Sewn: 70s floral dirndl skirt

This is another project that I completed many months ago. I think I finished this in autumn (around May) but never got around to wearing it, taking photos of it or blogging about it. But here it is! I wore it the first time to the Priceline Pout Day which I talked about a while ago.

Butterick 5935 (via)

Floral print which, according to my friend, seems Laura Ashley-inspired

Pattern: Butterick 5935, option B (pictured on the right)
Fabric: Polycotton, Laura Ashley-inspired floral print
Modification(s): I shortened the hem (as usual).
What I dislike about this pattern: I think a dirndl skirt is meant to be a full skirt. But for some reason, my dirndl skirt simply isn't as full as the ones shown on the front of the sewing pattern. I am definitely unable to stretch my legs out and run quickly when wearing this skirt. But I guess it doesn't really matter that much. 
What I love about this pattern: The mere fact that the pattern is from the 70s makes my heart sing. Oh, also, THERE ARE POCKETS!

That's all for now folks! I've wasted 343264735 hours on the computer trying to fix a problem that I have been having with the system. Now that I have (sort of) fixed it and written a blog post, it's time I continue working on my thesis........................

xx g

DIY: Refashion Chambray Shirt to Skirt with Lace

I said that I would keep true to my promise...

and so, here you go! This is a skirt made from an OVERSIZED chambray button-down shirt that I thrifted. I was planning on wearing it as a real shirt but then I realised it's really just too big for me. I felt that the shirt was actually mocking me when I looked at myself wearing it in the mirror. Then somehow I heard my sewing machine sobbing in a dusty corner of my room and thus I decided to cut the the shirt up and sew it into a skirt.

P.S.: I also cut my hair today.

Materials:

Oversized shirt of any material or pattern that you fancy. It doesn't really need to be very big, just large enough to fit your bottoms in...

Sewing machine. You can also sew this by hand if you feel that you have a lot of time to spare.

Lace trimmings. Enough to go around the bottom of your new skirt TWICE.

And now we make the skirt:

Steps:

Rethreads

My friend and I took part in this event at Carriageworks a while ago. You can bring clothes that you no longer want and then exchange them for 'new' clothes. New to you, but pre-loved to the people who brought them there. It's a mass clothes exchange.

In short, it's something like shopping at Vinnies for free. You get 'new' clothes and you remove those unwanted clothes that you have become bored of from your wardrobe. Everybody wins!

I brought a cream Giordano polo tee (10SGD), a Warehouse blue cotton mini-skirt (another hand-me-down) and a pale green Cotton On sweater (15SGD) for the exchange. It's a shame that I didn't get to take pictures of them to show you guys. Sorry!

But hey take a look at what I got in exchange for them!

A long ethnic skirt that is too small for my burgeoning waist (damn those cookies and cold winter days). I think I will have to try to shorten it and increase the size of the waist, maybe make it elastic. If not I'm thinking of refashioning it into a pair of shorts. I really like its prints. What do you guys think?