Obviously, a hem shortening is not the most exciting refashion, so I'm bundling them. The lilac linen blend and black wool blend skirts were straight forward - just cut and sewed both the outer shell and the linings. The quality of them both is excellent and I've already worn them a lot - I love to save on work clothes.
On to the grey-green poly-blend skirt. I didn't love this skirt - the polyester generates static cling, it's not lined and the elastic was gone in the waist so it was going to be more work. I later did a burn test with an off-cut and found it wasn't pure polyester as I'd originally thought but it's still mostly polyester.
But it does have those great pockets and it's my current favourite colour. I'd marked the hem line before I remembered to take photos. I didn't like the buttons but decided to keep the tabs over the join between the elasticated waist and flat front sections.
I then went and cut at the final hem line rather than the cutting line - honestly! Luckily in the kick pleat but it did mean I had to take in the back seam so I could add a back slit for walking (which had to be moved up in any case) and get around my mistake. I was hoping to do a Dior style kick pleat but I couldn't take in the back seam that far.
On to replacing the elastic - not so easy as I thought. The original elastic had been sewed down with 4 lines of stitching which had to be unpicked. It was completely perished, as was the waistband interfacing so I picked all that off as much as I could. Even a long wash cycle didn't remove all of it. Then I had to resew the side seams and neaten everything up before adding a lining.
In a really bright colour that will make me smile and be seen by no-one else. Then I restitched the waistband and threaded through and sewed down new elastic. I hand sewed the tabs back on as there are so many layers and finally it was done.
Happy refashioning!
Mimi
2 comments:
Giggle giggle giggle!
I think I'm (was; due to time in the past?) the ONLY ONE once in clinch with my mothers idea of "short skirts for my young daughter with the better figure which I (= mother!) could never wear myself due to 'the wrong figure' !"
... I tried aaaall sorts of tricks to make them longer, since I hated walking upstairs at school and the teachers (= despite mainly female) could have told me the colour/pattern of my undies (= if they wanted to yet just politely smiled instead)!
When Mom CUT all surplus material to avoid me 'sabotaging her ideas for me' I pulled the stupid things down (even with zip open to do so) and wore the tops outside over the 'to hide gap of the open zip' (fixed/extended with a rubber band) .
Yep, in olden days mothers were a 'tad bossy' and children sometimes the 'dress/fashion dolls for adult dreams' ? /..\ /..\ /..\
Having had brothers only was easing a few things, when I resorted to wearing dress pants only: Mom soon realised it's easier to have to fuss for 'one sort/kind' only ;-) ;-) :-D
Not knowing whether YOU yourself know already yet for perhaps others without this knowledge: if you happen to find some 'pleated classic' - especially Plissee/ Umbrella Pleats (?) - amongst your inherited stash, please consider taking the waistband off and try to get rid of any surplus lengths on THIS (top end) of the skirt, please.
Reason being: shortened at the 'official end'/bottom, creates some perhaps unwanted 'swing/flare out' and at times veeery out of whack former pleats ends.
Furthermore: the best of luck/success with more future refash.
I like the new length a lot! Nice!
Chickie
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