Friday, April 4, 2008

A Really Sheety Skirt

Today was soooo much fun! I got to play with my pinking shears, some drafting paper and a pencil, my measuring tape and my straightpins. I felt like I was in Junior High School all over again! You see, I never learned how to make an A-line skirt in Jr. High. Somehow, I went from a crummy gym bag at age 13 to quilting at age 29 with only some unwilling car upholstery experience in between. But it's never too late, right?

I was especially excited by this little skirt book because it tells you how to draft your own skirt using your own measurements. Commercial clothing and patterns have never fit me, so the prospect of something fitting me is....frankly...quite thrilling. (What can I say? I lead a simple life....) After the initial trauma of having to take my own measurements, I drew up my own pattern according to my own exact waist and exact hip size, and made it exactly the length I wanted. I used an old sheet from the thrift store, and here is the resulting prototype:
Whooooo Hoooo!!!! I made a skirt that fits ME. No one else!! It's mine, all mine! Actually, I'm quite sure that no one else in their right mind besides me would want it, but that's okay. It's mine and fits me exactly right. Oh yes, right off the bat, I would do one thing differently. It's a little too flare-y in the A-line part (folk dancing, anyone?), but I can fix that on my paper pattern. I made a skirt that fits!

There's only one problem. This dorky sheet skirt prototype is very, very comfortable. There's a real danger here. I might be tempted to actually WEAR this skirt made out of a circa 1970 sheet around the house because it's made out of comfy, cozy sheets. The elastic waistband looks like something my Imaginary Grandma would wear, too. And you know what wearing something around the house leads to...yes...going out to the mailbox one day because I think no one is looking. THEN comes being too lazy to change out of it when friends drop by! Next thing you know, I'll be wearing it to the post office...and the grocery store! OH NO! Someone stop me!

The upside of wearing sheety clothes is that I won't have to make up my bed any more. I'll just make a really sheety blouse to go with my sheety skirt...and I'll actually BE the bedsheets! I can sleep right on the matttress! If I make a pillow hat, think of how much time I'll save.

Help me.

Okay, change of topic. You want to see what my thrifting adventures netted me this week?

Lusterware! I bought this sugar bowl for two dollars. It's so shiny that you can hardly take a picture of it. I don't know much about lusterware, but I think this sugar bowl must have been made in the early sixties, I'd guess, just because the little wheat motif looks sixty-ish. It was made in Japan. And just like Fifi, it's missing its partner. I'm sure the creamer got broken and may be at the same dump as Fifi's long-lost partner...but I'll keep looking for both.

Fifi tries it on for size. I think the color, shape, and size of it is so pretty! I love how it reflects my handmade doily, too.

I must have been in a turquoise mood that day, because this was my haul:

Some wool/nylon sock yarn from the U.K. and some fabric came home with me too.
I just love the little berry thingies on this fabric. I have no idea how old this fabric is either...I just like it.

And while we're rapidly changing topics, look what was in my magical mailbox today!!

I'm such a lucky woman! No, seriously, I am. I won another blog drawing, this time at Crafty Bits 'n Bobs. This package came all the way from Australia, which made it extra-special. There's an adorable little wristlet, some cute little buttons sewn onto creature-decorated paper, some lurvely chocolate, and this pretty pin:
The green bead has butterflies all around it...so pretty! I'll use this to pin my knitted Clapotis shawl together around my neck. Thank you, Crafty Bits. I love everything. And I promise not to wear any of it with my sheety clothing. You're welcome.

27 comments:

Hedgehog said...

Making sheety bags, myself. Love your thrifty finds!

Andrea said...

We should all make sheety pyjamas and never have to make a bed again - hilarious !!

Janet said...

Sheety sewing - you are too funny!!

Nancy said...

great sheety skirt. Can't wait to see the top and hat. Oh, don't forget socks and slippers....

Suzy said...

Omigosh! Your sheety skirt reminds me of when I took home ec my freshman year of high school and fell in love with sewing. That summer, I took all our old (I mean REALLY old) sheets and made "practice" clothing from it to give myself some sewing experience. We didn't have much money, so I made do with what I had. Unlike you, I could NEVER have worn my sheety clothing because of the sheets were REALLY WORN, but it was the best experience I could have given myself.

Your sheety skirt came out great and is perfectly wearable out and about. I even like the fabric. Very Hawaiiany (is that a word? LOL!).

Congrats on your accomplishment! :o)

Anonymous said...

After I put on my sunglasses.....I love your luterware! Beautiful color and Oh, that shine!!

Brooke said...

Your "piece of sheet" skirt, t-shirt and flip flops...I think it would be cute! : )
I need to buy that book. Clothing that fits your body?? Brilliant!

Marilyn said...

