Monday, October 14, 2013

Wool Skirt #1


It's surprising how efficient one can be when one is procrastinating.


So I finished Skirt #1 last night. And waited till daylight today to hand-hem it. There were some fit issues, because I was (cough) lazy and insisted on using a 4-year-old skirt sloper. Bad LiEr. Not helped by a side zipper, which makes symmetrical adjustments not very feasible. Ah, well. 


It does fit, though. And I tried to get those lines to meet at the seam. I really did... and then I sighed and surrendered. Regardless, I'm not letting Mum see this skirt.


I don't think I've ever sewn with wool before (Singapore's 99% humidity+90F weather+wool = daft). Feels like the marriage of felt and burlap. I was itchy throughout, and sneezing. Maybe I'm allergic to wool. Or sheep. Is wool from sheep? Or hedgehogs? This one feels like hedgehogs. Incidentally, I once made myself burlap skirts. This was during my Anti-Prettyfabric teenage phase. I carried camouflage stuff and wore batik and burlap clothes. Making this skirt made me feel all nostalgic.

I always line my skirts if I can - like if I don't have to pack the children in the car just to go to the fabric store to buy coordinating lining - simply because clothes fall so much better when lined. This time, it was more a necessity than for convenience, because the wool was so very scratchy. Very standard lining method- around the invisible zipper and waistline and hanging loose at the hem, with handsewn anchors in the SA to hold it down when worn.


And wool doesn't seem to iron very well, does it? I mean, these photos were taken AFTER ironing, and there are still creases everywhere. 

Now I have to figure out whether to start on Skirt #2 (and redraft the idiotic sloper) or start on the kids' costumes. 

Or... hey! Let's bake cookies! I feel like baking cookies. 



P.S. I checked the costume fabrics in the washer for their pre-wash. I declare that it counts as Having Made Progress.

15 comments:

  1. Wow, does that first picture ever say "first day of the new school year" to me! Whew.
    You might find steaming more successful than ironing or pressing. Even just holding a steam iron an inch or so away from the fabric, if you don't have a steamer.
    Oh, ugh, high school memories are battering at my mental defenses!! Must go do something grown up now! ;)

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    1. Thanks for the tip, Quinn! I think we have a steamer somewhere in the house. I have two more wool skirts to make so that will come in handy.

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    2. If you don't have a steamer or a steam iron you can also steam by getting a teatowel or some other piece of 100% cotton fabric wet. Then you place that on the fabric and press your hot iron down on it. Don't move it around, just press it down flat and hold it for a few seconds, and then lift it and press it down somewhere else. I'm lazy so I usually only do the areas that have specific wrinkles.

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  2. Lovely skirt for Autumn. I have literally just finished one quite similar. I made stupid mistakes along the way too - ie not trying it on until it was completely finished only to discover that I needed to take in 4cm from each side. It fits now but I still don't love it but it'll do. Your lining looks lovely - love the colour. Mine is a bit of a mess. Would love to hear how the cookie baking goes....x

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    1. Laura - you know what's crazy? What's crazy is how I bought the same lining (i.e. enough yardage) for all three wool skirts. And three identical zippers. While at the fabric store, it crossed my mind that maybe I needed to diversify my color choices slightly. Anyway, good for you finishing your skirt and taking in the sides afterall! I'm tempted to work on the zipper of mine again, just to get the fit perfect. Or maybe I'll eat half of those cookies I made so I don't have to.

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  3. Yeah, hedgehog wool is really scratchy! Makes for a pretty skirt, though! I wonder why it doesn't iron nicely. Hmm.

    How'd the cookies turn out? :)

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  4. Cookies just out of the oven. Made princess cookies and let the children sprinkle colored sugar over everything, including themselves. Also made brownies for the husband who probably disprefers princess cookies.

    Translation of this paragraph = no progress on either Skirt #2 or costumes.

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    1. Sounds like procrastination is going well then.....

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    2. Yes, because I am so good at it.

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  5. Do not buy wool from Joann's.
    So sayeth a sewist from pendleton country.

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    1. Kathy: I am happy to say that all my wool was inherited from my mother-in-law's acquaintance. I don't know where she bought hers, but I somehow don't believe it was JoAnn.

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  6. Wool is usually pressed using a Press-cloth, which can be a smooth piece of all cotton fabric such as muslin, wet and wrung out. Put the cloth over the wool and carefully press (without moving the iron around), then move the iron to the next section. Wool presses beautifully and can be shaped with steam. It is a fabulous fabric to work with.

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    1. Ah! Press cloth! I will make one for Skirts #2 and #3. Thank you, Rozy Lass!

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  7. I second Rozy's comment, wool is a bit different but you can use steam to a major advantage if you do a little homework. For example there is a technique that uses steam to shrink the wool into form in place of using darts. Makes pattern matching seamless. Also, when you wash wool try adding a touch of hair conditioner to the rinse, wool is hair, and responds like hair to soap: it opens up and feels rougher. Never ever ever put it in the dryer, or wash in anything but cold water unless you are intentionally attempting to shrink. I definitely recommend investigating some wool couture techniques, I think you have the skills necessary to make them work and you would appreciate the finished results. :)

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  8. You are fast!

    A lot of people are allergic to wool, so you may well be.

    Yes, press the wool through a press cloth with lots of steam. Without the cloth it gets all shiny and weird looking.

    I wore wool a lot, bought a bunch of it at a fashion design warehouse in high school and experimented sewing in it. Sadly Mike does not like wool, so I have been wool-free, but you are making me want to stage a rebellion.

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