Saturday, December 29, 2012

Clothes CPR....skirt shortening

Happy Saturday......we are waking up to a nice blanket of snow here this morning. After having so few snowfalls last year, I almost don't remember what it looks like with snow on the ground!

Lately, I've been taking pieces of clothing that are a bit out of style and trying to revive them. I could always donate them to the thrift store, but I'm trying my hand a bit at making them into something else.

This project was not necessarily a repurposing, but more of a reshaping of a skirt I have had for a long time. I love the tweed fabric of the skirt and it is from several years ago. The trend was longer, calf-length skirts. It resulted--in this skirt--in a really long and very wide A-line shape to it. My aim was to shorten and take it in some. This particular skirt also had an unfinished edge that added some visual interest, so I was going to try to replicate that, too.

I am posting pics of what I did....but I am in no way an expert sewer, so this is not a tutorial. : ) What I did do was read about 4-5 different tutorials to see what people did and then just kind of try it myself. I have to be honest, this was an intimidating project....I just about took the skirt to a tailor. Then, my son said, "Why don't you just do it yourself?" Well, here goes.

Here is where I began....



Great skirt, just did not do a whole lot for my shape with the length/A-line shape. I turned it inside out to see how short to make it and how much to take it in.



I wanted to have the skirt hit right around the knees and then make it a little more straight on the sides. I ended up sewing the sides first and then doing the hem.





To make the edging on the hem, I just sewed a seam where I wanted it, then pulled out one or two rows of the tweed pieces to make it kind of fringe-y.

I wanted to be able to wear boots with the skirt and see the top of the boots.

Here is a pic with boots. Although I do not have a styled pic....



I love that my over-the-knee socks can show or else I can wear tights. I declare victory.


Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage
Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Show and Share Day at Just a Girl
Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life
Addicts (not so) Anonymous Addicted to Decorating
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Project Parade at The DIY Showoff
Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime
Tip-Toe Thru Tuesday at Crayon Freckles
Pinspirational Thursday at The Artsy Girl Connection
Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill
Tuesday Talent Show at Chef n Training
Flaunt Your Flowers  at Tootsie Time
What I Wore/What's Up Wednesday at Rae Gun Ramblings
Sunday Roundup at A Rosie Sweet Home
Overflowing with Creativity at It's Overflowing

2 comments:

grace martin said...

I really want to start doing little things like this to my clothes!! I have so many things that need just a little tweak but I never get around to it

Fred Reeder Jr. said...

Now all's ya need is a professional photographer to show off your skills! Or hire me. I'm cheap.