oh, how I love this skirt

I saw this vintage fabric at a thrift store last week (for $1! Wahoo!), and immediately thought, "That needs to be a skirt." And since I'm not terribly patient, I made it that night. I got the shape by tracing my favorite old skirt and, ahem, adding an inch to the waistline. And since the elastic waist skirts just aren't working with my hips these days, I put a zipper in this one. And it wasn't nearly as terrible as I thought it would be. Fairly smooth, actually. Hooray for that. I see more skirt sewing in my future.

And an action shot just for fun. I loooove that the skirt twirls. I love skirts. I really love twirly skirts. And as much as I adore these boots, I do think this skirt warrants a new pair of shoes, don't you agree? Like these, or these! Ah, a girl can dream.

Comments

[Maitreya]

Lovely!

[joleen]

oh, swoon! i need you to come make me clothes. :)

[Blair]

Man, this is very very cute! First of all, I totally love the fabric and can't believe how little it cost (or costed, as my son says), and the shape and the way it fits you is perfect!!! I mean, great fit! And I say, what hips???

[autum]

Beautiful! My daughter has put in a request for skirts for this spring. She would love that one.

[Dee]

Oh, I love that too! The pattern is so perfect for spring!

[chilihead]

I love, love, love those type of skirts! Very flirty and fun! And I love that first pair of shoes too. You better make some more stuff and put it in your shop so you can get 'em!

Chili

[laurie]

soooooo cute!!! and i do love the boots. you saved so much on the skirt maybe you should think about the shoes. (just bought my first pair of Camper's yesterday). can't wait for the warmer weather to wear them.

[amanda]

lovely! (and I adore those boots of yours too! love it everytime I spot them in one of your pics ;) )

[k8tykat]

cute skirt, really! also, i say fluevog's all the way. 8-)

[Deborah]

You've got style, girl! I'll be looking forward to the shoe update.

[Leisl]

Well done - it looks terrific!

[sadira]

OH heavens...when in doubt go for the Fluevogs! They are heavenly, and that color...are you kidding me? I KNOW that would match so many things! (Today must have been a skirt day...I made one too!!)

[vegasandvenice]

I love this skirt and the boots are somehow adorable with it. I don't know how you do it! Beautiful!!

[Sharon]

The skirt is great! I've been toying with the idea of just copying my favorites, but I'm not so confident with sewing yet. But I suppose it's easier than following a pattern! Good for you!

[heather in WA State]

Hey, you have a great figure for having birthed 3 kiddos. An inch? I'm MANY inches away from what I should be. Beautiful skirt! I love the shape, and how you centered the very bright orange tulips at your knees. What a perfect piece to welcome spring.

[Norway Needles]

Great skirt! Really, really springy.
Those Campers have been on my wishlist for some time, too. And I l.o.v.e. those Fluevogs, never seen that brand! *taking notes*

[Luckybeans]

I love it! It is so fresh and bright and fun! I think I need to overcome my fear of zippers.

[Kristy]

Love that skirt!The fabric is beautiful.

[melissa]

Wow Amanda! What a perfect skirt, you've inspired me (again!) to get sewing tomorrow. And keep dreaming about the shoes- you definitely deserve them!

[nichola]

ooh verrry nice!

[em]

I hate to tell you that I saw those green fluevogs(sp?) drastically discounted a few weeks ago when Terra Firma was closing. I wanted them so badly but even at about 20.00 I just could not justify it at the time:( Nice skirt!!! I love those colors!! I love girlie-twirly skirts!! Those other shoes are cool, too.

[Missymuh]

Gorgeous.. Just gorgeous. I am such a skirt girl too.. can't get enough of them at the moment. The frillier, the better. :p

[Chris]

Hooray for Spring and Spring skirts! Your skirt is inspirational.

[diana]

Love the skirt and those fluevogs have your name all over them :)

[jean]

That skirt, which is beautifully springy by the way, is calling out to those orange shoes of yours. Don't you think?

