It's Not Over Yet

No, OWOP is not quite over, but it's the last day, so I'm going to do a quick round up of the skirts I've worn this week ..
Saturday -

Sunday -

Monday -

Tuesday -

Wednesday -

Thursday -

and finally, Friday

I only finished this today - I couldn't go out until I'd hemmed it up and could wear it out!

Same venue as Wednesday - The Creative Sanctuary in Hertford, although I didn't actually get the fabric there, this is from Belle Fabrics in Leigh on Sea.

At least the fabric of my seven skirts is a bit varied - even if it's a very basic, simple pattern.  It was my intention to make the newest two skirts (Saturday and today's) more of an A-line shape, but the width of the fabrics didn't allow it, so they are all the same shape and only the fabric (and maybe the length) varies.

It's been an interesting exercise, and what it has revealed is that I definitely need to make some plain tops - I'm going to carry some scraps from the skirts with me for colour matching plain fabric.

Right that's it.  I might even put a pair of jeans on tomorrow.

It's Not Over Yet - The Klaxons

The Stately Homes of England

OWOP Thursday, and I'm wearing my comic book skirt - previously blogged about here

I took a quick reflected selfie in my drawing room ....

Oh ok, that's a downright lie.  I went to Wrest Park in Bedfordshire today with my cousin. It was a bit chilly so, you'll be glad to hear, no more bare knees.

The house was splendid - designed in the style of a French chateau

and the gardens were lovely

But some of the planting led me to wonder - after the referendum, will the gardeners of England be ripping all the blue plants out of their patriotic planting schemes?

One last photo, for no other reason than the sun made a fleeting appearance, enabling me to briefly remove my denim jacket cardie, and because the planting matched my hair and boots.

The Stately Homes of England - Captain Sensible (or Noel Coward if that's more to your taste)

Now I'm All Over The Shop

OWOP Wednesday - today is the turn of my graffiti skirt

The 'graffiti' fabric .................

was purchased from The Creative Sanctuary - our wonderful local fabric and yarn shop - so I thought the shop would be an ideal venue for today's photoshoot.

The top is Jalie pattern 2804, blogged about HERE.  In case you are wondering whether the fabric is creating the unsightly bulges around my middle - no, they are all mine.  

Orange fabric just enhances them.

Now I'm All Over The Shop - Maximo Park

Here and Now

OWOP 2014 - Monday and Tuesday ...
No one to take the picture on Monday, so I had to squint at my reflection in the mirror - oh, highly flattering.

Olive green chunky cord, bought four or five years ago from Shan's fabric shop in Hunstanton - definitely worth a visit if you are in the area, worn with a Megan Nielsen Banksia top made in 'tattoo' fabric from Ditto fabrics in Brighton.  

Last night our group of would-be rock stars met up for guitar club at the local, so it seemed appropriate to wear my skirt made from guitar-based fabric.  

I think it may even have improved my playing - or maybe it was just that we had an easier song to learn this week - (see post title)

I love the fabric - another heavy upholstery weight cotton, bought from Belle Fabrics in Leigh on Sea.  I'm not sure how many people would want their sofa covered in this - maybe it's meant for teenage boys bedroom curtains.  Anyway, I couldn't pass it by.

Anyone would think I spend my entire life visiting seaside resorts to buy fabric.  Not that there would be anything wrong with that.

Here and Now - Del Amitri

Sunday

Second day of the OWOP challenge - and  today's skirt is made in  black and white spotted needlecord, bought for a pittance from an unknown shop ages ago.  Made it a couple of years ago and worn it lots, but nearly always at winter time with thick tights and boots.

 

Not sure that it really works with the bare leg look - my knees are definitely past their best now.  

I love the weather in the summer, but I much prefer autumn/winter clothes.  I know where I am with opaque tights and boots.

PS - I'm not sure what's going on in this photo - I definitely don't have a gap in my teeth - it must be a trick of the light.

Sunday - The View

Pull The Curtains

I'm taking part in this year's OWOP challenge, hosted by Handmade Jane in which participants agree to wear as many versions of a garment from just one pattern for a week. 

After much indecision, I've chosen to go with a self-drafted skirt pattern from my original skirt block which I made over 20 years ago when I did a pattern cutting class.  I may possibly have had to add a smidgeon to the side seams over the years, but the basic shape has stayed the same.  It's a very simple pattern, but it gives me an excuse to use some of the increasingly mad fabric that I've chosen recently.

I already had five versions of this skirt, and it was a simple matter to make another couple so I've got a different skirt everyday this week.

My first one uses a remnant of what I believe is 1950's barkcloth fabric, originally designed for curtains (I'm glad I'm not working anymore or I can guarantee someone would tell me to 'pull myself together').

I cut it out on Wednesday - and talk about making the most of the fabric I had - this is all that was left over, just a few fabric 'slivers'.

I machined it together the following day, and lined it with some heavy satin lining in an emerald green.  I've no idea where either of the fabrics came from, I believe I did buy the barkcloth online ages ago, but the lining is anybody's guess - it's not something I'd have bought so I must have inherited that somewhere down the line.  See, it pays never to throw anything out.

  

I handstiched the hem last night during 'Pointless' and I wore it today to our Embroiderers Guild meeting, so I was able to coerce someone to take a photo. 

The rest of the week, however,  may involve approaching complete strangers to assist.

Not sure what is going on with my face in the next pic - it looks like I'm getting fed up but I wasn't - must be the 'hands-on-hips' pose that does it.  I think I was just advising Gina how best to get back up after she had got down on the ground to take this one....

Anyway, one day down, six to go.

Pull The Curtains - Grandaddy