Modern McCalls meets 1930s Inspired

Finding cute skirt patterns can sometimes be a challenge. When I saw an unused pattern of McCalls 4924 (now out of print) for sale and in my size, there was no hesitation to purchase it.

 

 

My favorite views were A and B, and knew that my vintage woolen yardage would be perfect for this pattern. For days I was trying to decide if I wanted lace insets. Part of me liked the idea but then I wondered how modest it would be. I thought about doing solid fabric like this cute dress features, but my sister suggested that it might make the skirt look more "homemade." I came across a picture of this 1930s suit on pinterest, and thought that it wouldn't look so bad using the same fabric, so that's what I ended up using.

Since I avoid alterations if they can be helped, I made view B as is and love it. So onto the pictures... :) These pictures were taken this morning after church.

 

Maybe it's my imagination, but the buttons above the pleated insets really add that vintage touch to the skirt, don't you think? Excuse the wrinkles. After all, I was sitting in church. ;)

Etienne Aigner herringbone oxford-styled heels match wonderfully!

And like I said I would, I used the lace seam binding on the inside waistband. Sorry, no picture of that. ;)

 

There is about 1 yard left of this herringbone wool, and when my Dad saw it he said it would make great speaker covers (ie. sound speakers for a living room). :P Unless he really wants it, I think it will be tucked away in my stash bin for something else. Perhaps made up in a men's vintage style vest?

Coffee, Chevron, and Changes

Yesterday one of my sisters and I went out for coffee in "old town" at a super cute café. I was glad for the visit since one almost has to make an appointment to see her since she works two jobs and does babysitting several times a week.



 

I ordered an Irish Crème latte with a Cranberry Lemon scone.

Later on in the morning another sister grabbed a few pictures of me wearing my completed "Pinterest-inspired" skirt. It only took me a couple of hours to make from start to finish. If one knows how to put in an invisible zipper and do pleats, even a new seamstress could make this!

These pictures confirm that I look as "fluffy" as I felt wearing a skirt with lots of pleated fabric and a  few layers tucked in the waistband. Perhaps it's not the most flattering, but it's fun for something different.

Speaking of different, I seem to be going through reverse culture shock being back home. I'm walking around the house aimlessly and bemoaning how bored I am even though errands are being done, and moments of rest/naps are still apart of my day. The change of pace, or the things that define it are probably a good change for a few months.

Chevron (not the gas station)

Chevron in Blue

Chevron in Yellow

Chevron in Red

For my birthday last month, my parents bought me two yards of this beautiful chevron fabric. After seeing the above pictures from pinterest and Ashley's homemade version of this skirt for summer wear, I'm anxious to get started. I have a feeling I'll want this skirt in more colors, though the grey and off-white will be very versatile.

What do you think of chevron? love it? hate it?

This one is for me...

"Oh, you get to sew for yourself today!" Mom said to me as she was ironing the boy's shirts while watching me sew. Between sewing for the shops, ladies at church, friends, and Mother-dear herself, it's not very often I sew for me. :)

For months I've eyed the 100% linen found in a perfect shade of grey at JoAnn's, but a $16.99 per yard price tag has kept me away. Last weekend I decided to bit my lip, use some violin lesson money (I teach violin to the cutest little girls you could imagine!) and buy enough yardage for a skirt since I learned that it was 50% off that week and I had a 15% off your-entire-purchase coupon.

Well wouldn't you know a friend of mine from church was there and she said "Cheri, come to the checkout with me and I'll let you use my Teacher-Discount card!" Mrs. L. volunteers/teaches at our private Christian school that is in connection with our church, and JoAnn's offers a 20% discount to all teachers. So glad God orchestrated me seeing her there to make it a few dollars less!

As you can see, I'm making it into my favorite skirt pattern. Hoping to have enough time today to finish it for Sunday services tomorrow. :) What has YOUR sewing machine been busy with this week?

A Pinterest-Inspired Skirt

I've been contemplating starting a new series to the blog, kinda of along the lines of my Dress It Up series that I had this past spring, but different in the way of putting together an outfit drawing inspiration from a picture from Pinterest and utilizing items from my closet without focusing on one item or piece of clothing like before.

