#1 - Koi Skirt

 My first project in my "26 pieces in 52 weeks" was going to have to be easy, to get me off on the right foot. Not too hard, not too basic (no rectangles with elastic for a waistband, thanks). I have a cache of fabric to use up, and I bought this fabulous cotton drill at Spotlight on Mother's Day with the idea of making a nice little box pleated skirt, not too short mind! I'm not against minis for women over 40 but I've never been comfortable in anything higher than just below my knees myself. So I had a look around for some ideas.

I fell for this tutorial, only to realise that the entire skirt is based on you using the exact same fabric as the author. Koi look nothing like chevrons, so I decided to just wing it using my all encompassing mantra: "It can't be that hard, right?" One day it will be, and then I'm doomed.

I measured the length I wanted and added three inches for hems, seam allowances and good measure. Then I cut the fabric in half lengthwise and tried to think what to do. I worked out where the centre was and just started pleating. I basted the pleats and sewed up the sides, adding a centred side zipper. Now, I'm guessing most people don't make box pleats skirts this way, but it worked for me, because once the zip was in I realised that there was about 4 inches of extra room that needed to go.

Pleat readjustment for the win! I just tightened them all up and added one on every side edge. It gives the side a little kick out that I like, and it neatly hides my rubbish zip setting abilities...

Next step was adding a reinforced waistband, attaching it to the front, folding back and stitching in the ditch on the front to keep the inside neatly in place. Now, I cut my waistband WAAAAAYYYYY too short, so some creative hook and eye work was required to keep it closed. Let's not scare people away, right?

I added a 1.75" blind hem, which I stupidly pressed before stitching. Don't do that unless you like steaming hems for about 45 minutes. All done and ready to wear. I had a bigger problem, I thought. What to wear with a purple skirt with cream koi, because my wardrobe is - I thought - pretty limited. A bit of rummaging around found the perfect outfit.

A purple velvet jacket I bought in Mirboo North at a hippy store (no, really) and a gold-ish satin sleeveless top I bought in Dundee to wear with some gorgeous pants that are far FAR too big for me now. Stupid weight loss. Anyway, new outfit sorted I headed out with two lovely companions to see "Rocky Horror Picture Show" which for one week only contained Richard O'Brien as the narrator. THE Richard O'Brien, author of the damn musical and the original - and best - Riff Raff. He delivered. Holy heckmonkeys, did he deliver! After the final bows, when the cast broke into the Time Warp (again) it had a perfect moment with old and new Riff Raff both singing "Like you're under sedaaaaaaaayyyyyyshuuuuuuuunnn!" and that's when I really lost my mind! Fantastic! Oh, and the very last bit of the show involved a snog between Frank'n'Furter (Craig McLachlan, amazing) and the Narrator; the howls of joy were deafening, especially from our section.

Afterwards we headed outside and Joannah managed to run after Richard O'Brien and we got this fantastic shot of the man himself (Joex's the hottie with the leopard print coat). All in all a good christening for the 26 in 52 challenge!