Black Linen x2

Today I finished two sewing projects after not doing anything for months. Conveniently, both were black linen, which meant I didn't have to change the thread in the machine. I am really lazy about not wanting to do that for some reason. Leo did not have the fun "helping" me that he obviously wanted to - the barrier I built between the sewing corner and the rest of the room was successful.

1) I shortened a pair of too-short pants into knee-length shorts. (These started as a pair of pants a friend's ex-girlfriend had sewn and left behind at his apartment; they had already been taken in at the waist to fit me.)

2) I completed a skirt made from a pair of capri pants. Despite this taking a long time for me to manage, it was actually very simple. (And starting from a pair of pants means that the hardest work of the waistband, zipper, and pockets were already done.) The skirt, made from the remainder of the pants left after cutting off where the bleach stain was on one knee, was too short for me, so I extended it using an old shirt of Robert's that was conveniently a matching color. (The shirt had a hole in it and was in my scrap pile; I did not raid his closet for fabric to use.)

Originally, I had planned to lengthen the skirt all the way around the bottom, but once I started cutting up the shirt, I found that I could both simplify the process and funkify the skirt by adding strips to the front and the back that came directly from the bottom of the shirt. So it turned out to have sort of kicky panels with a "slit" on each side. It looks sort of odd, and like no skirt I have ever seen, but I like the effect, I think.



You can also see the new shoes I bought in Denver when I visited Tam. (Tam was not in physical condition for a lot of hiking, but needed to go shoe shopping, so it was a happy time.) I have wanted a pair of shoes with straps like this for a long time, and I happened to find these that were both on sale and "nicer" looking than most of this style. The tapestry-like fabric on the sides dresses them up just the right amount for me.



In other clothing news, I did a major clean-out of my closet and drawers and got rid of everything that didn't fit me and a few things I just don't ever find myself wearing. (This means I have more pants-to-shorts creations to complete as I do away with the unfashionably short pants I have had since the high-water days.) I realized once again that skirts (especially ones with sewn-down pleats) and dresses (of which I only own about three right now) are much more flattering on me than pants. (Duh, imagine that - clothing styled for a woman's figure looks better than guy-styled stuff.)

This dress I saw today on Wardrobe Refashion really appeals to me as something that might be easy enough for even me to sew, and a wrap-dress is about the ultimate in adjustability of fit. Something to consider. But first I do want to get through all the items that I already own that simply need a little work done to them to make them comfortable and wearable.