Until (or if...) I get that going, I saw this picture the other day while browsing maxi skirts and while I'm not a personal fan of orange or burnt orange no less, I found myself liking this simple outfit: a basic white tee and long skirt with minimum accessories.

It reminded me of some burnt orange (used) tablecloths that was given to me several months ago. Obviously I knew from the beginning that I'd never use them as tablecloths, curtains, or anything that would pertain to home decor!! So yesterday I cut into it and today I finished it into my favorite biased-tiered skirt pattern.

I think there will be just enough extra fabric to make one for myself, but until I need another skirt, this one is available to you here! :)

More Brown Suiting

My friend for whom I sewed a skirt using drapes of brown suiting handed back to me the left over panel. "Make another skirt" she said.

I did it just like how I made her's. That skirt is now available online.

Skirts, machines, tea, and other sundry things

• It was around 1:30 yesterday afternoon that I was able to call Mrs. L. up to say that her red brocade skirt was ready. Instead of the tiered skirt pattern, we used McCalls 5523. It seemed a touch dressier with all those cute options for the back of the skirt, and I'm glad she chose that because the brocade isn't a flowing fabric like a linen or suiting. We did view B, and added two inches the the hem. She also wanted it lined (does anyone else line the inside of their skirts? I never do!) so it felt like I was making two skirts. :) I prayed through the entire time of sewing it (this is for her daughter's wedding, not a Sunday School picnic!) and gratefully, it went together nicely. I can't say that I'd want to sew with brocade anytime soon though. It felt like it would easily snag, it's dense and it unravels like CRAZY, but not like a silk fabric. I and my sewing room was covered from head to toe, carpet to tables in little fibers that refused to come off even with a lint roller. But the skirt was finished in time, and Mrs. L loved it so that is what matters. :)

• Shortly after she picked it up, Daddy told me that my sewing machine and serger were ready to be picked up at the repair shop. While I've been so grateful to my sister for letting me use her machines these last two weeks (and her's a newer models with fancier buttons & things) I was so ready to have mine back again! Obviously, I got back to sewing a project as soon as we got home. Though very sadly, they didn't fix something right on my sewing machine so we're taking it back to the shop this morning.

• The sewing project I mentioned is almost finished! I just have to put the sleeves in, and make the belt. That is it! If you're a brand new blog reader (welcome!) I've been working on a 1914 dress in between sewing projects for others. I'm hoping to complete it today in between giving violin lessons, errands, and normal life.

[Molly, Leah, and I on Sunday after we went out for lunch]

• Late last night I relisted over 30 sewing patterns on ebay. There are a few vintage (30s/40s era) that I'll be listing shortly. Check them out if you need any girls or women's pattern.

• Oh yes, and in both of my etsy shops (Peasant Cottage and Tally Skirts) I'm offering FREE shipping today (5/2) when you use the code: SHIPFREE when checking out.

• So perhaps you read the title of this post and have read through the entire thing in hopes of reading about the delight of tea drinking, and have read nothing about it up until now. I wanted to save the "best for last" today, and truly, this is the best advice you'll read about tea today:

If you like french vanilla creamer in your earl grey tea like I do, and try to substitute it with almond milk (because said creamer is empty and there is no half 'n half to be found) you will be sorely disapointed.

Drapes to Apparel

"You mean to tell me that my children have been running around Saltzburg in nothing but some old drapes?!"

"Mmmhmm! And having a marvelous time."

I love Maria's resourcefulness in using old (and ugly in my opinion) drapes to make new (and now cute!) clothing for herself and Captain Von Trapp's seven children on The Sound of Music. I always thought that it would be fun to make something beautiful out of the old and undesirable without looking like it was made from a window treatment. :)

Yesterday I got to do just that. A dear lady and friend from church really liked the Prairie Linen skirts I've been selling over at Tally Skirts, especially the brown one, and said that eventually she wanted me to make her one. Over the weekend she told me about some ugly curtains that came with the house they moved into awhile ago. While they were not her style "the brown fabric looks like it could be high-quality suiting material" and wondered if "it might work?"

She gave me the curtains yesterday morning and I finished the skirt last night. I don't wish to sing my own praises, but it turned out beautifully. For some odd reason I wasn't sure if the fabric would "look right" in this style, but probably only because I've ever only made these skirts with linen. With being a volunteer in a Christian school office four days a week, I believe she'll love another skirt that she won't have to iron!

