Woven Tencel Skirt with zip and Angled Hem from Christine Jonson #1219

Though certainly not a 'model' pose - at this time, this is a quick shot my sis took of the hem of this skirt the day I was dressing for wearing this ensemble (my Burgundy 'Worthy' Creative Sweatshirt jacket) plus this skirt at the Houston Quilt Festival.

FYI: I write what I call my "Londa's 2 Cents Worth" on every pattern after I stitch it up. It is my effort to share from my years of sewing, and to add value to a pattern. I do these on patterns that I sell at my website: http://www.londas-sewing.com/. They are delivered FREE with purchase of the pattern via an attachment to an email. ALSO, they are sent to my Londa's Fashion Club members 4-6 times a year, as I write them.

This is an addition to my 'Londa's 2 Cents Worth' document that is available online FREE at:
http://www.londas-sewing.com/2centscj1219.htm

I created this skirt to wear with my 'Worthy' Creative Sweatshirt Jacket. Since that jacket pattern features an asymmetric, angled hemline, I wanted to repeat that on the hemline of this skirt. I used the Christine Jonson #1219 A-Line Skirt pattern - which is just 2 pieces: Front/Back and Side Panels.

It was simple to do:

First - since it was a woven, not a knit - I added a center back seam in the Back Skirt Piece when i cut it out. This actually enabled me to get this skirt from one length of the 64' wide Tencel fabric. This link is for current (10-27-07) availability of this great fabric. In the picture below, you see the fold of the fabric at the top edge - that is the front pattern piece folded in half to get the skirt Front. Next, is the side panel piece. Then, the Back cut on the selvage, since I needed a back seam for a zipper since this is for a woven fabric, not stretch - thus it wouldn't stretch enough to get over my hips unless I cut it much larger at the top - then it would have been too gathered at the waist. You can see I flipped the pattern pieces top to bottom to get it to fit - but this worked fine with my no nap fabric.

In the top of the 2 pictures above, you can see I just cut an angled piece. You can see the size from my cutting mat. It is about 3.5" high at the side.

In the lower picture then, you can see that I used that piece as a template, laid it on the bottom of another skirt piece, and cut along it to get the same angle. Repeat this on each skirt piece, always placing the template on the outside of the skirt.

Next, I fused HTC Bias Fusible Tape in the hem allowance of each piece, serged, and pressed up and topstitched the hem each panel of the skirt.

Then, I stitched the seams of the skirt - leaving the center back opening about 2" longer than needed for the invisible zipper.

Above, you can see that I then added STRAIGHT HTC Fusible Tape to the extended portions of those seams to stabilize them. THEN, those seams got pressed back, and topstitched. The Straight Fusible tape really make a difference in how they hang.

Skip over to the full Londa's 2 Cents Worth to read about how I hem first, THEN establish the top edge of the skirt being sure that the hem is level with the floor.

THEN, as you see in the picture above, I lay the Ban-Rol Control Stabilizer on the wrong side of the skirt, about 1/4" down from the cut edge.

Above picture shows how it looks when then I serge off that excess, taking great care (Banroll side up at the serger) NOT to cut into the Banrol!!!

Then, I inserted the invisible zipper. See how I extended it all the way to the top of the fabric, and then I anchor stitched the ends of the Banroll down to the skirt.

Honestly, when I do this again, I will END the zipper at the top of the skirt as it is turned down, instead of extending it to the top of the fabric!

At the top of an invisible zipper, you need to be sure to roll the fabric to cover the zipper. See the pictures below.

You can see below the inside of the zipper/waistband area. It would itch me to death!!!

The solution is to just make a tab of fabric to cover it on the inside. I still need to put a buttonhole in the tab, and stitch a button to the inside of the waistband...

Here is how it looks then on the inside...

And on the outside...

