Skip to main content

Skirt Challenge Inspiration: A Flowy Summer Maxi


Julie from Fabric Mart contacted me late last month and asked if I wanted to participate in Fabric Mart's Skirt Challenge (#sewcoolskirts) for May. Of course I said yes. I mean who doesn't need a new skirt for spring!

Now my skirt isn't made from a current pattern. I have way too many TNT skirt patterns in my pattern collection to reinvent the wheel. However, my skirt is influenced by an ad that was in my email box.

Inspiration Photo from Dressbarn.com


My fabric is a lightweight ponte from Fabric Mart. I purchased it a couple of months ago and while not exactly the same, it is very similar to the fabric in my inspiration picture.

A little more about my skirt ~
I've really fallen in love with the slim fit through the hips yet flared at the hemline maxi skirts. When I saw the ad featuring the black and white maxi skirt, I knew that my TNT 4 gore skirt with an elastic waistline would work to make one of my own. I had to make a few alterations to my pattern piece but that and the ponte fabric got me a new maxi skirt just in time for the hot weather.

Pattern Alterations ~

- I started by making a pattern sandwich to get a maxi length skirt pattern piece. The original skirt pattern piece was placed on my cutting table.
- Then I added the shortened version on top of it.
- Finally some tracing paper.
- I traced the top and sides of the skirt and added 6" to the hemline adding just enough flare to the sides so the skirt hangs properly.


1) Four pieces of the pattern were cut out and sewn together.
2) I inserted 1" non-roll elastic to the waistline casing.
3) After trying the skirt on, it was a tad too long.
4) So I serged an inch off the hemline.
5) A 1/2" hem was turned up, pressed down and then stitched
6) Walah! An easy peasy new maxi skirt!

A few photos of the skirt in action ~





I used a lightweight ponte for this version because I loved the drape and flow of the fabric. However, the skirt will be great in challis, linens, ltwt denims with a little stretch and voiles for summer. BTW, I'm wearing my skirt with a Concord T made with a cotton/lycra knit that I'm almost sure I purchased from Fabric Mart.

It's such a quick sew, perfect for summer. I know I will make a couple more of them because this skirt fits perfectly into my summer wearing ease philosophy.


I hope you'll make a quick 'n easy summer maxi this season too! Thank you Julie for asking me to participate in the Skirt Challenge!


Carolyn
Diary of a Sewing Fanatic  


Thank you to Carolyn for being a guest blogger during the Skirt Challenge! 

Share your me-made skirts thru May 31st and be entered to win a $50 gift certificate to Fabric Mart! Share on Facebook or Instagram using #sewcoolskirts. 

Comments

  1. What a nice summer outfit. Loose skirts are comfy and allow airflow to keep you cool. I like the top, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Tacompat - it's a wonderful outfit to wear. Easy and effortless!

      Delete
  2. What a wonderful skirt and fabric selection Carolyn ... FIESTA :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love me a black and white print. This skirt looks great on you and looks so easy and chic to wear <3

    Ooh I made a skirt with FM fabric...I should share it on FB!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great skirt! Really pretty!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your skirt looks great! I think your FM fabric is maybe even a little better than the inspiration photo.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely skirt, Carolyn. It's perfect for this season.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Carolyn, this is gorgeous! I love it! I want one now!

    ReplyDelete
  8. louana2009@live.comMay 8, 2018 at 3:59 PM

    Good job, Carolyn. I think I will have to make a skirt.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Liberty Snow Day

Hi everyone! While we’ve been blanketed with snow out here in Southeastern PA, I decided to conquer my fear of button holes and make NewLook pattern N6749. I was able to snag a few yards of the Jess + Jean print Liberty of London Tana Lawn for it. It’s always exciting when Fabric Mart is able to get Liberty fabrics in! I always make sure to grab some.  Cutting into a beautiful piece of tana lawn is scary every time. The fabric is such good quality, I’m afraid to mess it up! I had to be extra careful as this is also the first directional pattern I’ve worked with. But one of my assistants made sure all of my pieces were laid correctly. Something I wanted to try out with this dress was finishing the inside seams using the overlock stitch on my domestic machine. Normally I would french seam, but it was nice to not have to worry about cutting seam allowance in half, sewing, trimming, flipping, and sewing again. Next time I would cut the seam allowance back before overlocking, but I thin...

Made By A Fabricista: Embracing Winter in Wool Boucle

As winter drags on, the cold weather is such a bummer to me and feeling uncomfortable and cold so often is rough. Meanwhile, I listened to a podcast all about how people in very northern countries deal better with the onset of dark, freezing winter with a radically different mindset of embracing the inevitable season by reframing the chill as refreshing and the opportunity to spend most time indoors as cozy. I can do that!  I found a gorgeous, quintessential wool boucle suiting in black and white to make myself a luxurious outer layer while I’m outside attempting to embrace the sting of dry winter air… It’s kind of working. So classic, so chic! Wearing boucle is always an uptown move and I certainly do feel sophisticated in it. This black and white houndstooth combination feels especially Old Hollywood, and what a treat to make something with this!  I sewed the Daphne Jacket from Vivian Shao Chen. There are no closures, and the shape is boxy and very easy to wear over multipl...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing + Running

It’s not every day that I get to mix two of my favorite hobbies. Especially when one hobby is sewing and the other is running. You can’t sew and run at the same time, but, you can go running in something that you sewed! With this realization, I embarked on my first hobby-merging adventure.  We’ve had some frigid temperatures in Pennsylvania this winter. Since I’m an outside, stroller-pushing runner, I bundle up my son and myself before I hit the road. The temperature feels 20 degrees warmer for outside runners than the outside air. For the children being pushed in the stroller though, it feels about 20 degrees colder.  With these differences in temperature for each of us, layering is the only thing that ensures that we both stay perfectly warm. My running wardrobe has been lacking a warm top layer. My son’s wardrobe would also benefit from having another warm layer, so I knew pullovers were what I should make.  Inspired by a name-brand ¼ button-down fleece pullover I saw,...