Wednesday, September 26, 2007

More Design Dreaming

Currently, the 'cream thread in the serger' project is a short-sleeved version of Jalie 2111, from the same plaid cotton as the bias tiered skirts, a project to which I believe My Sweet Baboo has been totally oblivious. I really hadn't planned it to be a surprise, but, well, his birthday is in about 4 weeks, so maybe it will be ;)

But, this is just 'put your head down and sew' work; it's not really getting my creative side engaged. So, I'm doing new projects in my head...things that might or might not get made once the queue is down. I've been noticing the great high-waisted skirts (like Laura's and Erica's and Summerset's) and started thinking about high-waisted skirts I'd made years ago. I actually found one of the patterns still in the cabinet...I seem to remember making view A from denim:



(copyright: 1987). There's another Vogue pattern that may or may not still be about the place in a box somewhere that was an 8-gore skirt, with a high, faced waistline that I remember making from white linen-look fabric for Easter 1990 (hah! Found a photo...it was the Spring of the Sailor Outfits:)

I have since learned that that skirt probably would've maintained its appearance much better if I'd've boned that high waist, but, well, that was beyond me at the time. Now I'm thinking next time I'm in the attic I need to see if I can find that box of outdated patterns, but I fear it has already gone to Goodwill.

Anyway, what has been percolating in my head has been to use those patterns and redraft the skirt into a much straighter style. I think that'd look good w/the Perry Ellis cinched-waist design (view C). Actually, I don't think it would be too terribly hard to do.

The bigger problem will be grading the pattern up from a 12 to a 14/16/18 to fit my now middle-aged middle.

Which begs the question...'Does a middle-aged middle really look good in a high waist?' Erm, maybe that's the wrong question...perhaps it should be 'Does a high waist do anything to minimize the middle age middle?'

Wish I had time for snoop shopping...I'd try on a couple and see...

3 comments:

  1. You know, now that you mention it, I remember making a high waisted skirt and bolero jacket combo in very late 80's, too. It was a Vogue Designer pattern, I'd have to look it up, I'd know it if I saw it. The skirt was 8 gore and I made it in black linen like fabric. The jacket was a cream with black and peach stripes.

    I think you could do a high waisted skirt. The key would be proportions, maybe a flared skirt instead of the pencil skirt to give the illusion of a smaller waist?

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  2. And, duh, I forgot to add, what a great picture! Memories, eh?

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  3. Yeah, memories...those little cherubs are now 19 and 21. They sure were cute then, weren't they? Time flies!

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