1.5 hour great knit skirt

Of COURSE, as I have been preparing for the Houston Internation Quilt Festival (teaching and vending) Nov. 1-4, I decided I needed a new long black skirt...as when I wear black, it makes it EZ to keep changing my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets to show them off in my booth. :)

Sew...wanting a quick and ez pattern, the Christine Jonson No. 1219 "Bell Sleeve Wrap and A-Line Skirt" jumped out at me. This is a 4 gore skirt with a center front, center back, and side panels. I cut it out in 15' (and got a little shell type top out of the excess from 2 lengths). I easily stitched it up in 1 hour. It is pretty nice. Not quite as full as the pattern illustration though, I don't feel. I did have to take it in at the top (yea!) quite a bit - even after selecting my proper size. That's fine - no gripe there. I think if you don't want to fit as you sew, you shouldn't try to sew clothing! I just sew pants and skirts in my undies most the time!!!
I also used a great new elastic I carry - comes 2" wide, and you can cut it down to whatever width you desire. That worked great.
I twin needled the hem and around the bottom of the elastic at the top. Used a 4.0/75 Twin STRETCH needle. Fused in BIAS HTC Fusible Tape first. GREAT results.
Read more about that technique here.
http://www.londas-sewing.com/necklinesandhems.htm
One thing I always do though is to never LAP elastic. Instead, I grab a lightweight scrap of fabric, and butt the ends of the elastic on top of it, and zig zag it lots to hold it all together. Then, cut the excess scrap fabric away. Lots less bulky!
I'll be writing my Londa's 2 Cents on this pattern - and including it in my next newsletter as a sample of one of the main benefits of my Londa's Fashion Club at http://www.londas-sewing.com/

Link to this pattern is above, and herehttp://webstore.quiltropolis.net/stores_app/Browse_Item_Details.asp?Store_id=398&page_id=23&Item_ID=5422.

I haven't made the top yet - but I do like the bell shape of the sleeves. It can be sewn of 2 fabrics and made reversible - for the sleeveless version. With all the inside-out stuff in RTW, I see no reason why one couldn't just serge the armscye seam of the sleeved version very neatly, and have it be reversible too.

Keepin up and thoughts on National Health Care

SorryI haven't been more regular in posts -
Sewing shows have kept me busy...
Now working diligently on 2 more patterns for my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets:
1. Genesis - a good beginner project - featuring 4 jackets
2. Celebration - the flare-back fancy one that everyone loves

Got this email as copied below regarding National Health Care. With a hubby with heart history, and currently in the hospital with an infection, it 'speaks' to me. Nothing comes free - much less good health care. I can't imagine the scenario painted below...

Sew - read and consider this carefully as you consider your political persuasions ...



Friends,>> This was forwarded to me by a friend who is a physcian. This is very real > and very scary! At one point serveral years ago, The city of Memphis had 9 > MR magnets. The country of Canada had 2. Something to think about!>> --Tyler>>>

I saw on the news up here in Canada where Hillary Clinton introduced her > new health care plan. Something similar to what we have in Canada. I > also heard that Michael Moore was raving about the health care up here in > Canada in his latest movie. As your friend and someone who lives with the > Canada health care plan I thought I would give you some facts about this > great medical plan that we have in Canada.>>

First of all:>>

1) The health care plan in Canada is not free. We pay a premium every > month of $96 for Shirley and I to be covered. Sounds great eh? What they > don't tell you is how much we pay in taxes to keep the health care system > afloat. I am personally in the 55% tax bracket. Yes 55% of my earnings > go to taxes. A large portion of that and I am not sure of the exact > amount goes directly to health care, our #1 expense.>>

2) I would not classify what we have as health care plan, it is more like > a health diagnosis system. You can get into to see a doctor quick enough > so he can tell you "yes indeed you are sick or you need an operation" but > now the challenge becomes getting treated or operated on. We have waiting > lists out the ying yang some as much as 2 years down the road.>>

3) Rather than fix what is wrong with you the usual tactic in Canada is > to prescribe drugs. Have a pain here is a drug to take- not what is > causing the pain and why. No time for checking you out because it is more > important to move as many patients thru as possible each hour for > Government re-imbursement>>

4) Many Canadians do not have a family Doctor.>>

5) Don't require emergency treatment as you may wait for hours in the > emergency room waiting for treatment.>>

6) Shirley's dad cut his hand on a power saw a few weeks back and it > required that his hand be put in a splint - to our surprise we had to pay > $125 for a splint because it is not covered under health care plus we have > to pay $60 for each visit for him to check it out each week.>>

7) Shirley's cousin was diagnosed with a heart blockage. Put on a > waiting list . Died before he could get treatment.>>

8) Government allots so many operations per year. When that is done no > more operations, unless you go to your local newspaper and plead your case > and embarrass the government then money suddenly appears.>>

9)The Government takes great pride in telling us how much more they are > increasing the funding for health care but waiting lists never get > shorter. Government just keeps throwing money at the problem but it never > goes away. But they are good at finding new ways to tax us, but they > don't call it a tax anymore it is now a user fee.>>

