Getting Back to My Sewing Roots

I used to sew a lot. Before I had kids. Well, I did sew some pretty dresses for Emma and some cute toddler pants for Ian. But that stopped. I have taken the practice back up when I craved some personalized, stylized, my-own-design-idea Summer tops. I have been in a sewing frenzy for the last month - 2 tops, 2 dress, 1 nightgown, 1 skirt and 1 purse. I'm enjoying this re-discovered creativity. It's a good outlet for me.

A couple a sewing fashionistas are hosting a sewing challenge which requires the item I just happened to recycle into a skirt for Emma and a purse for me - denim jeans. Here are my projects:

Emma and I were at Hobby Lobby looking for nightgown fabric. She noticed some material she really liked but their was just 1 3/4 yards. Not enough to make a proper skirt but I bought it anyway figuring I could make something with it.

Earlier in the week I was cleaning out closets and two pairs of jeans were packed and ready to be sent to the church's clothes closet when inspiration hit--I could cut the legs apart and use that fabric, sewn to the fabric from Hobby Lobby, to make a country-style skirt. I searched on the internet for ideas and found a free pattern at Burda.com

It started out as an 8-paneled, elasticized waist, gored skirt but the amount of denim made the skirt too bulky so I cut the denim panels down and made it a no-waist band, side-zippered, 8 paneled gored skirt. I serged the hem to keep that country look. It's perfect for the Summer, with a tank and it'll work in the cooler months with boots. I am please with how it turned out.

(This is where I found the skirt in my daughter's room, in a pile, on the floor! Are all teenage girls the same? I was!)

Now with the top part of the jeans I made a purse with left over fabric from a top I sewed a few months ago. I love this fabric. I found it at Walmart months ago and was determined to make something with it. I bought enough for a tablecloth (which I sewed up for our Easter table) and a top. I love these colors - they are so juicy!

The purse wasn't too difficult - sewed a panel on the bottom, a strap on the sides and a strap over the top to close. The front pockets are great for holding gum and my cell phone. It's very room. Very hippy.