Chicken Sewing Hummingbird Skirts

Earlier this month I got on Twitter... why I don't know because now I have yet another place to browse online for inspiration and temptation. Sometimes it can be helpful and productive, though. Like when I dared HeatherB to sew up a brand new skirt pattern in the time it took me to make three skirts from a TNT pattern. She wasn't sure about it so I asked if she was a chicken and the race was on! (The older I get the more I realize we never really grow up :)

My three skirts were going to be from Sewing Cake's Hummingbird pencil skirt pattern. I had to make one for Mom's Wardrobe UpGrade from a wool blend, one as an skirt and nighty up cycle, and one out of a BEAutiful brown and cream pinstripe fabric I've had for YEARS!

Thankfully our measurements were close enough that I didn't have to trace out a new size for my Mom. I just had to actually put a hem in her skirt. Her skirt was the Only one made according to the pattern. I used a wool polyester blend fabric so she could throw it in the washer. It has a bit of gold thread running through it and an almost nubbly texture. I love it!

It's a great basic neutral that pairs with tops she already has as well as with some I've planned to make her.
The straight skirt silhouette is such a good look on her too!

Happy with the skirt,
Getting comfortable on camera...

My next skirt was this lovely wool plaid from a skirt taken from my Mom's closet. I had all these dreams about turning this old nighty into a cute summer top but decided to quit kidding myself and use it as a lining.

Sorry guys, indoor camera is having some issues. Trying to learn fast...

I had to cut what I could cut and hope the plaid would match. Thanks in part to the pattern itself all I had to do was a
bit of fudging on the side seam to get them to line up! I love this skirt a bunch!

I pleated the "lining" to fit into the skirt, basted and stitched on my waistband. I simply cut a slit for the zipper and so far it hangs free and far away when I go to zip it up! As you can see I had to take in the side seams after the fact. I think there
is some stretch in this wool.
Oh! I also used a snap to close the back waistband since I did some piecing to the old waistband so I could reuse it.

Lastly, I added my TNT waistband to my new summer staple skirt! I love my neon floral skirt but I needed something a bit more neutral to pair with the summer tops I already had. I decided to use this stashed favorite.

It was so fun getting to play with the subtle stripes! I cut the top pocket pieces on the bias and interfaced them with a featherweight interfacing so they would not stretch out of shape, I love how they almost chevron with the waistband.

The insides are as pretty as the outside! I used some vintage iron on seam tape to hem it.
FINALLY I had an invisible zipper I could get to insert! Up until now I've been putting lapped zippers in because I never had the right color...
The pocket and waistband fabric I absolutely love and am happy to get to finally use it in a successful project.

The pockets in this skirt will never cease to please me! I love that I am able to use fun fabrics!

Whew! Three skirts in about six days. All of them successes! Hurrah! In case you're wondering, Heather beat me by two days because I had no hook and eye closures and by adding the waistband and working with the challenges of up cycling I had to rethink things which slowed me down a bit. It was great fun and great motivation for me to get them done! That's three projects knocked out of my stash busting and three fabulous garments ready to go!