10) A friend needs an operation for a blockage in her leg but because she > is a smoker they will not do it. Despite paying into the health care > system all these years. My friend is 65 years old. Now there is talk > that maybe we should not treat people who are overweight either because > they are a drain on the health care system. Let me see now, what we want > in Canada is a health care system for healthy people only. That should > reduce our health care costs.>>

11) Forget getting a second opinion, what you see is what you get.>>

12) I can spend what money I have left after taxes on booze, cigarettes, > junk food and anything else that could kill me but I am not allowed by law > to spend my money on getting an operation I need because that would be > jumping the queue. I must wait my turn except if I am a hockey player or > athlete then I can get looked at right away. Go figger. Where else in > the world can you spend money to kill yourself but not allowed to spend > money to get healthy.>>

13) Oh did I mention that immigrants are covered automatically at tax > payer expense having never contributed a dollar to the system and pay no > premiums.>>

14) Oh yeh we now give free needles to drug users to try and keep them > healthy. Wouldn't want a sickly druggie breaking into your house and > stealing your things. But people with diabetes who pay into the health > care system have to pay for their needles because it is not covered but > the health care system.>>

I send this out not looking for sympathy but as the election looms in the > states you will be hearing more and more about universal health care down > there and the advocates will be pointing to Canada.

I just want to make > sure that you hear the truth about health care up here and have some food > for thought and informed questions to ask when broached with this subject.>> Step wisely and don't make the same mistakes we have.

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'WORTHY' - my first Sweatshirt Jacket Pattern released

YEA!!!!! My first actual 'pattern' for a Creative Sweatshirt Jacket is now available. I'm busy tonight emailing it out to everyone who ordered it via electronic PDF delivery. I expect to be able to ship the printed version October 2, if not before.

This asymmetric, hip-grazing design leaves LOTS of room for your own interpretation - digging into YOUR stash. The PDF version is 25 pages printed out, and has links to webpages of 166 photos of my creative process on these jackets.

For right now, you are invited to post pictures of YOUR jacket(s) created from "Worthy" here as Comments at this post.

10% of the sales of this pattern will be sent to the Israeli Sewing Project. Read more about it here. PDF delivery of this pattern is just $12. Printed version is $15. Have Fun!

FREE Needle Felting Video for you...

Adding videos to your Blog is a new thing - so I'll try it here posting a video clip from my new books: Volume II and the Ultimate Edition of my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets. All needle felting supplies - including the wonderful SILK Roving are available at
http://www.londasartsysewingstuff.com/

What Londa's been up to...

August 20 - 27 found my hubby and I in Nashville, TN at the AQS Quilt Show. We had our customary corner booth to 'sell our wares', and I got to teach - 3 times! The most exciting was a SOLD OUT class to 200 for my "Creative Sweatshirt Jackets - Londa's Way". That was really a great experience for me - actually my first 'big' teaching on the sewing circuit 'gig'. In fact, I've proudly kept my name badge with "Instructor" Ribbon. It was fun to meet more customers 'in person', and even ran into Ann Henderson, Editor of Creative Needle Magazine. I'd written an articles for that magazine back in the early 90's, and hope to do the same again. Another 'keeper' is the current monthly sales bulletin from Brewer Sewing Supplies advertising to other stores my 3 books in CD and DVD about my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets.

Proud also to report my first book: Creative Sweatshirt Jackets will be in the Nancy's Notions catalog again soon, and all 3 of my books in her catalog out in February or so.



I'm hard at work on my first 'pattern'. Due to lots of requests for specific jacket 'patterns', I've decided that when I come up with a design that can be executed in many different ways depending on the accent fabric, etc., that I will do a pattern. My current goal for the release of the first one is the upcoming Round Bobbin Show in St. Charles, MO. Sept. 22-24. Five 'piles' crowd my design table as I write!!!!!!!!!! Goodie, goodie - LOTS of creative sewing to do.....

I'm all ready to teach my very newest class: Design Principles for Creative Sewing at that show!



For a sneek peek, see the shadowed jacket behind my new website: http://www.wearableartsweatshirtpatterns.com/



I have all kinds of ideas for this new website - including a 'club' where you get points towards receiving a free or reduced price on a pattern when you reach a certain level, AND a charity item on which I will donate a portion of every sale. Even my patterns and books delivered via the internet as 'e-books'. My elected 'charity' is the Israel Sewing Network of Dr. Deborah which you can read about HERE. All these developments will take some technical learning (or pulling out of my web-smart son!), but they WILL happen - so stay posted!



