Apple Skirt! A Different One!

The last large area of the apple print was just long enough to let me cut an only slightly-shortened view E of New Look 6843.

 

 (It's 17½" instead of the 18" the envelope says.)

Apple Vest

I am genuinely getting close to the last of the apple print...but I'm not there yet.

I thought it would be fun to make a vest from the apple print, and I'm still happy to make New Look 6514 from something besides patchwork (although I definitely will make it from patchwork sometime again, especially now that I have the die cutter.)  As much as I like making patchwork, it does, y'know, add significant time to a project; without the additional labor of patchwork, this is a quick project.

 

 It is at this point that I acknowledge that there are probably significant clowncore aspects to this print, and to using it for so many things.  I can live with that.

...so...I got a die cutter...

The big kind, usually used for leather, with the lever and the springs and the individual metal dies.  There is a learning curve to using it, and I have a lot of other projects I want to sew besides patchwork.

Still, I took some time today to try proof-of-concept with the 30mm square die to cut patchwork for doll scale

The act of cutting was fun, as was figuring out how to fold and stack the fabric to get a lot cut at once.  I do still need to work on getting things aligned with the grain.

 

I didn't use a stitch length short enough to cut through (without it unraveling), so it became a skirt on a doll dress.

 

That's a custom-made 4½" square die in the upper left corner of the first photo.  I have some technical issues to work out with that (because I got what I now realize is a somewhat under-size die press--I can make it work, but I will again refer back to that learning curve) before I can go wild cutting large patchwork squares for more clothes.  The 60mm die works nicely as things are, though.  I can work with that...just...not at the moment.  I made a list of things I want to make, and I made that list before I convinced myself to order the die press and associated supplies.  I'll get to it.

Apple Skirt!

I mentioned that I got five yards of the apple fabric, right?  And that was after originally getting two, which went into the disappointing cardigan and a shirt for a friend.  I knew I wanted to use the second cut of it to make a better cardigan, and then I impulsively made the motorcycle jacket (which I have worn several times already, since the weather has been actually properly spring-like.)

That still left a few yards of it, though.  After confirming that The Child didn't want anything made from it (it's the wrong kind of tacky for the kid's tastes), I decided to make the most indulgent--yet simple (in theory)--thing: a circle skirt.

I have probably mentioned before how much I like voluminous skirts made from knit fabrics, but don't make them often because there are so many things that can only be made from knits.  A skirt? Can be made from anything.  A slim fit T-shirt?  That's a job for knits.

However.  I've probably also mentioned that I try not to wear polyester blends in direct contact with my underarms, because of smell issues.  It's not me, it's the polyester.  So, no matter how much I might think a little T-shirt made from the apple print would be adorable, it's not something I would ever wear...and, even if I do break down and make one, it's not going to take much fabric, either.  As mentioned, I had a lot of this fabric.

So, hey! Why not a circle skirt!

I grabbed Simplicity 7210 from the craft thrift store a while ago (that post is mildly amusing because, after sincere reflection on my sewing tastes, I have re-donated some of those patterns back to the craft thrift store) simply so I wouldn't have to recalculate a circle every time I wanted to make a circle skirt.  It's fine that it's a kid size pattern, because I can bring the waist in from another pattern; I used McCall's 7981 this time, along with that pattern's pockets.

...which led to an issue, but I'll get into that under the cut.   Right now: here's the skirt

 Usual disclaimer about all round-hemmed skirts: it really is even, I promise.

Craft Thrift Again

Part of the procrastination on starting my next project was that the local friend and I were planning another trip to the craft thrift store, so I devoted a lot of time to scouring through supplies to see what I could let go.  (Not all of what I found was donated to the craft thrift store--some went to the local friend, and some was put into boxes to send to non-local friends.  Still procrastinating further work on those.)  And then we had some days of severe weather (we're fine.)  We did finally get to the craft thrift store over the last weekend.

I shopped with some specific classes of fabric in mind: lining fabric; knits suitable for shirts for Husband; obnoxious print woven cotton for button up shirts for The Child and me; a lot of lightweight woven black to use for tiered skirts (poly cotton blends acceptable); more wool; more plaid; more chintz; more purple.  I found everything except for the Husband knits, which I know are always going to be scarce even at retail, let alone at thrift.

What I did find was, I think, pretty good.