Easy Peasy Domesticated Skirt

I'll admit it; I'm an instant gratification kind of sewer. As much as I try to force myself to not rush and to carefully finish off every raw seam the allure of being able to wear something new the next day usually wins out. Funny, I'm not like that in any other aspect of my life and this is clearly not a product of my German heritage as both my mom and grandmother have great patience and attention to detail when it comes to sewing. I've simply given up trying to fight it and have learned to live with this one flaw. Fortunately it's my one and only flaw. Just don't ask my husband to confirm that!

I've been stuck in a sewing-related spiral of shame and misery ever since what was supposed to be a quick and easy weekend project turned into a frenzy of re-sewn seams that had to be ripped out again and again. Still the darn shirt refused to have anything resembling a flattering shape and I lack the experience to know how to fix that. While I rarely interrupt a project before it's done, I happily ditched that one for now because something much better came along. Something that most likely would not make me look like I'm trying to cover up the consequences of consuming two anniversary cakes last week.

Enter the delightfully simple Domesticated Skirt!

Photo from http://sewastraightline.blogspot.com

I never remember what circuitous route I’ve taken to discover a new blog or pattern but somehow I found my way to Sew a Straight Line's tutorial for her Domesticated Skirt. Boy, am I glad I did. I immediately fell in love with the possibilities. The underskirt peeping through is a delightful detail that appealed to my color coordinating tendencies. One of my favorite things to do is scour the fabric store for just the right coordinating fabrics. If I'm being good I'll start with one from my stash so I'm not tempted to blow all of our grocery budget on more fabric. While I'm not much of a skirt wearer there are occasions when I want to spruce myself up a bit and pretend to be the girl that I actually am while staying true to my casual, devil-may-care style of dress. This skirt certainly fits the bill.


I wasn't taken with this cream and blue fabric when I bought it, rather I was trying to fill out my stash and this was the least unattractive option in the clearance section. At the time that was reason enough for me. I quickly became attached to it once I dug it out of my closet with this specific project in mind, however. Not only do the colors work really well together and the design looks like something a name brand designer would come up with, it's also better quality fabric than most of the stuff I buy at Jo-Ann. That's something I came to appreciate while considering the see through possibilities of the skirt. A quick search in the quilting fabric section of Jo-Ann resulted in a near perfect match. Polka dots aren't usually my thing but the blues work so well together. Even better that I got to use my 50% off coupon! Those coupons are what keep me going back to Jo-Ann time and again.

Based on one sewer's version of the skirt I went the easy way out (instant gratification, remember?) and replaced the bias tape with a three-yard spool of ribbon. Yup, it was also from Jo-Ann using yet another 50% off coupon. I suspect the gals who work there are getting tired of seeing me every day. However, this substitution wasn't all due to laziness. I think the ribbon gives the skirt a measure of sophistication. Looks just like something you'd expect to find for sale in a boutique. If I'd had enough ribbon left I would have done the hemline with ribbon as seen below but it took the entire three yards just for the waist and ties.

Photo from http://craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com

I should probably point out that I goofed when cutting the fabric. This was totally my own fault and not a flaw in the instructions at all. Let's just say I should know better than to try to do math and cut fabric late at night when I'm tired. I wasn't ready to give up on the fabric after I'd become so attached to it and could already picture the final product in my mind. I wound up cutting the waist too small and had to splice some of the scraps on each end, but somehow I think it turned out ok. In fact, I almost like the effect. After a little over an hour of sewing I had a new skirt. That's the sort of time frame I can appreciate.

I apologize for the quality of the pictures. One day I'll master the art of self photography.




It's reversible to boot! That's almost like having two skirts in one. I'll definitely revisit this pattern again.