To pettiskirt hell and back
Yep – that’s where I’ve been all weekend. Sewing thousands of yards of nylon chiffon. Ugh! I know I know I know….it’s not like I wasn’t warned. Who in their right mind would make one of these things when for a very quick and painless $75 you can buy one? Yeah…well…where is the challenge in that?
The truth is that I was never particularly in love with these things to begin with. But then more and more people kept getting them in more and more impressive colours, and then people started making them, and then I realised that I my daughter needed to have one like all the other mother’s girls. And since I was never going to pay more than $20 for one…I needed to make one. So I bought the chiffon, thinking I’d tuck it away to make one day when I had nothing better to do. But then I saw more and more pettiskirts arriving and my need to make one of these things grew stronger and stronger.
So, late on Friday night I started cutting out strips of chiffon, and then I sewed straight lines down that chiffon for hours on end, until the site of the fabric itself made me want to gag. The odd bits of ruffle I was trying to join together kept reminding me of cheap lingerie, and I wondered how on earth this thing was a) ever going to be finished, and b) ever look any good.
Well once I started there was no way back…so I emerged from the sewing room 2 days later with the skirt. I’d like to crow about how it was all worth it – but to be honest I’m still a bit bruised to really be able to enjoy looking at it. Anyway – after I begged Miss Zoe to try it on (she’s been sick with gastro all weekend and I think the nylon chiffon might make her feel nauseous too), she seemed happy enough to perform for the camera.
So now my daughter can hold up her chiffon masterpiece to her overawed friends and announce that it was her mum who created such a magnificent piece of art. And one day I’m sure I’ll look back and say it was all worth it. One day!
5 comments
Now I’m a-skeered! I found your site by googling for ‘homemade pettiskirts’ and my knees are a little weak now. What the heck am I thinking? If you, as a professional seamstress, had such a hard time with them why in the world am I taking this on? I did buy the ruffling attachement for my machine so perhaps that will make it faster? Two days? Crimeny! I’m planning on making SEVERAL of these!
Oh- and by the way- it looks fabulous and she’s adorable. I was lured in by the pettiskirt but I’ve seen so many cute things here I’m feeling inspired to sew a tiered skirt and a jumper. See? I really am sew crazy.
Cynthia – don’t be put off by my whinging! Firstly, I am not a professional seamstress – I just like to sew (a lot!). Secondly, the skirt was not hard to make. It was just incredibly boring! And I really did hate that chiffon. Go ahead and give one a go – maybe it won’t be as bad as I made out. And if it is…well at least you have one skirt
Oh my gosh…i’m gutted! I had an idea of making these for my boutique as they are so gorgeous & soooo soooo expensive to buy in from The States.
Bought the material (don’t think i have enough now i’ve read a few retailers that are stating 32mtrs of chiffon & 50 yards of chiffon). Bit scared to try one now !!!….. lol.
i’m really jut starting the sew and what did i choose a my very first project? You guessed it! Lol. I’m 20 yrs old and i wanted to make my baby one of these adorable skirts but having no experience what so ever i had no idea what i was looking for and the dumb ass people at the fabric store, when i asked for nylon chiffon, i later found out (much too late) that they gave my polyester! So… I just hoped to hell it would work out and i did love making it it took a long time and i didn’t have a ruffling foot or w/e so it was all done by hand. But its falling apart and i’m feeling really down about it… I’m gonna have to go hunting online for the proper stuff probably. Otherwise the skirt came out pretty good for my first project (plus i never even used a sewing machine b4 XD no1 would even know that)
I really love your skirt. Did you have a hell of time finding the proper chiffon?
-May
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