She still has a curtain panel that I didn't even touch, so there is enough for another skirt. :) Have any of ladies sewn clothing using old curtains?

A Skirt for Cheri

This is a copy of a copy of a skirt. My friend Laura made a skirt early this summer off of a friend's skirt. Since she was a copy-cat, I was hoping she wouldn't mind if I was a copy-cat too. ;) She didn't mind, and I wrote about the story more in detail several months ago if there are any new readers to my blog.

For Christmas my parents kindly bought me some neutral tan linen fabric so I could make a skirt for myself. Another linen skirt of a similar shade was worn until it was literally thread bare, so I was extremely grateful for it and I knew exactly which pattern I'd make it in.

Laura, I had to steal your look by wearing an Anthro blouse and belt with it. :)

Most everyone knows that I've made three other skirts using this pattern, and they are all for sale in my online shop: Tally Skirts.

Just What You [might] Have Been Waiting For

The Prairie Linen in brown. Finally!

Just for the record, brown serger thread is very hard to find.

New Additions!

New skirts are in the shop this afternoon! Including an original Anthropologie skirt. ::sigh:: I wish I were a size 0.

An Autumn Skirt

Several weeks ago I shared a couple of close pictures of a skirt that I found via thrift store that I wasn't able to give up. A blog reader asked if I could get some full length shots of the skirt to see the design of it, and it is now October (!) and I'm finally able to grant her request. Maybe. ;)

It is quite interesting to get pictures taken of one's self when there is no one around to "push the button." That is where said person depends on the self timer, but then she had to find a solid object on which to place the camera.

If I stood in the light or the shadow, the pleated hem didn't want to show up well. Or, I'm walking and the way the skirt moves with my step, you can't tell there is anything special about it... ;)
In a couple cases, such as below, I tried zooming in (hence, the blurriness) and was not in any snapshot on my camera, but one. Yay! though not the greatest angle to see the pleats.

After many failed attempts I resorted to the porch and gingerly sat on the swing. I've never seen anyone sit in it yet, and I wasn't so sure it would hold me. ;)

Dear reader, I hope this gives you an idea of what the skirt looks like. All of the pictures are clickable, so they should enlarge for you at least once if not twice.

Blessings!

Cheri

Greetings from the South!

While I've only been here for one week, it seems more like a month; it has been that crazy and busy! :) School started on Wednesday, and I'm in seven classes this semester, not counting the one in which I'm auditing. It feels like eight classes, since I am technically in eight, but just will not receive the credit hours for it. Even if I WAS registered for it, the 3 credit class does not count toward any degree.

My current living situation is with a family who lives not to far from the campus, but out in the country enough to step outside and hear nothing but nature and nearby cattle. Perfect for evening walks. A more permanent lodging is being looked into, and I'd be able to move in about 2-3 weeks. I'm praying that it will work out, Lord willing, of course.

Over the weekend I was able to visit some health food stores to pick up some things, and afterwards stopped at a Goodwill that I would go to when I lived in the area last semester. My visit was not wasted either. I came out with a soft and oh-so-comfy dressy black turtleneck sweater by Ann Taylor Loft, and then a green cotton Banana Republic skirt.
But this isn't an ordinary skirt! It has the c.u.t.e.s.t pleated hemline you ever did see. It goes around the entire hem of the skirt. It's (very) roughly 8" in length (just my wild guess) with even sections of 6 pleats sewn down about 2 1/2" or thereabouts. It is very retro looking. Think "Jane of Lantern Hill," "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken," "The Magic of Ordinary Days," or any other 30ish era movie.

Sorry ladies. This one is not going up in the shop. Eventually a pattern will be made off of it, and reproductions made. It just might be awhile. Hopefully once I can get established in a room, I can pull out my sewing machines, and provided I have enough time to sew. :)

Until next time...

Going in Circles!

My mind is going in a million different circular directions with officially packing for the trip southward this weekend. Its seems like all of the little things are popping up that I completely forgot, and now have a few hours to do it all before I turn out the light.
In other circular fashion, I added one more skirt to the shop tonight as it will probably be several weeks before I can add any more gently used skirts or reproductions.

