The Rae Skirt

My poor, neglected blog.  I've been busy.  And tired.  And really, really, busy.  Some of my favorite things just got put on hold for a long time.  Life is like that.  Slowly, I'm trying to find my way back out of the busyness and back into the things I love: sewing and blogging being two things I want back in my life. 

Several months ago, I applied to be a tester for one of my favorite pattern designers, Tasia at Sewaholic .  You can not imagine the screams of excitement when I received the email that I was accepted as a tester for the Rae skirt. 

No, I'm so not kidding.  There may have been shouting.  And some texting.  And possibly some more screaming.   My kids just rolled their eyes at me.  That's all right.  I was too excited to care. 

 The Rae skirt is really perfect.  Just perfect.  It is absolutely wonderful for a complete beginner seamstress, but if you are more advanced just choose a trickier fabric that you were previously scared of trying. 

(pictures were taken by my 10 year old son)

Lightweight fabrics really seem to be key.  I tried a heavier fabric and it didn't work well for me.  My daughter is smaller than I am, and the heavier skirt worked fine on her so I pretended like I was excited that it worked for her.  But for me the heavier fabric just got too bunchy around the hips.  Ain't no mama of five kiddos need that!  I  sewed this skirt with a lightweight, sheer polyester that I found on clearance at Hancock Fabrics and then lined it with some soft, lightweight, navy blue lining. 

The waist is elastic, which can look frumpy if not done right.  Tasia did it right.  She put in details into this simple skirt that elevated it.  For example, the side seams are graded in just a bit where the hem will fall so that you don't have to ease in the hem.  Total genius and a design detail I so appreciated.  Easing in a hem and never getting it smooth irritates me.  The whole time I was cutting and sewing, I kept saying, "wow!  she just thought of everything!"