All the ways NOT to make a skirt!

Growing up I loved to wear dresses... but I also loved to climb trees and play baseball! As an adult I enjoy relaxing with a good Christian historical romance or listening to music from the Big Band Era. I am an advocate for the art of housewifery and the eras past that found value in this trade. So I guess it is no surprise that I was intrigued by a website I recently found called, "Feelin' Feminine". I was intrigued by the idea of revisiting our inherent need to be feminine and what the Feminist movement has done (and should be undone). Among the interesting articles and antidotes of this website is a challenge to all visitors: Wear skirts for a week.



Coincidentally I have been experiencing health problems that make it extremely uncomfortable (and sometimes down-right painful) to wear jeans and shorts. So I figured it was time to take the challenge!



It turns out that, while I love dresses and skirts and own quite a few (most via inheritance of my mother's wardrobe when she passed away... she was 48 and always dressed 'young' for her age) most of my skirts were either formal or better suited for colder weather or, to be frank, some were down-right ugly!! A handful of my dresses have spaghetti straps and I have not found them very comfortable lately. I decided it might be fun to make a few skirts.



I started by sewing a skirt intended for the 4th of July. However, I am not a pattern follower and the one I tried to make looked hideous and did not fit right! I was aiming for white and blue with a light, airy material so I wouldn't be too hot. Frustrated, I set the mess aside and grabbed for a pretty blue spaghetti strap dress I have and decided to try something different.



I cut the top of the dress off and proceeded to iron, fold, and pin down a waist line. I inserted elastic and began to sew. It took a few trims and fixes but I finally produced a lovely skirt that comes to just below my ankles (I love LONG dresses but I am almost 5' 9" and they are hard to come by!).



I still tried to fix my white and blue mess the next day with progress but still no success. My husband decided to remind me of our family's favorite saying from Thomas Edison that goes something like, "I haven't failed, I have found 1000 ways not to build a light bulb!" I will admit I had to sleep on my frustration, but I awoke replaying his words and knowing their truth.



I still have not finished hacking at my white and blue mess, but I have succeeded in turning three spaghetti strap dresses into three lovely skirts... the last one more near perfection then the previous two! I am slowly learning all the ways NOT to make a skirt! And as I learn I am building a wardrobe along with my knowledge!



Btw... it feels GREAT wearing my skirts ;-) But I am wondering what I will do when winter comes....


(My third and best attempt yet at spaghetti strap turned skirt!)