I'm trying to get over my fear of messing up "the good fabric". Whenever I have a one of kind piece, I procrastinate about cutting it. I took the plunge and turned one of my african print fabrics into a full circle skirt using a very easy skirt pattern. I'm very pleased with how it turned out.
The fabric is one of last year's picks from my trip to Uganda. With african wax prints, you wash away the sheen if you put them in the wash. This one isn't so delicate. It's a thick cotton that can be washed. I liked the color combination of pink and dark green with hints of yellow. I'm thinking it subliminally inspired the green skirt outfit.
I stopped buying patterns years ago and donated or gave away most of my old stash. I toted around hundreds of patterns from new home to new home. I kept a few basic ones that I thought would be useful and the styles I couldn't bear to part with. This one is McCall's 4875 (2 hour skirt) and likely out of print. It's a super easy pattern. If you're a novice sewer or hopping back in from the machine, this one is nice for instant gratification. No zippers or buttons. It's a wrap skirt with ties in front and back. You can follow it by looking at the illustration alone. It's not very fussy and the style is great for repeating.
I went with a white shirt because I wanted to put all of the emphasis on my homemade skirt. This white button up is one of my favorite thrift store finds. It has extra buttons to keep the placket completely closed. It's slimming too.
I thrifted the shoes in Chicago. They were brand new with a retail value of $98. I only paid $7. I liked that they were a little bit different from the standard leopard print pattern. It's a little more versatile than an all white shoe and easier to cover up any stains which are sure to come when wearing white.
The Details
necklace - (gift)
white shirt - Lee by Rider (thrift store)
skirt - african print (diy)
panther pumps - White House Black Market (thrift store)
Fabric
The fabric is one of last year's picks from my trip to Uganda. With african wax prints, you wash away the sheen if you put them in the wash. This one isn't so delicate. It's a thick cotton that can be washed. I liked the color combination of pink and dark green with hints of yellow. I'm thinking it subliminally inspired the green skirt outfit.
Pattern
I stopped buying patterns years ago and donated or gave away most of my old stash. I toted around hundreds of patterns from new home to new home. I kept a few basic ones that I thought would be useful and the styles I couldn't bear to part with. This one is McCall's 4875 (2 hour skirt) and likely out of print. It's a super easy pattern. If you're a novice sewer or hopping back in from the machine, this one is nice for instant gratification. No zippers or buttons. It's a wrap skirt with ties in front and back. You can follow it by looking at the illustration alone. It's not very fussy and the style is great for repeating.
The Outfit
I went with a white shirt because I wanted to put all of the emphasis on my homemade skirt. This white button up is one of my favorite thrift store finds. It has extra buttons to keep the placket completely closed. It's slimming too.
I thrifted the shoes in Chicago. They were brand new with a retail value of $98. I only paid $7. I liked that they were a little bit different from the standard leopard print pattern. It's a little more versatile than an all white shoe and easier to cover up any stains which are sure to come when wearing white.
Do you sew with patterns?
necklace - (gift)
white shirt - Lee by Rider (thrift store)
skirt - african print (diy)
panther pumps - White House Black Market (thrift store)