric at the end of the zipper. But the damage was already done so I fiddled a bit with some thread to minimize the bulgeing. Another lesson learned. See, this is why I like to design stuff myself, patterns never explain why certain features are used.

Anyway, I'm happy with the skirt because the fabric is awesome and comfortable and although it's not perfect, it's good enough!

P.S. Last chance to enter the Giveaway, it ends tonight!

(15:60 #8)

Thrift Store Treasures #6

I must have promised you the results of this refashion a dozen times already. It's the crazy maxi skirt, that some of you didn't even find that crazy! I bought it in Bergen back in November. A small reminder of what it looked like:

Oh foggy Norway, how I miss thee!

I made it into a pencil skirt by cutting it in half (almost) and tapering the sides. I also adjusted the front seam and the gaping waistband. I did this already in Norway, but I haven't worn it since. I didn't know what to pair it with. I guess my white shirt is an option, but maybe something a bit tighter would be better. I'm also short of occasions to wear it. At work I already stand out by having put some thought in what I wear :) Maybe I should go work in a proper office just to be able to wear it.


























I sure don't look like I enjoy wearing this skirt, but in fact I do :) It makes me feel very adult and businessladylike. I think it turned out pretty well. There's a slit in the back as well, I couldn't walk without it. I also like the V shape of the waistband. I am not sure about the length though, shouldn't it reach just above the knee? And I also think it would be best to make a pencil skirt in a fabric with a little bit of stretch. There's a bit of horizontal wrinkling going on at the front that might get worse should I actually wear it.



So, what do you think? Better than the crazy maxi skirt? Or would you rather wear that one? I have to say, when I see it from a distance like this, it doesn't look all that crazy. What do you think? Enlighten me you fashionista readers! :)

P.S. Don't forget to enter the Giveaway!

Giveaway x 2!

To celebrate my 2 year Blogoversaire , I've prepared two packages for you to win! In accordance with the 15:60 challenge they're all made out of scraps. The giveaway is open internationally, and ends on Sunday, August 12th 0:00 CEST.

Both packages contain a matching tote and pincushion and some fabric!

Package #1

Package #2

The totes are lined with unbleached cotton so they can hold heavy things. These scraps are among the oldest ones I have. The dark blue ribbed bottom of pincushion #1 is the first fabric I ever bought. I hand sewed a top with it when I was 15! You might recognize the blue fabric too from Tilly's Loire Valley skirt. I once made a dress out of it. The bottom of pincushion #2 is a leftover piece from my yellow hoodie. The purple flowered and dotted fabrics are quilting cottons.

One is a yard by 60" of orange polka dot fabric with a light sheen. It's beautiful but white and orange do not go well with my pale skintone. The other one is a 45 inch by 1,5 yard fabric with golden threads woven through. I meant to make a button down shirt with this, but it's not really my style. Could be perfect for Fall!

If you'd like to win one of these packages, leave a comment stating:

1. which one you'd like
2. which garment from last year is your favourite (choose here)
3. and a way for me to contact you!

(15:60 #7)

2 year blogoversaire!

Hurray! Two years have passed since I started my challenge to stop buying and start sewing. It was supposed to last only a year, but it has just become such a part of my life that I didn't stop after the first year. I do buy the occasional thing from a thrift store, but I still haven't bought any new clothes. The whole concept of shopping has just dissappeared completely from my system! Weird huh? Never thought that would happen.

Not much happened in the first half year because we were in Norway and my machine broke down. I did manage to make a tutorial for the mustard mini which drove people nuts until I added a video. The skirt appeared on Pinterest and got repinned like crazy (80.000 hits, can you believe it?) and then I got a serger for my birthday. I've been pretty productive since and new and exiting plans have started to form. But I'll tell you more about that when the time comes.

I liked doing a roundup last year to see what I've made, and which of those things were a succes. Here goes!

• The matching shrugs. Not the right pattern (because I eyeballed it instead of printing the pattern) and not the right material: already gave them away!
• Pink shirt refashion: wore it in Norway, but not back home. Gone!
• 2nd mini skirt: still wear it! More often than the first one. This one is half an inch longer and more comfy!
• Refashioned sweater: Practical for Norway, but just gave it away. 

• Crazy maxi skirt. I refashioned it but haven't worn it yet. I'll finally show it to you later this week. so you can help me decide!
• Refashioned sweater. Not sure what happened to this one or why, but I don't have it anymore. Probably because it's still not my style. I do like the technique though. 
• Mustard with eyes skirt. Do still wear it but not very often. 
• Norwegian sweater. Yes! Looking forward to winter so I can wear it again.

• All serger sweater: Do still like it but it has stains that don't come off. Probably olive oil. 
• Batwings with buttons. Wearing it right now! 
• Cool shirt, pronounced by you. Should wear it more often!
• Altered men's shirt. Not good enough. Gone! 

• Smocked top. Yes!
• Failed maxi. I've ripped it apart and dyed it. I have new plans for a circle skirt.
• Puzzle shirt. An great basic for warm days. 
• Escher shirt. I wear it a lot, also a great basic piece. 

• Perfect blouse. Still my favourite piece! It recieved its first (tiny) inevitable red wine stains this weekend. 
• Summer dress for next year: turned into a summer dress for this year!

11 succesfull pieces, 6 bad ones. Of which 4 are refashioned items. Not too bad! I guess the general trend is that the most recent pieces always get worn the most. Last year the score was 5 bad ones, 14 good ones. But of those 14, another 5 have not made it to the end of this year. Plus, I gave the Dance pants to Stef and refashioned the party frock yet another time. I didn't like the purple, so I took it out, dyed the purple piece black and set it back in. I don't hang on to pieces I don't REALLY like anymore. If I have doubts about it, it will never be my favourite, I will always choose other pieces to wear instead and so it has to go. Simple!

So now I'm off to prepare a giveaway to celebrate this event and to distract you from the fact that my blogoversaire was actually yesterday. Ahem. The fact that my dad got married on friday has something to do with that, and also the fact that my new stepfamily is Belgian and they are known for their eating and drinking festivities. I blame the red wine stains on them, too. À plus tard!

Back on Twitter!

Just a quick post to let you know that I'm back on Twitter! I'll tweet about all things sewing related: WIP's, updates, sneak peeks, frustrations and revelations! 


Follow me @lisamakes to see the first sneak peek of a nearly finished project!