Finished! Wax Cloth Skirts for My Sisters!

* There is still time to enter the Pattern Pyramid Giveaway! *

It feels like it's been weeks since I've had a sewing reveal!

So, I am thrilled about this fun and easy project which was completed during mojo-explosion 2013. It's a matching tote and beachy wrap skirt for each of my sisters. There are four of them. As a reminder, last autumn my dad gave me yards of wax cloth that he bought on a trip to Ghana to make something for myself and my sisters.

Gifts for sisters!

 
Anyway, for the tote bags, I used Simplicity 5151 and made 2 of each version.  This pattern could not have been easier and would be an excellent beginner project. My only changes were to use a jumbo snap instead of velcro as the closure and to top stitch around the opening of view B (that is the one without bamboo handles).  

Four bags for my four sisters!

The inspirtation for the skirt was the tiered wrap maxi skirt that my mom wore to the beach throughout my childhood. It was simply known as "mom's beach skirt" to all of us and was only ever worn to the beach.

For these skirts, I used Kwik Sew 2954, a basic wrap skirt pattern. My only customization was to adjust the length for each sister, and for my slimmest sister I made a slightly larger seam allowance since she is at the smaller end of the M size range.

Three skirts (one sister was pregnant so we've delayed her skirt)!

I'm impressed with the KS instructions for this pattern. I could have sewn this skirt without even looking at them, but I'm glad I did. This skirt uses some very good basic techniques that are explained and illustrated in a way that I think would be perfect for a beginner. Also, it doesn't skip steps.  For example, it includes understitching the waist facing and actually explains why you do this. It also includes top stitching. A lot of  "quick" or "easy" patterns tend to skip these basic steps, which ultimately leaves you with a sloppy looking finish. But not this one.

Understitched and top stitched

If I was teaching someone to sew, this would be an excellent first pattern choice since you would most likely use a very stable cotton and it does actually have some good "challenge" bits for a beginner, like darts on the back and an optional button hole for the tie to thread through.

Button hole

As you can see, I used my serger for large parts of this project. It really sped my sewing along.

Anyway, the skirts and totes are all either delivered or in the mail to my sisters. Here you can see that Calliope used her tote on our trip. Yay!
 

At the Acropolis...

In Santorini...

So, I've crossed the "sewing for sisters" part of the project off my list and now it is on to the "wax cloth for me" project, which is at the muslin phase! Stay tuned!