A Simple Skirt

This is a simple, one-seamed skirt with an elastic waist that I made from a border print cotton sateen I discovered at JoAnn's last summer. But as you know, simple isn't easy...

I matched the print at the back seam

Difficult to see (success!), but I assure you that there is a seam running up the center back of the skirt.  You can tell a little bit at the bottom, because...

...I also added a kick pleat.

My hip measurement and the print dictated the circumference of the skirt, and I used this technique for the matching after pressing under the seam allowance and facing for the kick pleat.

If I had it to do over again, I'd add a lining to minimize wrinkling but I'll just wear a slip with it in the future.

T Shirts--A TNT and a New One.

What happened to July? Seems like I totally missed it--lots going on at work, and I kind of lost my sewing mojo with all that was happening. I actually was doing some sewing though, thanks to my trusty Material Girls group. I nearly always manage to cut out a project or two when I'm there. It just took me a little while to finish them since I like to combine my cover stitching projects.

The first one I made was Kwik Sew 2565, which I must have made about a hundred times by now.

But why not? It's a great pattern that I've already tweaked to my liking.The fabric is a really nice rayon(?) knit from Casual Elegance. It has a good drape, and is thicker than most rayon knits. But before I got sold on all that, I just loved the watercolor animal print. Just beautiful, and can be worn with just about anything.

Umm, yes, the print is a little off center, but oh well. I still like it, and as Ann says, "This is a summer tee, so the slightly off-center placement of the major motif on the front is just fine."

The other one is the Eureka Top from TSW. 

I have mixed feelings about it, because dang! The sizing is huge. I cut out my usual Small/Medium mix for this shirt and it's enormous. I am going to try again in a straight Small to see if I like it better. At least it will be comfortable to wear in the heat.

For this, I used another rayon knit that I found at Joann's a couple of years ago. On first glance, it looks like a floral but it's really a skull print. 

It's thinner than the Casual Elegance fabric and a more cotton-y look and feel.

Here it is styled like all the shirts you've been seeing lately in fashion shots.

What's with that anyway? Here it is loose. See? It's big. 

I have another project underway that I hope to have finished soon, a border print skirt. And there's also that repeat of the Eureka pattern.