( and yes, if you didn't pick up on that hint, I've decided to make room in my car for my sewing machine and serger.)

Ruffled Silk

Dainty and elegant pintucks, two ruffles with "modern" smocking ...sigh... I'm really wishing I were a size six right here right now.
But at least the vintage style aprons I sew can accommodate several sizes! I added a Shabby Chic Stripe yesterday afternoon. If you like pink and green, you'll love it!

Prairie Linen

Skirts are a staple in my closet. I have a maxi dress in my closet, and then a "going away" dress that I'm saving for when I'll be able to wear it. :) The rest are skirts. Well, and of course, shirts/blouses, and sweaters. When one wears skirts 99.99% of the time, it is easy to get into a rut of wearing the same skirt, or style of skirt.

When I saw my friend's "Emily Rose" skirt, I simply fell in love with the tiered style. Instead of the usual abundance of gathers, this was without and still retained graceful and winsome appearance of a tiered skirt. My friend was gracious to lend me information as to how she made it off of a friends skirt.

Just a few days later, a friend from church handed me a bag with a skirt parallel to the one I was wanting to recreate. This was the original source of these duplicates. I happily took measurements off of the original, grabbed my sister who modeled the skirt for me (I'm not quite down to her size, but I'm trying!) and was more excited about wearing my heels for the photo shoot than anything else. ;)

Just yesterday I was able to obtain fabric and sewed like a crazy lady to finish it. It went together so nicely, and must say that I am very happy with the way it turned out. My only reason for not keeping it myself would be that I think I'd like a brown like the original rather than a blue - I already own four denim skirts!

Take a look at it, and perhaps you'd like it for yourself?

New Beginnings

Well, I can't contain my enterprise anymore.

After I wrote this post earlier this month, and wondering if I should give up sewing entirely for a season, some kind readers left comments on my blog in response. Despairingly, I came up with an excuse for every one...

Making custom-made clothing was, is, and forever will be out of the question. My sister and I did that for over 5 years and it was such a headache for us. I tip my hat off to people who are more talented than we are in this department.

Creating swimsuits just doesn't seem wise when there are so many modest-apparel companies out there who offer them, as well as patterns for them. If you're creative and don't mind looking around hard enough, you can find modest swimsuits that are store bought.

Sorry dear friend but making maternity clothing, let alone selling them is definitely not on my list of things to sew! Maybe someday I'll have the privilege of being able to make and wear such apparel myself, but until then, I'll leave that department to those experienced! :)

Modest and feminine apparel in general is so readily available now days either through home business that have their own online companies or mail order catalogs, young women from homeschool groups can be found sewing for other families, and if you like thrift store shopping as much as I do, you probably find alot of nice feminine apparel that way.

But..... my creative and visionary juices started flowing with rapid speed. It dawned on me that when beginning a sewing project, I usually have to have some kind of inspiration to begin with. A painting, a photograph, a movie, a specific reason (Chhheeerrrriiiiii, I need a nightgown! Can you make me one?) or seeing a friend's skirt in person, and I think, "Ooo! I like that!" Sometimes it takes just a glance or two to where I could re create it. Sometimes it's the historical film that is paused for 10 minutes for me to figure out just how that front piece is shaped. Other times I write to friends and beg them for their skirt measurements to make one for myself. ;)

Yes, I'll confess that I can be a very good copy catter. Perhaps it's a second-born thing, but then maybe it's just a human tendency... Either way, the visionary in my thoughts and ideas were forming into... TA DA!.... making things off of other things; store-bought skirts mostly since they are easy to make and not always easy to find. I got really excited the more I thought about it.

Considering the cost of materials, notions, and my time, I want to be fair in price and so if there is ever something that you think is not fair, please, please, PLEASE don't hesitate to write to me. It's be awhile since I've made anything for the public other than aprons, totes, and a few peasant shirts!

So with great trepidation yet excitement, this evening I'm pleased to announce the humble beginnings of a little online shop.


Tally, according the Thesaurus, is defined as : [to] be similar or consistent. Synonyms: accord, answer, attune, be in harmony, blend, click, cohere, coincide, concert, concord, concur, conform, consort, correspond, equal, fall in with, fit, get along with, go hand in hand, go together, go well with, harmonize, jibe, match, parallel, square, suit, synchronize, tally