Last year, in about April or May of 2011 I got my first sewing machine ever! I didn't really know how to use a sewing machine, had never done it before actually, and when it came down to someone showing me, it was the first time I had ever even heard of a bobbin! ha I didn't know that thread went in the bottom of the machine! It was such a surprise to me.
Anyways, my mother-in-law gave me hers and I was taught just the basic skills on how to use it. So I took it back to Abilene with me and decided to use it.
So, since I was going to Africa that summer, I needed lots of ankle-length skirts, (a requirement for the trip) because of the culture there. So my friend and I went to Hancock's Fabric and got some really great and cheap fabric that looked semi-African to us! And we decided to make some long skirts.
This first one I made was inspired by a wrap-around skirt my friend bought from EarthBound. We like the idea of a two layered wrap-around skirt. So here was the outcome!
It is a little rough around the edges, but give me a break, it was my first time ever! I so wish I could give you the tutorial :-) But, being new, that was not on my mind at all! ha I was lucky to even get this done!
The other skirt I made was a lot easier. It was just a simple elastic band skirt. If you know anything about sewing you could figure this out easily. Just measure your length, plus some for the waist band and bottom hem, and I think I used a yard and a half across (that's just guessing though), and then just sew the bottom hem, and hem the top to make it nice, then sew the side up together to make it a circle, then put the elastic band in the top.
For a first time sewer this was a super easy skirt to make.
If you are interested in trying this, email me and I can give you more specific details.
Then...later in the summer right before our trip I got together with my friend who had bought a very cheap dress pattern, and we made dresses. This was rather challenging, but I know I could do it better next time. Basically I made the same skirt as the one above and used the dress pattern for the top. It turned out okay, but I would definitely spend more time on the next one I make, but it served its purpose while we were in Africa. And we walked around looked cute and proud of the dresses that we made!
This picture is of us actually in Africa wearing our dresses and chacos!
(Sorry for the bad quality of this one, it was the best one I could find)
-Little Sis
