What I Made // Spring in Ohio

Hello Dearies! I have been busy as a bee lately fixing up my Spring/Summer wardrobe, making everything from T-shirts to skirts, and even fixing up last year's swimsuit. Well, today you get to see the items I made in May! Enjoy the video, and see below for the details on each piece.

FIRST OUTFIT

White T-shirt: Made May, 2014

Pattern: copied off of a thrift store Tee from Ann Taylor Loft
Material: White lightweight jersey from Mood (it's still available! So if you want some check it out! It's very reasonably priced!) Price: $5.99
Time: About 2 hours? 1 hour?
Details: All the seams were sewn with the Serger (I LOVE sewing knits with our serger! It's a dream!), and all topstitching and hemming done with my 1960s Kenmore.
Total cost: $6.10, including the approximate cost for thread.
Wear Again? Ummm... YES!!! I love this T-shirt! It's everything that I would want in a white Tee. The fabric is opaque-ish, but still light weight. And the pocket, not useful, but too cute not to add!

Pink 1/2 Circle Skirt: Made May, 2014

Pattern: Self drafted
Material: Synthetic Cire from our Stash. Price: Free!
Time: about 2 hours.
Details: All the seams, except for the center back seam, are pinked, and were sewn with Mettler Thread. The zipper was applied using the lapped insertion method. The waistband is reinforced with Petersham ribbon (my new favorite method for interfacing waistbands!). Prices: Zipper: Free // Petersham Ribbon: $1.10? // Thread: $0.30?
Total cost: $1.40!
Wear Again? You kidding me? Absolutely! I could hardly keep myself from wearing it everyday the week that I made it!

Cheapest outfit I've made yet I think! Only $7.50! And it only took me about four hours to make the whole getup. Sweet! I love simple, wearable separates!

SECOND OUTFIT

Beige T-shirt: Made May, 2014

Pattern: Same as white T-shirt

Material: Heathered beige solid jersey, again from Mood. Price: $7.99

Time: 3 hours. Since I had to hand stitch all the flowers and leaves down, as well as the neckline binding.

Details: The flowers, like I said are hand stitched, and are made from the same jersey as the shirt. I was heavily inspired by Alabama Chanin, with their beautiful hand-stitched appliqué. All the rest of the shirt is constructed exactly the same as the white T-shirt, omitting the pocket of course. Price: Thread: $0.10 // Embroidery Floss: $0.10

Total Cost: $8.20

Wear Again? Yes. Just yes. :D

"Coloring Book" Ruffle Skirt: Made May, 2014

Pattern: 1970's Simplicity 8305

Material: Approximately 3 yards of cotton from Fabric Shack. Price: Free (Mom payed for it! :D)

Time: 3 to 4 hours. Too long, considering the fact that I'm still not quite happy with it!

Details: All the seams were sewn using Gutermann Thread, and finished with serging. The side is closed with Snaps and a hook and eye. I REALLY wish I had interfaced the waistband, since it's rather floppy, but oh well! Next time! (I actually made this skirt before the pink one, and so I did learn from my lesson and interfaced the waistband. I was very happy with the outcome.) I think it was rather dumb of Simplicity to not have you interface the waistband, but I guess I should have gone with my instinct and interfaced, rather than following the instructions as I always do.

Total Cost: I'll just say free. I'm too burnt out from that rant to calculate a price. ;P

I am now totally convinced of the benefits of making separates. They are SO quick to make, and if you're making a bunch in a row, they tend to go together really well. Oh, and I should probably tell you the story behind the name of the Ruffle Skirt: We had been attempting to come up with all sorts of names for it, from Patchwork skirt, to Quilt skirt, to Embroidery Skirt, but none of them fit. Finally a friend of ours just so happened to remark that it reminded her of a coloring book. So the name has stuck! 

What have you made, or added, to your wardrobe lately?

Separates or Dresses?

Interfaced or non-interfaced waistbands?

Blessings,

Brigid

the Middle Sister and Singer

P.S. the patch on the Coloring Book skirt is not just there for decoration. Just a few days after I finished the skirt, I was wearing it on a walk. I tripped and fell over our dog Angel who I was walking, and landed on our black-top driveway. That left a nasty stain on the skirt, most of which I was able to get out, but there was still a slight grey-green smudge. So I decided to embroider a B and patch it on to the skirt. Happy accident, huh?

P.P.S. the music for the video was done by yours truly, in case you were wondering.