Upcycled Skirt and Improv Sewing!

Some time ago on Sew Mama Sew, I came across Nicole Blum and her work with knits.  Upon further reading, I discovered she and her friend Debra Immergut were writing a book about sewing with knits!  (Sewing with knits has been something I've really wanted to learn more about.) I started following their blog, Improv Diary because I could see that their projects were simple and gorgeous!  When their new book came out, I bought it immediately and I've been wanting to get a project done ever since.  (My best friend Alice borrowed it for one night and made two skirts in that amount of time!!  They are just darling!)

The skirt pictured is cotton with side panels of knit.  GUH!!!  So cute, right??? I started thinking about trying the opposite - a knit skirt with woven side panels.  So, I got some t-shirts at the thrift store and I picked out some cotton for contrast.  Voila!

I used FOE (fold over elastic) for the waistband in a different way.  I love FOE, but don't like the way 5/8 inch, folded in half sits around my waist.  I'd like to see 2 inch FOE so that when you folded over your fabric it was nice and wide. Here I used a piece on the inside and another on the outside, zigzagging them onto the edge of the fabric.  (I know her purple shirt doesn't really match... but she already had it on.)

How quick and easy and cute!!!  If I was a few pounds lighter it might fit me too, it's very forgiving!!  I'll be doing more of these!  (Like maybe today!)

FOE source:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/HOBOVIAN 

(looks like there are other etsy sellers who sell 1inch FOE.)

My favorite FOE how to video:  

http://angrychicken.typepad.com/angry_chicken/2008/07/foe-fold-over-e.html 

If you know the chicken, you know this is a funny little video!