I can see it now -- Dorky Sheety clothes line. Why not? You go girl! I don't have a problem you wearing your skirt out in public. Only YOU know it is an old sheet. Hmmmmm. Great job. Congrats.

susan said...

did you get your luster ware from a thirf shop cynthis does not know about?....fifi looks like she was born to ride that bowl, so shy and demure. i love the skirt and wouldnt think twice about wearing it to the IGA in SEPTEMBER when i know i wouldnt freeze to death!!
:-) the sun is still out and is a whopping 42....whoooooooo

Mar said...

yes, you've gone to far, well at least if you make a sheety blouse you have, I'd almost say just thought of it qualifies you *vbg*
Love lusterware myself. I don't think the lid goes with it. The wheat pattern was on some China my Mother had.

Rhonda said...

You are too funny with your sheety clothes!! Love all the thrifty finds and congrats on your winnings!

Opal said...

Comfy sheety clothes! Sounds wonderful and it made me smile. :)

Anonymous said...

You are a trend setter! Your skirt is definitely head and shoulders above the trend of wearing PJ bottoms everywhere. Saw a lot of that in the O Hare Airport in Chicago. I especially like the thrifted fabric. Those are a type of berry know as beebleberries.

Sally said...

Oh, my, what a great idea - sheety things! Love the skirt. And that wonderful box from Australia makes me drool! Congrats on winning another blog drawing - you are one lucky girl!

Tine said...

See, I like your skirt, fabric and all :-)
I have a book like yours -only mine is an old old book from the 60s. I made a pencil-skirt from it a couple of years ago, and I have to say.....although writing down ones measurements is not always a nice thing, the good thing is, that you don't have to match it to a size! And so there's no agonizing over stuff like "why-are-my-hips-2-sizes -larger-than-what-this-chart-says-fits-my -height?"

Under the Lychee Tree said...

That skirt definitely reminds me of my high school sewing class so fun to see! The sugar bowl sure has a patchwork feel to it! I missed my thrifting this week thanks for the armchair thrifting!

ladydi said...

Oh yes, gotta love those sheets. You remember my wedding dress story with the prototype made of old curtains that I liked so much I just used it for my wedding dress? We must be thrifty sisters!

Brenda said...

I adore your skirt; I am a sweat pants person myself-sneak to the mailbox, and even go to the post office and grocery store now and then. Your treasures for the day are wonderful. I love to go to garage sales and thrift stores. Keep on sewing.

The Calico Quilter said...

And what would be wrong with wearing that skirt in public? It's a great green print, very tropical. Just don't tuck your top in and show the elastic waist (that's a dead giveaway old lady move!) LOL

BTW, I agree with mar's comment - I think that lid is what they call a "marriage" in the antique trade - not original - but it's charming and anyone would be happy to enjoy that lovely, shiny thing. It's also my favorite color in the whole world.

Salem Stitcher said...

I would not be surprised to see your sheety skirt in an Old Navy commercial in the near future. I know some teem girls that would love it to death! You should wear it with pride!

Acornbud said...

What a lovely haul! I can so relate you starting out going to the mailbox and then before you know it wearing the skirt out. Why not? In Hawaii, pretty much anything goes.

judybee said...

I have been enjoying reading your blog for awhile now - I find your stories hilarious and the "tours" are wonderful, too. Coincidentally I bought the same skirt book this week but haven't started any skirts yet because I was finishing the taxes (ICK!)and didn't want to wield the tape measure (double ICK!).
It didn't seem a Japanese thing to do to not match up the lid with the sugar bowl, and since someone else already broke the news, I did a quick Google search...
http://www.ioffer.com/i/HOTTA-YU-SHOTEN-lusterware-blue-Sugar-bowl-creamer--43473176 A nice match and nice fit on your little prize though!

Anonymous said...

Bless your heart. It's not sheet, don't you know they're called "linens" in the fancier circles? So, therefore and unto, you don't have a sheety skirt, you have a linen skirt. So there, now you can even wear it to the market! Actually, with a little white t-shirt or tank or one of those cute little sleeveless button up blouses, it would look super snazzy! Yeah, like you should really take fashion tips from me, someone who lives in sweats, jeans and t-shirts/sweatshirts. But, at least I wear hand-knit socks!

Kellie said...

Oh, I wanna make some sheet like that! :) I think it's adorable. Ya know, you could get a nice structured top to wear...I'm thinking white button front...(long enough to hide the "granny" waist) and it'd be sooo cute! You're making me want to blow the dust off my copy of that book!

And I want to know where to get one of those magical mailboxes!

Anonymous said...

Fifi is a perfect fit for your sugar bowl!

Chuckling... I can see you in the reflection of your sugar bowl. WHEW... good thing it wasn't like that photo going around the internet "how do you know a man took this photo?" photo.

I miss you t-sabby... I'm so far behind on my catch-up email. I owe you big! xoxoxo - m

Natalie Rush said...

That sheet skirt looks awesome!

Crafty Things said...

Glad to see the parcel arrived safely. Enjoy the chocolate!