The Lady Gardener's skirt

In case you thought I was getting lazy in my old age, here is evidence of recent activity!

(I would show you my beautifully eco-painted bathroom walls and ceiling but I don’t suppose you'd be interested! What a revelation – paint that doesn’t smell evil and brushes that can be washed under the tap!)

My son’s stripey socks are underway. The pattern is “Colonial Rib”, available free here (pdf file). He chose the colour (more Online self-striping Sport Color) and I decided to use a rib for a bit of extra stretch. Roo suggested Retro Ribs (from "Favorite Socks" ) but I thought the texture would get lost in the stripes. So I chose this pattern to add just a little bit of interest.

And I have been sewing too. Another pattern from my Japanese skirt book. The material is a lightweight chambray / denim which was described as “vintage 1970’s” on Ebay – the 1970’s are “vintage” already? I feel old!

I decided to make my own bias binding for the hemline, to make the most of the reverse colour of the fabric. I had thought about having “inside out” pleats, but changed my mind. Then I was gripped by what I would like to call “inspiration”, and used some quilting fabric to applique “seed packets” here and there, as if I had dropped them and they had stuck to the skirt as they fell. Well, that was the idea. Then I spotted a couple of butterfly sew-on embroidered patches, so the idea expanded to include them. It is my spring garden(ing) skirt!

The jury is not impressed: my daughter says it is “err… creative, I suppose”; my son says it is “horrible – what’s with the patchwork?” and FL stared for a while before saying “Well if that’s what you wanted… You’re not planning on wearing it to work are you?”. Pooo! He later said it was "very you"... which I think is a grudging coming-around-to-it comment!