Once home from the Round Bobbin Show, I won't even unload the cargo van - but check in some new inventory and then off to the American Sewing Expo in Novi, MI. I'm looking forward to teaching my 3 hour class there - which combines my Creative Sweatshirt Jacket presentation with the Design Principles for Creative Sewing AND students trying on my collection of jackets for design and flattery evaluation. Read about that class here. It will be good to get that 'under my belt' before I offer it at the Houston Quilt Show.



I'm actively asking for testimonials regarding my products and service, for use on my websites. If you are a satisfied customer, and would be so kind as to write a recommendation on my products, classes (if you've taken from me at a show), etc., I'd really appreciate receiving that via email to me at: londasews@insightbb.com. I will give only your first name and state in the testimonial -

ramblings on BIG

Can't help but consider...how BIG has seemed to become so all-important in our culture:
BIG cars, BIG meals, BIG drinks, BIG stores...and BIG houses!
Attended a local showcase of homes here in central illinois...and the BIG homes just amazed me. I did get some great ideas regarding flooring that my 'normal sized' home desparately needs.
But, I couldn't help but be saddened by what it seems we have come to think we 'need'???
Heated floors in our bathrooms? Wood-finished closet organizers-true theatre seating in our 'family' rooms? Ceilings so high that 'normal' furniture looks dwarfed - therefore BIG furniture. Rooms for gambling? Granite countertops everywhere? 2 kitchens (one on one floor and almost an entire other one in the 'basement'?) Flat screen huge TV as the 'centerpiece' above a mantel? 1/2 a million $ may not seem like much to those of you on the coasts for housing, but around here it is - well, excessive to most of us. BIG house and tax payments, that's for sure. At well over 50, I'm happy that attending such a display doesn't create 'need' in my heart. However...I wonder/worry about younger people though? Do they think this is 'normal'? Is this what it takes to feel 'successful?" How important do we think we are, anyway? What good could be done with all that money? Just my opinion...
The crowning touch on the evening was, when exiting the last home, a fireball bright coral-orange sun setting in the west with subtle streaks across it. BIG - FREE - a blessing and message from God reminding me that the best things in life - HE gives, and they are free! I'm glad I know him through his son, Jesus. I hope you do too...

New Black Simple skirt with Ruffle using selvage

Sew... I decided I needed a slim black skirt to wear with black tops and a neat belt as one of my 'uniforms' when I do the consumer sewing shows and am trying on/modeling my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets all the time...

Had limited yardage of this full-bodied black cot/rayon/lycra knit...

And it had a great - somewhat floopy selvage on it...which said "ruffle" to me.

So - I eeked out the front and back - gently curving the back hemline down some, and the front up a bit to center front.

Cut a 5" strip along the selvage and then gathered it on - I think it was about 1.75 times the width ofthe lower circumference of the skirt.

Gathered it a bit - serged.

For the Waist band - I have this really wide - I think it is 2" wide black elastic, I stitched on with a 1/4" seam to the right side of the top (having cut it 5" less long than my body measurement). Then, flipped it to the inside - that wraps the top edge of it with the fabric. Stitched in the ditch at the sides and center back.

Wa.... La.... a great new skirt! See photos. Note I did NOTHING to the lower edge of the ruffle - the selvage edge.

10 GREAT Fashion Websites - shared with permission

I love to snoop ready-to-wear for what's 'new' and 'in' (whether I'd ever wear, much less buy it is another thing!), just for ideas, and the internet has made that SEW MUCH FUN!

My favorite fashion newsletter (free) is that by former model, Diane Pemberton-Sikes called Fashion For Real Women.

Here is a link to her GREAT website where you can read about her amazing fashion e-books...which I can personally attest to are absolutely WONDERFUL!
click HERE .

Diane is a wardrobe and image consultant and author or WARDROBE MAGIC, an ebook that teaches women how to transform their unruly closets into workable, wearable wardrobes. Visit her online here.

