I know! I promised you skirts, plural, but all I have for you is skirt, singular. But it is a really great skirt, are you ready?
Now it is time for me to sing the praises of the wonderful book Sew What! Skirts. Oh, this book is fabulous. The authors teach you how to make all kinds of skirts based on your very own measurements, so they fit like a dream and don’t do weird bindy or gappy things, or cling in the wrong spots (I’m looking at you Burda skirt patterns). Anyway, I said “skirts” yesterday because after making the skirt above out of a vintage tablecloth I found at Goodwill for basically free, I was all revved up to make more in different styles. Eventually I will, it just didn’t happen today.
The centered zipper technique in this book is great too– I always have zipper issues, which if you aren’t a sewer you don’t know are HORRIBLE. For non sewers: you most often put in the zipper when you’re almost done with the whole dress or skirt, when you really really want to be finished with the darn thing, so you’re impatient but also totally nervous about messing everything up at this stage at the game. Anyway, I often end up with wiggly zippers wet with tears. But the zipper in the back of this skirt? Smooth and subtle as can be, thanks to the very clever authors and their fool-proof centered zipper advice. Lovely.
So, if you are a relatively beginnerish seamster like me (i.e. you’re not a professional tailor or in design school and drafting your own intricate patterns) and you like skirts, definitely buy this book. You will be ever so happy that you did! And be honest about your measurements– it is more depressing to try on the skirt and find it unflatteringly snug than it is to write down a measurement that is a wee bit bigger than you’d like (not, um, from personal experience with my own vanity or anything).
*Update: A Sew What! Skirts Sewalong is starting April 30th! So head over to Flickr to join the group!