A Thirty Year Old Holyoke

After seeing some of the other versions of this skirt, I really wanted one of those soft swingy ones. So I pulled out a challis and cut out another Holyoke skirt...however, this post isn't about that skirt because it's only halfway done.

While I was looking for a nice soft rayon challis to make version two, my hand touched the fabric I used for what's technically my third Holyoke. This fabric has a back story...

I purchased this fabric in 1989 from Cloth World, the precursor to JoAnns. I remember the exact day...not because something spectacular happened but more because I was a really pregnant woman roaming around Cloth World buying fabric with my lunch money because I was miserable. I was pregnant with my third daughter, huge and ready to be done, but with several more months to go. 

At that time, I did buy fabric for future projects but not projects that would be years in the making. I didn't have that kind of money...not with two little girls and one on the way. But I loved this fabric and two other pieces like it. They made me feel good in a way that not much did at the time. So I bought them. 

I don't even think they manufacture this type of fabric anymore. It's a linen-like fabric that's probably more poly than linen and it was made to look like linen but not wrinkle like it. I made quite a few garments from this type of fabric back in the day. This is truly deep stash sewing!

I made one change to this Holyoke.  Instead of inseam pockets I decided to try and make some pockets that were placed on the outside of the skirt ~ sewn between the seams of the skirt.

This pocket was inspired by a skirt I saw on JJill's site. I liked it and realized it was an easy change to make to my pattern.  

Here's my pattern piece ~

The finished pocket is kind of deep and wide. After I made it I wasn't sure it actually worked. It wasn't until the skirt was photographed and my daughter raved about the pockets that I thought okay, I can live with them.

1. As you can see I made the pattern piece by putting the side front and center front skirt pieces together.  
2. Then I traced a piece that filled the space from side to side. 
3. My pattern piece is 8" long with a 1/2" turn at the top and at the bottom - so 7" finished. 
4. Wide enough to jam my hands or stuff into.
5. I also placed the pockets further down than the inseam pocket because I wanted to slide my hands down into them.

It was simple to do and added no extra time to the construction of the skirt. Otherwise the skirt construction was exactly the same as the first one.

My buttons are from deep stash too. Buttons I've had since that same daughter was 9. So except for the new pattern, all of the pieces of the skirt have been marinating in my collection waiting for their time to be used.

A Few Pictures ~

I love that I'm fulfilling one of my 2019 goals - to sew several garments using deep stash fabrics/notions from the collection. This skirt is made from fabric that is as deep stash as it gets!

My third and final Holyoke will be finished and probably make it to the blog before the month is over. That will most likely be my last one for the season. I have so many things on my to-sew list that I really want to get made!

...as always more later!

A Palate Cleanser

I made this dress in 2016 when I'd just changed jobs and lost 35lbs. I was really into maxi dresses because I couldn't wear them at my previous job. I was also still trying to get used to the fact that I could wear jeans to work. It was a culture shock to go from totally professional dressing to wearing whatever I felt like...so I gently slid into the whatever I want...meaning that I was a little overdressed my first year at the job.

When making this dress even though I'd washed both fabrics separately before I used them, I'd never washed the two together.  This is what happened when I washed them as the maxi dress...

At first I thought I would be able to shout or bleach out the stains so it sat waiting for me to do that. It sat for over a year. Sometime earlier this spring I started to think I should just take it apart and make a maxi skirt. I finally did that.

It was easy to rip apart as I watched TV. In the meantime, I've added another one of these maxi dresses in these fabrications to my "To Sew" list. Hopefully that match will fare better.

To make this a maxi skirt ~ 
- I added the skirt portion to a 2" wide black elastic cut a couple inches shorter than my waistline
- I purposely did not iron the skirt before pinning it to the elastic. 
- Since the top was already gathered, it made it easier to pin the gathered fabric to the elastic.
- I added one line of stitching at 5/8" and then again at 1/4" to secure it.
- Because it was already hemmed, once the elastic was attached, the skirt was done.

A few pictures ~

It only took a couple of hours to add a new skirt to my closet. This summer I'm concentrating on adding more maxi skirts, maxi dresses and wide legged pants to my wardrobe. I've accumulated so many maxi dress patterns over the years that I'd like to challenge myself by actually sewing a few of them!

...as always more later!




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