February UFO Showdown

I had to give this month’s challenge a bit of thought, as despite being guilty of many sewing ‘crimes’ this really isn’t one of them. Whilst I was slowly working my way through my mending pile, which I thought was kind of in the same vein (still fairly big but looking a lot better thanks to TMS) an idea came to me. Above right is a long-term lingerer from my closet dating back to the 90s. Despite numerous clear-outs, I’ve been unable to part with this. I was a sixth former the last time I actually wore this (I’m 43 now…) and yet despite it no longer actually fitting, I’ve been unable to part with it. Drastic action was needed or it was going to the charity shop..

Simply hacking off a good few inches of the length would have been the obvious shortcut, but to say that sizes have become more generous over the years would be an understatement, despite this actually beng the RTW size that I now wear, the waist on this felt at least two sizes smaller! So out came New Look K6217, a simple, relaxed pencil skirt design that I’d made up once before. I carefully unpicked the original skirt, cutting off the waistband, but managing to save the original zip and ties. Cutting out with such a fine, slippery fabric wasn’t easy, but to cut a long story short I ended up with an outer skirt that was far too big and a lining that was far too tight, grrr!

To be honest I may well have given up there, but spurred on by this challenge, over the weekend I got out my unpicker and set to work, releasing and discarding the original lining and then painstakingly unpicking the hem (not easy on such a sheer fabrication) before bringing in the side seam by a good inch and a half, taking an extra inch off the length and then reattaching the grosgrain ribbon at the waist (without a lining this time, a RTW one will have to do for now). And finally reattaching the original ties, phew!

Was it worth it? I now at least have a wearable skirt that fits, but it’s still pretty formal for my lifestyle needs. I guess only time will tell, but at least it’s out of my to-do pile 🙂

For more details and images head over to my blog at navybluethreads@wordpress.com