New Skirt and the Rest of the Loot

How come I could sew this same skirt in an hour the other night and it took me all freakin' day today? Yeah, I do work best (at least more efficiently) under pressure. I always have.

This is the finished skirt, along with the blouse and a brown belt I bought at Beall's last night and another sweater I bought at Stein Mart earlier in the week. I'm keeping everything. Oh, I'm also wearing the shoes I showed earlier. I'm keeping these too — they are just too comfortable NOT to keep. While I'm wearing them with all the rest of the outfits below, I'm sure I wouldn't really do that.

I lined this skirt. Or rather, I partially lined it. I wasn't up for fiddling with a lining around a vent today. I also cut the lining on the cross-grain and used the selvage as the hem. I'm running out of invisible zippers. This one is burgundy. One more lining shortcut was to overlap the front pieces on the princess seams, mark (and sew) darts instead, and cut the front as one piece. The lining is machine-stitched to the zipper tape. So with all these shortcuts, it's not like the lining took that much extra time today. It was maybe a 20-minute addition altogether. I guess I just needed to goof off all day, catch up on some blogs, and check my email 300 times around sewing a simple skirt.

It's becoming obvious that this is going to be the year of the sweater/cardi for me. Here's a close-up of the raw-edged trim. You can also see that I used a snap closure for the skirt. Nice and quick!

Same skirt, brown twinset from Beall's. I'm keeping this too. The belt I already had. Beall's has other colors in "my" shades that I'm tempted to go back and buy, especially the mustard-colored set. It's a tiny bit snug but it's my week to retain water IYKWIM and the next size up was too big. It doesn't look too tight in this pic so I'm OK with it. What do you think about mixing browns like this? I was just trying things on without changing the skirt, but I think I kinda like the look. Too bad I don't have some leopard print shoes. Yet. Hahaha!

The brown cascade cardi I showed in my last post.The bottom band looks darker here but all parts are really the same. The directional nap is catching the light differently. Another keeper, I think. (How many brown sweaters do I need? Or teal/turquoise? Hah!) I may trace off a pattern from this since I like the shape and that it's not too "cascade-y."

Wild jacket (knit) from Stein Mart. Not keeping this. I like it, but not enough to keep it for what it cost. And it doesn't really go with much of what I have.

A dress from Beall's. I'm not sure on this one. It looks OK to me, but will I really be comfortable with the sleevelessness and being able to see down to my navel from the cowl? Well, it seems like I can. I always wondered if people taller than me can see what I see when I look down? Note to self: Buy more Hollywood tape with a Joann's coupon.

Yes, I can cover it with a cardi like this, but then what's the point of keeping it only to cover it up? But by itself, it does make me look thinner, doesn't it? Maybe I'll keep it for going out. What do YOU think?

Dress from Stein Mart. Not keeping. It's really a little too tight around the bust and I would have to hem it. I'm sure I can find or make something else that I like better, even though this isn't terrible. The necklace on the right? It can't go back fast enough. I feel (and look!) like I'm wearing a target. But it was worth a try if only to find out it's not me.

And for the heck of it, here's a shot of 3/4 of my closet. The box on the floor at the back is my too-big cast-offs. Much of the stuff still hanging will probably find its way into that box, especially 99% of the pants hanging lower left. I don't wear ANY of them right now. The pants I do wear are out of the range of this shot. My love for prints is quite obvious, no? ;-)

I'm going to sew some more tomorrow and watch football, after I decide tonight exactly what it is I'll be sewing. I have too many ideas/possibilities which is making it hard to narrow it down. It's definitely so cool to be dressing up again.