She gave me permission to share her last free newsletter with you, so read it below. It is chuck full of wonderful fashion websites for your enjoyment! After reading it, I'm sure you'll get the idea why I enjoy Diane's newsletters so much, and subscribe yourself! >>

The images didn't show up as I copied this, so you could also read it online at:
The Clothing Chronicles

FEATURE ARTICLE
10 Great Fashion Websites
Where can you go to learn about the latest trends? The history of fashion? Clothing care and maintenance?
Online, of course! There are lots of great sites out there that you can get lost in, reading about everything from celebrity fashion to haute couture.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Style.com http://www.style.com
The home of W and Vogue on the web, Style.com has made many of my fashion magazines subscriptions obsolete. You can learn about trends, runway reports, fashion icons, fashion designers and more just by perusing this site. Take a look.

First View http://www.firstview.com
Wish you could have a front row seat to all the best fashion shows in the world? Well, here's the next best thing. Look at the current and past collections from famous designers from all over the world, and see the "who, what, where, when" of upcoming fashion shows.
Mode à Paris http://www.modeaparis.com
Want to "dive right in" to the world of French fashion to learn about fashion history, designers, and upcoming shows? Then this site is for you! Find out which fashion houses meet the rigorous standards of the Chambre Syndical de la Haute Couture, and learn where you can study for a career in French fashion.
The Sartorialist http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/
Scott Schuman is a former fashion marketer and retail store owner who combined his love of great tailoring with fashion photography to create "The Sartorialist" blog. Sartorial, which is a term used to describe tailoring and the tailoring trade, is the main focus of Scott's quest as he seeks to photograph well-dressed people on the street. What began as a fun way to share his photos just two years ago has turned into a fast-paced fashion career that sends him all over the globe as a reporter for Style.com and as a speaker to fashion and tailoring groups.
MSN Beauty and Fashion http://lifestyle.msn.com/BeautyandFashion
MSN has lots of in-depth channels, like finance, food, gardening, and health. Their fashion channel is excellent, offering behind-the-scenes videos, interviews, and articles that you don't see anywhere else.
If you like snarky celebrity fashion reviews, then MSN entertainment writer/fashion critic Kat Giantis will have you laughing out loud. Her reports are not kind, but they do show how celebrities can still stumble fashion-wise even when they have an army of stylists at their disposal. Check out her "Undressed" reports here:
http://entertainment.msn.com/
Sienna Miller and Claudia Schiffer are "Undressed" by Kat Giantis
Instyle http://www.instyle.com
INSTYLE Magazine's website has come a long way from the days when you could just go there to subscribe to their magazine. You can still do that, but you can also look at trends, get ideas for entertaining, vote on you favorite celebrity looks, and even learn where to copy those looks for less. It's a fun site, especially if you're into celebrity fashion.
Ralph Lauren http://www.ralphlauren.com
One of the things I like about the Ralph Lauren site is that it understands what people are looking for online. While many other designer sites take a long to time to load, are bloated with graphics, and don't sell directly from their site, RalphLauren.com loads relatively quickly and is easy to navigate. You can buy clothes, subscribe to the ezine, and get TONS of styling ideas from the gorgeous pictures. They also have a style section to show you how to put things together. Awesome! Would that other designers would take some notes from Ralph . . .
Get great fashion styling ideas at RalphLauren.com
Fashion Era http://www.fashion-era.com
Love fashion history? Want to see which trend-setters have influenced fashion over the centuries? Need to do research on what people wore in 1800? 1900? 2000? Then this is THE place to find out. This comprehensive site is one of the most popular on the web, with good reason: it has TONS of information!
Fabric Link http://www.fabriclink.com
Want to learn more about different types of fabrics? Need to know how to maintain the fabrics you have? Fabric Link can help. Take a good look around their "Fabric University," and you'll learn everything you need to know about taking care of most fabrics.
Biz Rate http://www.bizrate.com
Looking for something in particular, like a black cocktail dress or sweet deals on Christian Louboutin shoes? Just go to Bizrate.com, type in your item, and it will find places on the web that are selling what you seek. It also lists price and costumer reviews. What a time saver!
So there you have it. Take some time to click around to these sites when you have some time, and either bookmark them or keep this list handy for future reference. You never know when these sites will come in handy.
*********
Until next time,

Diana Pemberton-Sikes
FashionForRealWomen.com AccessoryMagic.com BusinessWearMagic.com OccasionMagic.com WardrobeMagic.com TheClothingChronicles.com
=====================
Published by:
Top Drawer Publications, LLC 256 S. College Ave. Newark, DE 19711 USA
Copyright © 2007 by Diana Pemberton-Sikes All rights reserved
Diane's Newsletter shared here with her permission

