Weeks or months have passed since I sat down to create clothing. As a self taught sewer making simple bags with cotton fabric is more my speed but, over the next few weeks I have an opportunity to really focus on clothes and access to all sorts of materials and will certainly be making the most of this time.
Each year around taurus season I visit my childhood home and am reunited with all kinds of items from my past and, of course, people and memories too.
This particular length of fabric is translucent, decorated with shimmering moons and stars.
It was used as a prop in many fantastical games of imaginary worlds played with my sister and our closest friends. As a teenager and 20 something I used it to decorate the various bedrooms and add a mystical touch to the lighting. Now, at the start of my 30's I am embracing the interests of my childhood once again.
Instead of inventing imaginary worlds where this uncut fabric is my cloak I will be creating clothing to wear in my everyday life. The idea is that this fabric will become a long skirt that can be worn with a black slip or as a slip underneath other garments.
When plunged into the ordinary world of mundane conversations and social obligations a look at my enchanted skirt will remind me of the magic that can be infused into each and every moment, even if at first not so apparent.
Instead of following a pattern I used an existing black slip that fits me well as a guide. I cut out an outline with an inch to spare on each side and carefully trimmed up the edges. This type of stretchy and slippery fabric does not work well with a traditional sewing machine so I decided to sew entirely by hand which I did over the course of two sessions.
It was really simple to make with the help of the slip as a guide. I listened to a favorite audio book of a story I very much love and sewed away the afternoon.
Now, it is morning and I have just finished the final details of the waste line, adding a length of elastic and sewing it inside the interior of the skirt.
I gave the skirt a try in the sewing room of my parent's home and was very happy with the result. The fabric is pretty much see through so wearing the black slip underneath adds a modest look. But, if I were to wear this to a night time event maybe a much shorter black slip would be fun.
Another way to wear this skirt is as a slip itself and I was glad to see that it fit in perfectly with this long grey dress that fits very tightly and has slits on either side. This dress is very cute but, not modest at all so, having an optional slip to add underneath is nice.
And, more importantly, giving this fabric a new role in this fresh phase of life seems so sweet. Each time I wear this skirt I will recall the endless hours we played under our "invisibility cloak" and later on when this fabric accompanied me to university. Luckily, there is about a yard and a half still left and my mind is racing with all of the possibilities.
