Love a good maxi skirt!

So, I've recently come to the conclusion that I hate pants. Ok, maybe not hate but I'm starting to highly prefer skirts and dresses over pants or capris. Why you might ask? For one thing, I live in the desert (Arizona) and I'm not a big fan of thigh sweat (I know, crazy right?) and for another, knit is WAY more comfortable than any pants material. It's about the closest I can get to wearing yoga pants to work so why not?

Well, after doing a little online searching, I've come to realize that other people really like skirts and dresses too. So much so that a simple maxi skirt costs around $25-$30 if you want something even semi-cute. This is where my I-refuse-to-buy-something-I-could-make-myself mentality comes in. Why couldn't I make a simply long skirt with one of those super comfy fold-over yoga waists? I know the basics of sewing so why not?

My first step of course was to go to the local craft/fabric store and see if there was even anything that was remotely cute that I could use for a skirt. Of course they had lots of cute fabric (even chevron!) but not a whole lot in a knit (think stretchy t-shirt or yoga pants material). Just as I was about to give up, I saw it! It was a gray knit with thin cream horizontal stripes that were actually tiny crocheted scallops! I fell in love!

Of course being the procrastinator I am, I had to force myself to get some work done before I would allow myself to make what I knew would be an adorable skirt (no lack of self-confidence here!).

So after tediously prepping all of my classroom activities for next week, I felt I had fully earned the treat of sewing a skirt (did I mention I'm a little nerdy?).

I had pinned this great tutorial a while back from Delia Creates and used it as a general guideline. I knew I wanted a skirt that was wider at the base than the one in the tutorial so, instead of cutting a rectangle the width she recommended, I basically cut a rectangle that was the length of the skirt that I was going for. Then, I cut it into two like the tutorial and tapered it depending on my waist. This way I was using the full width of the fabric for the bottom of the skirt. It was all a bit of a challenge because (according to my Mom), I need a new needle. But I managed to make it work and this is what I came up with:

The piece worn as a skirt with the waistband folded over like yoga pants.

The piece pulled up and the waistband unfolded to create a bodice.

Nothing like 2 outfits in one!! I'm so excited to be able to wear this to work that I think I am actually eager to go to work on a Monday (see, there's more of the crazy coming out). I might just have to start making more clothes on the weekend if that's all it takes to get me excited about Mondays!

For more great Monday Made It posts, be sure to check out 4th Grade Frolics site:

Have a great week!
Katie