Alterations

I was trying to find a skirt in my closet to show my niece and I was having a difficult time.  Half of my closet contains clothes that don't fit me anymore because they are too big.  Normally, I would just get rid of stuff, but I am so attached to some of the fabrics and skirts that I wouldn't dare.  So today I decided to try my hand at altering some of them.  Altering is something I just don't do.  It is no fun.  It usually involves some seam ripping and some tugging and some forcing, etc.  These are all my least favorite parts of sewing.  But...if I get to wear something that I thought I wouldn't wear again then maybe it would be worth it.  Of course I didn't alter anything that I really cared about because I didn't want to take the chance...once you cut something off you really can't reattach it. 

First I started with a skirt that I made at least ten years ago.  I tried it on to see how it fit and what I could do with it.

I decided I had enough length to just lop off the elastic waistband and start over.  Here is the waistband.

Then I had to sew up one of the sides.  I took off about five inches of fabric.  The ruffles turned out to be a little tricky but I forced everything to do (almost) exactly what I wanted it to do.  I used the same piece of elastic which was nice.  It may not look any different to you, but it does to me.  I would not have worn the larger size in public, and now I will wear this one.  So I can add one skirt to the functional side of the closet.  

I also tried altering a jumper I had made about four years ago.  This one wasn't tricky, but I don't think it turned out very well.  Consequently, I will not be altering my other jumper...I will just stare at it longingly.

I took this jumper in on three sides; the back and two side seams.  I took it in about seven inches.  It doesn't actually look that much better because I couldn't do much with the bust, which is a little too big.  I will probably wear it and accessorize with cute things.  

Today I also had my own little fashion show to see if some of the skirts I thought didn't fit did, in fact, fit.  Lucky for me, some of the skirts that have elastic waists still fit me and look okay.  It is the zippered skirts that are overwhelming.  I'll have to think about them some more before I make any attempt at altering them.