Another skirt
June 20, 2006Finally getting around to posting about this past weekend's refashioning project…I made another skirt from button-down shirts, this time shirts that had actually been mine but never looked quite right on me (let that be a lesson not to wear off-white near my face).
The pattern was based on the one I drew for my first button-down shirt skirt, but for this one I put a border around the bottom instead of a yoke at the top. I had a moment of panic when I realized there wasn't enough of the striped fabric for the full body of the skirt - but there turned out to be just enough of the floral to make up for it, and the two contrasting panels in front and back make a nice accent.
I did have to do some piecing together on a couple panels, and by far the hardest part of this project was getting those stripes to match up. (Well, almost.) One of those things that's such a simple concept, but the execution of it is surprisingly tricky.
I think I had to make four seams like the two pictured above, and it took me at least a couple hours for that part alone.
I'm pleased with the workmanship - I forced myself to rip out and redo every seam that wasn't quite right. I used all French and flat-felled seams, so there's not an exposed raw edge on it. (Have I mentioned that it's been just within the last year or so that I learned it's okay to do that?) I wore it to work on Monday and got a ton of compliments. Quite a few people know I'm doing this refashioning thing, so they still asked me right away if I made it - but I think I am getting closer to the "Where did you get that?" skill level. (Come to think of it, I wore the Sassypants today, and no one said a word.)
In other news, I got a new job. I start next week, and I'm nervous about it. I've been doing temp work for a long time; my current job is a long-term temp gig, and I've really enjoyed it for the most part. But the company is switching temp agencies, meaning my assignment was going to end this week anyway. I would have had to sign up with the new agency - which is one of those graphics specialty places requiring a lot of testing and no guarantee of approval. I applied there once before and failed their tests, so I've just been paranoid about the prospect of them rejecting me again.
Anyway, this other company contacted me after seeing my résumé online - I keep forgetting I even have it there. I interviewed last week, got called back for a second interview, and today they told me the job was mine. It's a real job, full-time and permanent, with benefits and everything. It's daunting. But I guess now I just have to live up to their expectations.
