Oh this is so hard :( Okay guys so like, this is my last Mystery Sewing Box post, I'm going to have to figure something out to write about from now on!!! Totally taking suggestions. Aaaand to make matters worse this weeks garment really fell flat compared to some of my others booo!!!
So I guess I'll just start right off explaining what happened, this week we started off with a black ribbed knit, about 7/8 a yard of 36 width.
Not a lot, I knew right away I wanted to do a little pencil skirt, and figured it would be easy as knits are pretty easy to work with.
WRONG: so as many of you know most of the fabric in this challenge is vintage, well sometimes knits loose their elasticity over time, what does that mean you ask? It means that after you stretch them out they do not return to their original shape. I should have checked my fabric before starting but honestly I didn't really think about it. And I'm not sure it would have make a difference even if I had, as much fun as my Starry Camp look was, I wasn't ready for that to be my last post in this category.
So without that crucial bit of knowledge I embarked on creating on last look for y'all.
Fully knowing Knits stretch I pulled my size 8 hip blocks (which are tiny btw) and figured the fabric would stretch to contain my size 10ish 12 figure. As pictured above Tiny!
And then I cut out my waistband a solid 24x 4 inches. (I'm a 27in waist) I sewed up the sides using my awesome serger! Sewed the ends of the waistband together then folded everything in half and serged it onto the top of the skirt. Tried it on and Big Problem. It doesn't fit. Nope way to loose. I removed the waistband and took in the skirt sides 1inch, both sides, then cut the waistband down to 20 inches totally. Reattached the waistband and..... still too big.
I know it doesn't seem like it took that long, but If you've ever had to remove a serged seam you will understand my feeling. That's when it was very clear to me that the fabric had no problem stretching out, but would not return to it's original state. My options, take it apart AGAIN or just give up and go with.
I gave up and went with it, resolving to not sell it in my shop and just keep as part of my wardrobe, only wearing it with a belt so as not to loose it.
I went ahead serging the bottom then hemming it with a double needle. With the belt it looks good you can't really tell that its not right. But I know, and it saddens me because this is not how I wanted my finale to be, but you know, a challenge is a challenge, and even if the fabric is flawed I made something, and I made it work ant that's also something right?
Anyways enjoy the pictures below, I added a few of just me hanging out in my studio since the challenge is complete and the skirt didn't really turn out the way I wanted it to.
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