Saturday, September 6, 2014

New Look 6843 as a stretch lace skirt


New Look 6843 as a purple knit
I have a lot to say about this simple skirt.

New Look 6843 as a purple knit

It's my favorite woven skirt pattern, NL 6843, the A-line version, modified for stretch fabrics by folding out the darts.   This is my second time making a knit skirt from that pattern; my first try (which I wear quite a lot) is here.

The fabric is a stretch lace from Joann's that I bought last summer with every intention of sewing a gym tank, latching on to my enthusiasm from making my first tank, but never did.  The scale seemed a bit large for that and maybe a little OTT for the gym.  On my first day of vacation last month, I rediscovered this fabric and decided that it was appropriate for a skirt.

Ever since I took the PR class "Understanding Knit Fabrics", I cut 4" squares and wash and dry them to see how much shrinkage occurs.  I had only bought 3/4 of a yard, though, and it did shrink a bit...so I really needed that 4" square back!!

Here's how I pieced the fabric, which meant that little 4" section does not have a selvedge, it's just a raw edge, but who is going to notice?
New Look 6843 as a purple knit

I used elastic from Pamela's Patterns, first zig zagging it to the upper edge and then serging it.
New Look 6843 as a purple knit
I like how it creates the effect  that I'm wearing a belt.

I underlined the stretch lace with free fabric that was in our PR Weekend Austin 2014 goodie bags.  Truthfully, it wasn't in my goodie bag, but ATP gave me hers--and it was a perfect match for this lace.
New Look 6843 as a purple knit

I was quite upset?  ashamed? of this cutting mishap (while cutting out the underlining--not a serger mishap):
New Look 6843 as a purple knit
I mean, it just looks terrible.  I tried to think of ways to hide it and ultimately settled on this solution:

New Look 6843 as a purple knit
I cut Pamela's Patterns elastic down to 5/8" wide strip (it doesn't fray--she advertises how you can cut it down to the width you want), and then hand embroidered my name and date on it. The floss is actually a light purple to match the outside flowers, but it looks white in the photo.
I serged the ends of the elastic and then sewed it on.


New Look 6843 as a purple knit
Now, doesn't that look intentional?  Off-center, but intentional?

Not only does it hide the cutting mishap, it stretches as I wear it (because it's elastic too--unlike a woven label or woven ribbon that would not have stretched), AND it also serves as a way for me to hang my skirt in my gym locker.  Yes!  Good things arising from the bad and all that.

I made the shirt in these photos too; I copied a RTW shirt and fully expected to write a loving post on how wonderful copying garments is, but it didn't come out as I expected.  The fit is not that great and now that I look at the RTW shirt, the fit on it isn't so good either.  But I *love* the fabric itself--I bought it at TexStyles at PR Weekend Austin 2014.

Here's how I wore it to work, with a RTW cardi:
New Look 6843 as a purple knit
Posing next to a giant-sized poke weed that has purple pokey things that coordinate with my skirt.



NL 6843 as a purple knit
Here's a side view
NL 6843 as a purple knit

And here it is without the RTW cardi on. Yeah, the fit on the shirt is not good.
NL 6843 as a purple knit
The shirt fit is really not good, but the skirt is decent.
Actually when I wear the shirt with the cardi, the cardi pushes the too-wide neckline down into the start of a cowl and it doesn't look too bad--and the cardi hides all the drag lines.

NL 6843 as a purple knit
My model pose, ha ha.
One of my coworkers said she thought it was a dress, not a shirt with a separate skirt.
NL 6843 as a purple knit
The end. (ha ha ha ha ha ha, I crack myself up)

I just noticed, it looks like the flowers are not centered on the back, but they are--the skirt must be wore a little off center in the photo, hmmm...

So that was the last complete garment I made on my vacay--I started another garment which I finished last weekend and LOVE.  Wait til you see it, you'll love it too.

Be well!

12 comments:

  1. I love it and you look to stinkin' cut in it!

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  2. Hey Kyle! I love the skirt, and the ensemble you created for it! Also, I LOVE your hair! Really, really, love it!

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  3. It does look like a dress. Especially with the cardi.
    Good job not only on the separates morphing into an outfit but on disguising a wee mishap.

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  4. Great skirt and love the look with the shirt and jacket. Sorry the shirt didn't work out like you had hoped, it does look good.

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  5. You crack me up too. I can see how you colleague would think this is a dress.
    Keep the model pose.
    You're knit skills are really, really good.

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  6. Clever idea to put the elastic on the outside, it looks good.

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  7. I really like the skirt and the elastic WB looks like it was planned from the beginning. Job well done in my book!

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  8. New career as a model! I like this skirt a lot and can see it becoming a workhorse in your closet. Really cute Kyle!

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  9. I adore your cute little skirt! And what a clever save. You know what they say, necessity is the mother of invention! You picked one of my favorite colors: purple. Your skirt is beautiful and you look great!

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