Friday, 23 August 2013

Sew Weekly Reunion Pantone Challenge




The Facts:

Fabric: 1m of Ikat-style print rayon from my village thrift shop = $1
Notions: Reused elastic scraps from various projects = $0
Pantone Challenge colors: Emerald (17-5641), Mykonos Blue (18-4434), Linden Green (15-0533), Carafe (19-1116) 
Pattern: none, but By Hand London's Anna for inspiration 
Year: 2013 
Time to complete: 3hrs
First worn: August 17th for the First Montreal Bilingual Meetup! (to be blogged soon...)
Wear again? Yes, I already have two times 
Total Cost: $1 CAN

 OK, so this was such a simple project that it feels like I'm cheating.  It's an elastic waisted skirt.

Seriously.

Are you going to kick me out of the reunion? 

Well, the story goes like this:  I have a huge stash of fabric built up from my travels and from my marvelous village thrift shop that sells bundles of fabric for $1/m.  When the Pantone Challenge was announced, I didn't want to go out and buy any new fabric, and this print had 4 (4!) of the colours, but was only 1m and that limited my project options.



I didn't need another sleeveless top, and I didn't want to waste any of this fab ikat rayon.  Because I work in a lab and cannot have bare legs during the summer for safety reasons, my maxi skirts have been in pretty heavy rotation, so another maxi was an obvious choice.

Way back in May 2012, I made a similar tube skirt, but ran into trouble with not having enough width at the bottom hem to allow a full stride.  So I made a short slit.  Then I made it longer.  Then I just kept going until I was running into point-of-no-return territory.  Shades of Angelina Jolie.

But then I remembered that By Hand London's Anna dress with a thigh high slit is taking the sewing world by storm this summer, so I can totally get away with it.  See Heather Lou's.  And Scruffy Badger's.  And Did You Make That's?  And Sew Busy Lizzie's.  etc.  Don't they all look gorgeous?  

I finished this more than a week ago, and already wore it to the second Montreal sewcialists meetup in honour of CarmencitaB's visit, which we decided to dub The First Bilingual Meetup because we were switching between French and English with abandon and trying to come up with a French term for "sewcialist".  Any suggestions?  (I still haven't blogged about it, but it'll be up soon.  Promise.)


 And because my Sew Weekly posts back in 2012 were never complete without an outtake or two, here's my daughter photobombing me this morning:


Happy Sew Weekly Reunion everybody.  Same time next year?
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27 comments:

  1. Anonymous23 August 2013 at 12:44

    It is a lovely skirt! Love the colors and looks great on you. I am during a simple brown pencil skirt for the Sew Weekly Reunion. I need it for another project that starts the first of September and it is going to be my base piece for a 5 piece mini wardrobe.

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    1. Another Sewing Scientist23 August 2013 at 23:56

      You know, I never wore brown until recently. I guess I was subconciously remembering Colour Me Beautiful from the '80s that told me NEVER TO WEAR BROWN. Now I realize that it's such a classic, basic neutral and we should all have a Carafe pencil skirt!

      Delete
  2. Heather Lou23 August 2013 at 13:15

    Love this! It's all about the Angelina gams baby.

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    1. Another Sewing Scientist23 August 2013 at 23:54

      I usually get lots of compliments on my me-mades at work (now that everyone knows I sew), but no one made a peep today about this one. Hmmmm...maybe too much gam for the lab? Nah, everybody loves a sexy scientist. (Oh, now I'm going to get the weird search terms)

      Delete
  3. Anonymous23 August 2013 at 14:51

    Yay! I'm so glad to see your Sew Weekly Reunion garment. All those colors! You really nailed the theme with this fabric! My Sew Weekly Reunion garment was a bust, so I'm now scrounging... I think a three-hour make is just what I need!

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    1. Another Sewing Scientist23 August 2013 at 23:52

      It shouldn't have taken 3 hours actually, but I had to unpick the waistband two times because my zig-zagging along the elastic was wonky. I've actually started another piece that falls into the Pantone palette and if I get it done in time, I'll post that one too. Too much?

