Wednesday, July 18, 2012

A Blue Skirt for Housework, Like Canning

One of my go-to housework skirts was really too ratty for wearing outside the house.


So I sewed myself another blue one, this one in a lovely medium-weight cotton chambray from the creative reuse shop. Recently I used some of it as a border for Ben's quilt and realized how lovely it felt.

I used a 1970s pattern for the new skirt.  It was pretty easy to sew, although I think the fabric should be lighter weight to hang better.


I feel like my mom in the 70s - a good, nostalgic feeling.  Just need a farmer hanky over my hair!

Thanks to my husband for the skirt-in-action photos - so much faster than me with the tripod.

I test-drove the skirt by canning pickled beets the first time I wore it.  I'm ready, skirt-wise, for canning season.

By the way, instead of tossing the beet cooking liquid, I just made it up into more pickling brine.  Then I froze it in jars.  I'll use it to make pickled red beet eggs this winter.  Thanks to Rebecca for the idea!  Also, thanks to Rebecca, I composted the beet stems today.  I couldn't figure out how to get them soft without losing their flavor.   Tamar Adler would be disappointed in me.


9 comments:

Unknown said...

This skirt looks great! Love the fabric and patch pockets...comfortable, feminine, and flattering : ) Lovely!
I love pickled beets and red beet eggs - never heard of them before up here in Maine, finally discovered them on a trip to PA a couple years ago ; )

Sara said...

Cute!

Beet stems are tricky. I recently made a beet top pesto and tossed the stems in, too, but they made it stringy...

Jennifer Jo said...

I like the bow picture, and the one of the kids piled on you. So sweet (and probably hot).

Adele said...

I've been thrifting for just such a skirt for weeks now, and am realizing that maybe I should just give up and sew one, too. The length looks just perfect!

Margo said...

Adele, I much prefer below-the- knee skirts this year, but they can be hard to find.

jodi said...

I love the skirt!! I agree, the length is perfect and it's so hard to find that length in stores. Maybe I'll sew my own too! :)

Unknown said...

Cute and I love vintage patterns!

Sew Blessed Maw [Judy] said...

Margo. the skirt is adorable.. and looks so easy and fun to wear. Love the photo with the kidos.. so pretty.. Shows how easy and comfortable it is..Love the pattern..Happy sewing.

Polly said...

I love that skirt!!! It looks so summery.