K3877 – tinlizzieridesagain

Words, words, words.

I love words, preferably in the written form, but also in Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (the movie with Gary Oldman and Tim Roth, love!).

So when I saw this word-print denim, I knew I had to have it. Surprisingly lightweight, with some stretch, it was perfect to test out the KwikSew skirt pattern before I make it for a friend, K3877. The simple A-line shape meant the print wouldn’t be disturbed or distorted in any way, plus it was so easy to whip up in a day.

Kwik Sew K3877

I’m making the shorter version for my friend’s skirt, but I decided I wanted the longer length. And then I added an inch, although I could have added two inches to get it past my knee cap.

The pattern instructions had detailed zipper instructions, but I put in an invisible zipper. I did follow the directions, more or less, for the stitch-in-the-ditch waistband and blind hem, but I did my blind hem on the machine, rather than by hand. I don’t often use that sort of hem finishing, but I like the way it disappears in this fabric and print. The skirt doesn’t have pockets and I didn’t feel like adding them. I’m pretty pleased with the way it turned out, although I wish I had put in a full lining. Wearing it with tights meant the hem caught every time I walked. I guess I need a longer slip.

Invisible zipper (Man, I tried so hard to match the pattern, and still failed!)

Serged then blind hem

For the reflective detail on this skirt, I decided to try something different. The word print inspired me to hunt down iron-on reflective letters for some poodle skirt-like placement on the left knee. I managed to find the word “Bike” premade from a company in Portland (of course) and promptly ordered from Amazon. I quite like the way it turned out. The reflective letters are brighter and less subtle than I was envisioning, but heck, who cares if I’m promoting my transportation mode of choice when I’m out and about?!

This is the skirt that inspired my interest in a step-through frame, but it actually worked fine on my current bike. Of course, the day I wore it ended up being cold enough that I had to dust off a winter coat, which was then long enough that it covered up the hem of the skirt as it bunched up above the top tube and my knees. That’s okay, plenty of opportunities to show it off in the future!