Asymmetrical Skirts

      I have tons of furniture painting projects I am dying to get to now that I can walk outside without feeling like I might instantly roast into oblivion... and I'm not pregnant anymore. However, there is a lovely little phenomenon that happens every fall here in the south called "love bug" season. No, it doesn't mean you suddenly feel like hugging everyone. Dreadful little flying black bugs descend in clouds and clog the air with their awful little selves. To paint anything outside automatically will ensure your masterpiece will be black polka dotted with the monsters. So, I will save my painting for a few weeks and share a few sewing projects in the mean time.

      If you've done any sewing at all, I'm sure you've made a circle skirt or two in your time. They are so appealing because they wonderfully easy, and they flatter most any body shape. These skirts are the twin of circle skirts, however, you use a rectangle instead of a circle. They drape longer at the sides, and I think, look best when using striped material...but I'm rather infatuated with stripes so feel free to ignore that bit.

      I made both of these with jersey knit fabric.  Here is how you do it. Start with your fabric folded in half. I wanted the stripes going vertically, so I put the fold at the top. Just make sure the stretch of the fabric is going width wise.

      Measure 16 inches in from the edge on the fold and put a mark on the fabric. From that mark, measure you waist measurement divided by two and subtract 4 inches. Then measure another 16 inches. So sorry if that is confusing...16 inches, waist/2 -4 inches, 16 inches. Cut the fold apart in a slit only where you marked the waist measurement.

      Now measure 16 inches down from the fold and cut the bottom edge. You will have a long narrow rectangle with a fold at the top with a slit cut in it. Fold your rectangle in half.

      Round out the corners just slightly.

      Now cut out a waist band. I made mine a fold over yoga pant style waistband. To do that, subtract 2 or 3 inches from however long the waist slit was and cut the waistband that long. I made mine 14 inches tall so that when it was sewn to the skirt it would be 7 inches.

      Sew up the sides of the waist band.

      Fold it over on itself, so the right sides are facing out.

      Put it inside the slit you made on the skirt. (make sure the skirt if wrong side out)

      Sew it on, making sure to stretch out the waist band to match the width of the waist slit as you go.  That's all there is to it. I didn't do a thing to the edges of the skirt since I used jersey. Here the waist is folded down.

      And here it is up.

       I love how, if you do it with stripes, the stripes appear to be going horizontally on the sides, although no sewing was actually done on the sides.

         I think these are very comfy and chic skirts and very fun to sew.

      Of course, If you aren't the sewing type...these two will actually be for sale in my...ahem...Etsy shop that hopefully...gulp...will be open at the end of October. I've been thinking about a shop for ages, so, well, mine as well do it already. I'm shooting for the end of October and have been sewing my little fingers off, so we shall see. Gotta have goals right? If any of you experienced gals have any tips to share on that particular subject, I'd be eternally grateful to hear them!

Psalms 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

linking to:
Confessions of a Stay at home mom
Home stories A to Z
Sugar Bee Crafts
Not Just a Housewife
My Girlish Whims