Mary Ellen's Best Press

Just finished some ironing of my hubby's shirts with :
Mary Ellen’s Best Press - The Clear Starch Alternative
I have the Lavender Fields scent - hummm - sew much nicer than spray starch!!!!
It is in a non-aresol spray bottle - 16.9 fl oz. .
Descrived as "Clear Fragrant Miracle Starch with Soil Guard and Wrinkle Resister", this 'stuff' makes ironing easier, smell delightful, and it doesn't flake, even on dark fabrics. Since it is in spray bottle, gone are my days of throwing away a can of spray starch just because the nozzle is clogged!
It really does seem to relaxes stubborn wrinkles, gives clothes a crisp, new finish and it says it even makes clothes soil-resistant.
My sister - an active quilter - had actually told me it was getting raves on lists she was on - then I saw that I could get it from my supplier - so I got some in to test.
It comes in 2 other scents - so I'm ordering those in tomorrow.
Just $6.95 - which is more than spray starch, but worth it in my book!!!

Try it - y ou'll like it, I really think you will! \
To order - click on the blue name of the product at the top of this post - Mary Ellen's Best Press - that will take you right to my website where you can purchase it. Order 2 bottles - you'll save on shipping in the long run!

Chardonnay Skirt - Londa's 2 Cents Worth

I'm sharing today about this recent outfit I created. The skirt is the Chardonnay Skirt from LJ Designs. For it, I wrote one of my 'Londa's 2 Cents Worth" http://www.londas-sewing.com/, which is $30 for 6 months, $50 for 1 year - just ONE of the benefits is receipt of my Londa's 2 Cents Worth - at least 6 per year... This is a 'taste' - the last one I just wrote. I also 'deliver' a pdf of these 'helps' whenever one orders one of the patterns from me for which I've tested and written one of my 2 Cents Worth (designated with a *** by the pattern name on my websites).

I thought the 'history' and end result of this skirt made quite a story...so I'm sharing it here. It reveals 'real life' sewing...which should never prevent us from stitching on!

The Top is a variation of Christine Jonsons's #426. Read about it at the end.

Londa’s 2 Cents Worth
Chardonnay Skirt

A’ La Mode Collection
From
LJ Designs


I love most of Lyla’s patterns – and she does a GREAT job of directions. This skirt pattern was the one of the A’ La Mode Collection that most caught my eye – though not as much as the Fajita Skirt. In general, I think this skirt is just OK. I made it of a cotton/lycra jersey knit – and toyed with making it a double layer skirt from the beginning – to help ‘conceal’ body bumps.
Alas – while stitching with my serger around the top – darned if I didn’t catch a fold underneath – and promptly cut a triangle cut right in the center back! At that point, I HAD decided to not ‘eat up additional yardage with making it double layer, but once I’d had my ‘boo-boo’ – I had no option but to put a second layer of the knit on the top.

Here is a picture of me in my (altered) Christine Jonson Princess Wrap top with this Chardonnay (altered)

Pretty perfect green shoes to match, eh? Made out of the knit – I quickly (well not quickly enough) realized that that the zipper down the center front that I had just labored to put in – was NOT necessary – as it easily slid over my hips without undoing the zipper – so out it came. You can’t see the fabric edges, but I opted to go the simple ‘designer’ route and just 3 thread serged the edge – not rolled or anything – just serged and left as is! Seems kinda crude to me – but the designers do it and get top $$$ - so why should I labor further is what I figured…

Even with the double layer fabric, I invested in some of those SPANX to wear under this garment – and felt quite good, actually, that no ‘panty lines’ were revealed! $20 for the SPANX is pretty darned high though!

In general, I found these directions to be the least understandable of any of Lyla’s I’ve encountered so far. I would not recommend this pattern to someone who didn’t have a good grasp of sewing. If you do know how to sew though, it is a neat concept in a skirt.

Fabric Selection: You can use this pattern for wovens as well as knits. With a woven, you would obviously have to insert that zipper. There are no side or center back seams, so the front where the zipper is instructed to go is really the only place for it.

Beware: the wrong side of the fabric shows where the center front drape flops around!
That is not made clear on the pattern envelope at all. If the wrong side of the fabric is not attractive (ie a print), you will have to line this skirt to the edge.

Directions:
Warning: Be SURE to adequately mark all markings on the pattern onto your fabric! If I were to make this skirt again, I would actually thread trace mark the center front angled stitching line – the zipper placement lines.

