McCall's 6966 Maxi Skirt

ペンキ塗りでいそがしくて放置していたけど、マキシスカートやっと完成。3週間もかかったわよ。
布はこの前犬が乘ってたなると模様のニットね。

Took me three weeks, but I finally finished my maxi skirt. Yipee.

The pattern is McCall's 6966. I made a maxi length with flat waist band (yoke). My measurements put me in size M, but I made size XS and I think it worked.

I also shortened the skirt at the hem by 4.5" (I'm 5'3"), which ended up ever so slightly shorter than I wanted. I folded up the hem by 3/8" instead of 5/8"hem allowance that the pattern called for.

The fabric is a double brushed poly/Lycra jersey that the dog was nesting on the other day. Even though it's polyester, the brushed finish on both sides of the fabric makes the fabric very soft and not sticky.

I don't like the skirt sticking on my butt and thighs when I stand up from a chair, so I added a lining using the short skirt pattern (view A). The lining fabric is a mesh so it doesn't add weight.

This is a VERY simple pattern. There are front and back skirt patterns but they are identical if you are not making the color block version or high-low version, so you only need one skirt pattern piece and one waist band (yoke) pattern piece. Uber simple, quick project (though in reality it took me 3 weeks).

My next project is a yoga mat bag. But I haven't decided on the fabric, so possibly a simple T-shirt to go with this maxi skirt.

Worn together with Simplicity 1805 summer sweater.

Painting the House

この家に引っ越して6か月、やっと重い腰を上げて家のペンキ塗りをしています。
うちの内壁は、壁は薄茶色、ドアや腰板はオフホワイト、そして天井は薄いベージュなんだけど、天井を白、ドアや腰板は一段明るい白、そして壁は薄緑がかった灰色？に塗りなおしています。
壁を塗るだけなら結構はやいんだけど、ドアやドア回り、クラウンモールディングと呼ばれる天井と壁のつなぎ目につける飾り板、ベースボードと呼ばれる壁と床のつなぎ目の飾り板、そして天井と、作り付けの家具以外は見えてるエリアすべてを塗っているのでかなり面倒くさいです。
1か月半かけて、まだ主寝室のお風呂場と客室一つ塗れただけ。

It has been 6 months since we moved into this house and we are finally tackling painting the house.

The house was originally painted with a tan wall, off-white door and trims, and beige ceiling. We are painting it with white grey-green wall, bright white trims, and white ceiling. So, basically, other than the fixtures, we are painting the entire surface of the interior wall and ceiling.

We spent a month and a half to pain the bathroom and just one guest room...

Kimono Refashion: McCall's 5050

何年も前にお母さんに送ってもらった布で、ブラウス作りました。
これは、男物の浴衣の帯？兵児帯？
かなりの年代物であるのは確かだね。30年前ぐらい？
ちりめん？メリンス？
ちなみに、洗濯して、乾燥機にかけて、しっかりアイロンあてたので、絞りの立体感は全くないです。

My mother sent me this fabric several years ago. I am thinking it was my father's (or my brother's?) yukata (kimono) sash. I think it is possibly 30 years old, I would say? Anyway, it's a narrow strip of fabric, about 22" wide, and 3.5 yard long. It's mainly black with shibori print at the either end.

Because it's narrow and very drapey with very little yardage, I had to think hard what I could make, but at the end, I made another peasant-type blouse.

The pattern is McCall's 5050. I made a long sleeve version before. This time, I made a view A, a short sleeve blouse.

I cut a size S with the following modification:

• Lengthened bodice by 1".
• Took out 2" from front bodice at the center front (because the fabric was not wide enough).
• Lowered the waist elastic placement by 1".
• I did not follow the elastic length guide.

I think I over-shortened the neck elastic again (same mistake I did last time) so the front bodice is pulled up more than the back. If I embrace the more wide opening of the neck as it is designed, I probably don't have to lengthen the bodice or lower the waist elastic placement.

So, it's not perfect, and because of the age of the fabric, I don't know how long it will withstand the washing/drying cycle, but it's still cute enough to wear and it is surprisingly comfortable to wear in the summer in the Deep South (it's made either rayon, wool-, or silk-blend, I'm thinking). I'm glad I was able to match the fabric with a suited pattern.

Worn together with my Ginger jeans. (Yep, my Gingers are in high rotation. I need more.)