As I have been working on creating my coat (or not working) I decided a break from it was necessary.  I am hopelessly behind the sew-along group and none of the sizes seem to fit and I'm not quite sure how to adjust a muslin to make sure it fits properly.  So I set it aside and took a small break. 

I was reading through Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing and ran across this skirt:



Gertie is my sewing idol.  I love everything she creates.  It was her blog that made me custom order a 1950s style cocktail party dress for my sister's upcoming wedding.  I even own a crinoline now!  As I skimmed through the tutorial, I figured "I can do this!!!"  I can cut rectangles, I can hand sew, I can gather...I was set! 

I searched for taffeta fabric on JoAnn's site and ran across their Halloween fabrics.  The idea began to take shape in my head....I would create a skirt to wear to school for Halloween.  My original fabric was a bright orange taffeta with black spiders all over it.  But our local store didn't have it and once an idea forms in my head, all patience flies out.  I needed fabric TODAY.  NOW.  It couldn't wait.  I did find a solid orange taffeta and picked out a sheer spider web overlay.  I called my sister to share my excitement in my great finds.

"Orange taffeta?  Glittered spider webs with orange sequins?  Are you wearing a sequined pumpkin shirt with it too?"

"Noooo, I can't do that.  I'm just wearing a black twinset.  I don't want to look ridiculous!"

"Right.  Because you aren't going to look ridiculous already...I think that ship has sailed."

 I had no idea how to do an overlay.  I didn't know how to work with sheer fabrics.  I couldn't find any tutorials online.  I hauled out my sewing books and figured something out.  Unfortunately, cheap taffeta is not something you can make a mistake with because there is no pulling out any seams without making a mess of the fabric.  Once I reached the point of inserting the zipper, I was lost.  How do I put a zipper in with the overlay?  I ended up just sewing it all together and praying as I did....because however it went in was how it was staying....it sort of worked.  But being a cheap skirt that will be worn one day a year, it will do (just don't look too closely).

Phoebe "helping" as usual.  She was watching the thread waiting for her chance to attack it.  She makes everything so easy....


I love my skirt.  When on, it adds so much volume to an already voluminous figure that I could easily be mistaken for a house.  I hope kids don't knock on my butt yelling "trick or treat!"  But I don't care.  It twirls.  It sparkles.  And I made it all by myself (oh, with Gertie's help...).