Ohh the Irony and Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge #15: The Great Ooutdoors

So I found this little skirt in Make and Mend for Victory (Downloadable here) and made it up over three days. The booklet was published in 1942 by The Spool Cotton Company. To make the skirt you need 5 bandannas. You sew 4 of them together leaving a 7" long opening on one seam for snap closures. Then you cut the waistband from the 5th bandanna. I took a 1/2" seam on sewing everything together because in my downloaded copy the seam allowance was missing, as was the width of the waistband which I made an 1 1/2". You then gather the skirt into the waistband. The directions say that you can close the skirt with ties on the waistband but I decided to close it with a wooden button instead (Belle Button-Natural Wood Burnout 18Mm from Joanns if you're interested)

The booklet also has instructions for a top to go with the skirt and that is next on my sewing table once I finish my Red Ike Jacket. The buttonhole on the skirt is done with my grandmothers Singer 9134 which does a one step buttonhole. The buttonhole didn't come out perfect but I think it had to do with how much the skirt is gather into the waistband. The irony part comes from the fact that it's raining outside today so I had to take pictures on Audrey, my dress form.

The Scoop:

Fabric: 5 Pink Batik Bandannas from Joann Fabrics

Pattern: Make and Mend for Victory Booklet

Year: 1942

Notions: Snaps and a Button

Hours: 3 days off and on

First worn?: Not yet, it's raining out

Make again?: Maybe not for me but my grandmother has been eyeing it up so perhaps one for her

Total cost: Pattern: Free download, Bandannas: $12.95, Buttons: all 3 cost $2.96 (yay 50% off) but since I only used one we'll say $.99, and the snaps came from my stash. Total: $13.94

Blue Brushed Cotton Skirt

I was planning on submitting this skirt for Fall for Cotton sew along hosted by Rochelle at

http://luckylucille.com but because my tights kept sticking to the fabric it needed to be lined and the lining is not cotton so there goes my entry.The skirt itself is 100% Brushed Cotton in a Blue and Black Herringbone pattern. I used Pictorial Review Pattern 8898 from 1937 and made view 1 which is the Ballerina style 10 gored skirt. I finally got my serger working so all the seams are overlocked and I used bias tape and hem tape for the hems. You add belting to the top of the skirt instead of a waistband and I'm not sure how I feel about doing that because the belting is scratchy. Next time I think I might try and sandwich the belting in between the fashion fabric and the lining.  I don't know if you can tell from the picture but the drape is beautiful and the fabric is soft and made of warmz, plus it flairs when you twirl so obviously it's a winner. Also I finished this in September right before I left for England for my fall semester abroad and I didn't have any pictures of it finished before now.I will update pictures once it has a night out!

The Scoop:

Fabric: 100% Brushed Cotton in a Blue and Black Herringbone pattern Lining: Ice Blue poly/cotton

Pattern: Pictorial Review 8898

Year: 1937

Notions: Zipper, belting, hem tape

Hours: Hehehe my serger was misbehaving so it took a while

First worn?: Soon my pretty very soon........

Wear again?: Did I mention it flairs out when your twirl?

Make again?: I'd like to, I'm just not sure what fabric to do it in again

Total cost: Pattern $8.63 ($17.25 divided by 2 skirts), Fabric cotton was a gift and lining was $5.99, zipper $1.49, hem tape from stash, belting from stash so the skirt cost $16.11 to make. Plus I had enough fabric left to make another project......