Second Life-Altered Skirt

This is how the skirt looked when I bought it, about 5 years ago.

I wore it a few times, mostly with a white blouse and pumps you know, for business. I also had a co-worker, who knew of my love affair with my sewing machine, who told me she'd kill me if I took a scissors to it. It really wasn't that bad a skirt. Well, okay, maybe little long for my legs and never fit quite right in the waist, but it somehow had a retro-esque secretary feel with that little trumpet flair and bit of lace. Yet, it really wasn't me. So, I'm sorry Erin (the co-worker,) it was time for change. It had been hanging in my closet untouched, except to push it out of the way, for the last 3 years. Use it or lose it my mom always said.

So out came Machine And Gang, a.k.a. my sewing machine and necessary tools.

I wasn't sure I wanted to reuse the lace but decided to ever so carefully remove it with the seam ripper. Easier said than done. It was sewn on with such a thin thread it was hard to determine which was thread and which was lace. Then after removing it, I realized why the lace was used in the first place. Instead of a hem, the fabric had just been serged. Hmmm...

After measuring and cutting off the "trumpet" part if the skirt...

it became evident that this particular fabric was going to shred like no other! And I don't own a serger!

Anyway,being that I was at the point of no turning back, (I had already removed almost 7 inches of fabric,) I took my dilemma to Machine and did a very small stitch all the way around the edge of the skirt, hoping it would help the shredding issue then reapplied the lace.

It turned out sort of ok,

Not much hanger appeal, it's much better worn...

See?
AND note the threads hanging from the lace...
Now you can always find me.

Just look for the trail...
J.