I made a skirt!

One of my goals this year is to become a better sewer (sewist?). I know I talked a few posts ago about making a dress from a vintage pattern, and I PROMISE I'm working on that too, but it is really slow going, what with the tracing the pattern out and adjusting the size up to fit me... so I thought I'd try something a little simpler.

I was inspired by Gertie over at Blog for Better Sewing to try out her gathered skirt tutorial (part 1, part 2).

I would really recommend this tutorial to intermediate/beginner sewers - though not people that have never sewn before. I definitely learned alot - like how to do a blind stitch hem (video tutorial here), how to gather heavy material using a zig-zag stitch and cotton cord (tutorial here), and how to insert an invisible zipper (which was the hardest part for me, tutorial here). I followed instructions almost to the letter. Except the hand-basting parts. That's too much for me, I can hardly sew a straight line WITH a sewing machine, let alone by hand.

I picked a heavy material because I wanted the skirt to have a lot of body. I found this 100% cotton home decorating material (think curtains!) in a blue and cream tiny check (kind of ginghamy?) on the $4/yd table at Joann's.


See me pinning things before sewing them?


See me pressing open my seams?


I pinned almost everything! This is really rare for me. And probably why my projects don't usually turn out so great.


But this project turned out really well:



hello knees!


Sassy!


I love having a finished product turn out so well! It's really durable and feels really well made. I am very proud of myself! But, on the other hand, this project was totally frustrating. It took me probably 15 hours to make it, from cutting it out, to putting it all together (and messing up the zipper like 5 times). I think I don't really enjoy the process of sewing. I like having an awesome skirt that I made for myself, to my measurements... but the actual MAKING of the skirt was a totally frustrating and backache inducing process.

I also think I have amnesia about how frustrating it was, because I've already bought more fabric to make another one. I'm going to try a wider waistband at the top for the next one!

How do your craft projects usually turn out? Do you, like me, underestimate how much time and effort they will take?