[wenders]

Oh, why did you post those shoe links?? WHY?? :) I love them and must own my own pair - I think they would let me wear more fun skirts to my boring work place if I had funky shoes like those! :)

[gkgirl]

that skirt screams spring...
:)
and twirls too..
how talented is that!

heehee
love it

[beki]

Your skirt looks great!
I love making skirts. I have big plans to make bunches after I lose my baby bump (only 5 more weeks!). Skirts are so forgiving to the not-so-perfect figure.

[Susanna Alonso]

What a wonderful skirt! Funny, I spent this whole weekend trying to make a decent skirt for myself to no avail. It either looked like a poofy ballerina tutu, or just too big and awkward. Do you just lay one of your skirts on the new fabric and cut away? How do you put the zipper in without it bunching up all strange on the waist? Maybe I just need a sewing class....sigh.

[mamaloo]

Gorgeous shape! I love that style, too. I have a couple of old handmade skirts that were thrifted in the same shape. Of course, that was before a few years on a desk job, pregnancy and quitting smoking. Now they'll only fit on my thigh. :)

I should take them apart and adjust the sizing and make patterns with them.

Thanks for the wonderful inspiration!

[jenn]

love the skirt. and those shoes! I think you need a few pair, in all different colors! and so do I!

[Randi]

A fabulous skirt for $1.00? Who could ask for more??? It looks great!

[Sarah]

Wonderful!! What a beautiful fabric - I can see why you couldn't wait to use it!

[Melissa]

Amanda, I just LOVE this skirt, can you make me one in a pink and brown background! :0) Also I checked out the shoes and definitely the first pair is what I'd pick, love them!

[Toni]

I would love to see a photo of the waistline and the zipper. I'm not very fond of an elastic waist either, but putting in a zipper on something I'm going to wear scares me! It looks fabulous. And those new shoes!? Incredible. I need some too.

[Melody]

Love the skirt... Such bright springy fabric... I am also in the midst of spring/summer skirt sewing right now and am having a blast... they are so easy...I've made about 7 skirts in the past week. One vintage navy/orange flower print on gray with orange rickrack around the hem, that is my new favorite.

[Kim]

Oooh, I love your skirt too! I actually love it with the boots! Nice job.

[Jenn (knittyJenn)]

everyone is making skirts...I want to, too! lol.
what a cute skirt!

and ahem..I hear ya with adding an inch! I might even need to add two (just since last summer! sad..).

those are some neat shoe stores...I'll have to bookmark them now! :)

..

[Sarah Jane]

Just think of the fancy dance moves one could do with those Fluevog shoes and beautiful new twirly skirt! Boogie on!

[allison]

That fabric was destined to become that skirt! Great job!

[Eli]

Gorgeous skirt, i admire your ability to make such beautiful things.

[scribblesnbits]

Adorable skirt! I keep threatening myself that I will make one, but I haven't yet.

[lisa]

Wow - that skirt is beautiful! VERY good job. I'm only upset you didn't use a pattern that I can go buy for myself - I have this amazing vintage topsheet thats all grass and flowers and i've been trying to find the perfect pattern for it like that skirt! I don't have your intuition for sewing without a pattern unfortunately. Great skirt.

[Kelli]

Amanda you are just too talented. I swear you are the only person I "know" who can make something beautiful from a $1 thrift store find. The skirt is fantastic!

[karen in Toronto]

oh my !!
I loooove this skirt ! the shape reaaly suits you. By chance, do you plan to post the "pattern" or tutorial on your blog ? just asking... ;o)

and you're right it would be the BEST outfit ever with the Cecily shoes ;o)

[carol]

wow weeeeee...I love skirts and think this is pretty great.

we want a tutorial! i just spent some time at Joanne's and was actually looking for a skirt pattern I liked and left empty-handed.

[Vicky]

Great skirt, now all we need is some warm weather!

[Heather]

I love that skirt, in my sewing class one of my projects is to make myself a skirt, i'm really excited!!

[Leslie]

Beautiful! :) I feel spring coming too!

[kate]

Great skirt! Hang on, can we get a closeup on the boots? I *heart* boots and I don't remember seeing them in your pictures before!