The directions start right off with ones for a “Lined Skirt” and there is no reference to lining at all on the pattern envelope back.


Elastic Application

In the Lined Skirt – Lyla calls for 2” less than ‘waist edge measurement of skirt’. I found that very nebulous, and finally decided it would be the measurement of the skirt, with darts sewn out, from zipper placement line to zipper placement line. That is what I did – and the skirt barely hung on my hips. I really need to take it out and make the elastic – maybe 3” even less long than it already is – so my guess would be you could easily make the elastic 5” less than the waist measurement. I don’t see yet why she is asking for you to go by the waist measurement of the skirt, and not your body – I’d do it 5” less than my body waist measurement – or my measurement wherever I would want the top of the skirt to ‘rest’ on my body.

Weird: but in the Unlined skirt – she says nothing about cutting the elastic any shorter at all – I guess she assumed that – but the ‘cutting shorter length’ is under the “Lined Skirt” directions – I found that all very confusing.
If I were to make this skirt again – I would opt for 1” wide elastic and just adjust the hemming then on the front cascade portion of the skirt to be 1” deep.

Zipper Application:
It is confusing, but it the directions for the zipper insertion DO work – you jut need to really follow the pictures, and stitch VERY closely to the zipper coil. Stitching far away at all will reveal the zipper tape. Although – it does seem quite covered up by the cascade portion of that front effect.

I have an additional concern about this design and zipper placement – and that is that this ‘line’ that the zipper is inserted on is NOT straight grain, but at an angle, therefore the fabric is bound to stretch there. Be VERY careful! Again, the cascade will cover it, but…………

Balance of Directions – look A-OK.


Notes about my Double Layer Skirt:
The cascading portion on the front of my skirt ‘belongs’ to the longest skirt – the ‘underskirt’. The ‘overskirt’ is hemmed shorter – I just ‘eyed’ that in with it on my body, pinned, marked, etc…. AND it is cut at the center front just 1” beyond that center front zipper insertion line, and turned and hemmed, stitched down on either side of that front stitched line. Also – I wanted to eliminate all bulk possible under my top that I knew I would wear on the outside of the skirt – so I really narrowed down – shaped that front uppermost edge of the cascade.

Shirred top and Princess Wrap
#426-Christine Jonson
Sleeveless, non-shirred Variation
by Londa


I loved this crossover Princess top from Christine – so when I wanted to make a sleeveless top of that nature to go with my LJ Chardonnay skirt – it came to the top of the list of ‘patterns to consider’.

However, design-wise, I didn’t feel the ‘gathered’ effect of the top’s right side(as worn) into that left princess seam ‘went with design-wise’ the flatter, more angular fold feature of the Chardonnay skirt.

Sew…
I just cut 2 of the Princess Top Left front and proceeded – obviously leaving out the sleeves.

I found when I tried it on, however, that it pulled funny under the bust on my right side where the left front was attached at that princess seam…
So I ‘stabilized’ it with a piece of elastic stitched from that princess seam to the side seam. It worked just fine.

Divide into thirds - MAGIC rule for designing

A chatter with Louise Cutting lately on The Creative Machine - a great group you can join in with at www.quiltropolis.com (espeically good if you're into garment sewing), reminded me again of the importance of dividing sections into thirds (NOT halves!) as you dress, sew, design, etc.
This goes back to the Golden Mean Rule (gotta look that up on google)...
Which just really says that a combo of something divided 1/3 and 2/3 or 2/3 and 1/3 is just more pleasing to the eye than dividing anything in half.
I teach - or preach this all the time in my Creative Sweatshirt Jacket creation - especially in regards to not selecting a sweatshirt or jacket length long enough to just cover your butt - as you're usually then dividing yourself in half...not good.

Louise even applied it to length of a shorter (3/4 length) sleeve: divide that space between your elbow and wrist bone into thirds, and then hem a sleeve at one of those points...NOT at the 1/2 mark.

Same applies to Capri length pants says Louise - and I agree. That distance of your calf between your knee and ground (WITH shoes to wear with garment on) again should dictate your pant length at third points, NOT half the distance if you don't want to look frumpy!

Test it - you'll see Louise and I and the ancient Greeks are right on!

Londa

Bio on Londa in local paper

In case you might be interested, here are some links to a recent article on what I'm 'up to' from our local paper.
http://www.londas-sewing.com/images/savoystarljr1.png
and
http://www.londas-sewing.com/images/savoystarljr2.png