      Delete
  4. CosmicCaro23 August 2013 at 15:37

    Not only is this skirt pretty, but it flows like angels wings as you walk!

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    1. Another Sewing Scientist23 August 2013 at 23:50

      Ooooo...nice description. I think that's the first time someone has ever ascribed angelic qualities to me before ;)

      Delete
  5. Judith23 August 2013 at 16:19

    Such beautiful colours in this fabric - great choice to make it up as a skirt!

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    1. Another Sewing Scientist23 August 2013 at 23:58

      I am so lucky to have that thrift shop in my village. I find better fabrics there than at my local Fabricville, and for practically nothing. I won't reveal the exact whereabouts or name of said shop. I don't want any Montreal sewcialists to start combing the racks before me!

      Delete
    2. Unknown26 August 2013 at 00:06

      Funny, I was reading your post and thinking I must ask for more info on your secret fabric source so I can raid it! Very wise of you not to divulge :) Really like the skirt, esp the colours. I just rsvp'ed to the September meet-up so look forward to seeing you there :)

      Delete
    3. Another Sewing Scientist26 August 2013 at 10:01

      Yeah, see you there! I'm sure I'll be frantically sewing something new the night before, like I always do for meetups....

      Delete
  6. marcy harriell | oonaballoona23 August 2013 at 18:42

    i just saw a thigh high split maxi skirt in the DFW airport and immediately sketched it because I WANTZ ONE. and yours is waaaay better than the solid rtw i saw.

    comme ci comme sewcialist? hahahahahahaha!

    i kinda suck at french.

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    1. Another Sewing Scientist24 August 2013 at 00:01

      But I really want to make a solid black jersey maxi skirt with a slit now. I think that if I make it with zero ease from waist to thigh and then flaring out, I could get away with an even higher slit, because it would stay tight against the body.

      Or it could be a wardrobe malfunction of the vulgar kind.

      Delete
  7. Andrea24 August 2013 at 01:08

    So pretty AND thrifty. Great combo. Your daughter is such a cutie!

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    1. Another Sewing Scientist24 August 2013 at 11:03

      She's usually a cutie. Usually. You have a daughter, so you know how it goes!

      Delete
  8. prttynpnk24 August 2013 at 07:58

    That is swank- I'm totally jealous.

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  9. Gillian25 August 2013 at 09:03

    I love those colours on you! And you are rocking that slit... now I want one too!

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    1. Another Sewing Scientist26 August 2013 at 10:04

      Should I post a tutorial? HAHAHAHAHA (Sew partway down the tube. Finish slit edges. Add hem and elastic on top. Boom. You're done.)

      Delete
  10. Craft Sanctuary26 August 2013 at 08:52

    Wooooo check out that leg! You are totally reaching Angelina territory, in the best way possible of course! Love it!

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    1. Another Sewing Scientist26 August 2013 at 10:17

      Hey Ashley - I started a Lady Skater dress after seeing yours the other weekend. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

      Delete
  11. Elizabeth30 August 2013 at 18:21

    Yay for reunions!! You're right, the slit is THE. THING. among sewist this summer. Very well done as usual!

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    1. Another Sewing Scientist31 August 2013 at 13:45

      Thanks Elizabeth - I actually have another garment started (a Lady Skater dress in "vivacious"), but I figured why push myself to do two projects on a sunny Saturday?....

      Delete
  12. Anonymous2 September 2013 at 04:50

    This is so comfy and wearable, think I'm gonna do a copycat version very soon:)

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    1. Another Sewing Scientist2 September 2013 at 11:49

      Thanks Adey - I think it would be great for Singapore weather! Can't wait to see the posts go up on the reunion site.

      Delete
  13. Lee10 September 2013 at 16:29

    Love the Angelina pose! And the mix of being very covered up yet approaching vulgarity. I've been tempted by the Anna and Lady Skater patterns lately too. Your local thrift sounds like a dangerous place.

    ReplyDelete

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