Today I’m sharing with you my Fibre Mood Hettie Skirt.
And, I also want to make a sewing resolution.
It goes as follows. I will no longer commence projects with the mind set that this is going to be a “quick and easy” in-between-other-more-important-projects kind of a project.
Because every time I do that, I clearly don’t give the project the effort and attention it deserves and I end up consistently disappointed with the results. With my own attitude being entirely to blame!
The Fibre Mood Hettie featured in edition 8 of Fibre Mood magazine. It is available in sizing to cater for a maximum hip size of 140cm.
This version of the Fibre Mood Hettie has undergone some hacking and it is a totally blatant copy of a version made by the magnificently stylish Julie at joliesbobines. I prefer to think of it as a tribute, rather than a copy.
The fabric is a Mind the Maker viscose from Meter Meter that I’d had in my stash for a year or so.
The original Fibre Mood Hettie Skirt features a zip closure and three tiers of skirt. The top tier of the skirt is fitted (as in my version) and then the lower two tiers are gathered and loose fitting.
For my version of Fibre Mood Hettie, inspired by Julie, I’ve added a button placket and transformed it into a button front opening. I’ve only used the top two tiers of the pattern, adjusting the second tier to be the desired length. My starting point for the pattern was size 46.
The perils of lazy sewing
Do you ever find that it can be a self-perpetuating downward spiral when something starts to go wrong with a sewing project?
Upon trying on the completed upper tier of the Fibre Mood Hettie, I realised that this drapey viscose perhaps didn’t have the stability that my body needed to really keep things all firmly held in at the fitted top tier, especially with a button front closure. And, once I’d put both tiers together, I came to the conclusion that, in addition to not giving me sufficient belly support, perhaps gathers at the upper thigh, the widest part of my body, just isn’t the best look for me.
And once I decide that I probably don’t like something, it is almost inevitable that I will make poor choices which perpetuate that dislike.
For example, I raided my button collection and saw that I only had six buttons of the only button on hand which was in the right colour. I didn’t want to put in the effort of buying new buttons for a garment which already had a dubious outcome, so I decided six buttons would do.
Reality check: six buttons is NOT enough to securely button down a midi-length skirt! Especially in a slightly flimsy fabric!
If I had invested in more buttons, this Fibre Mood Hettie Skirt would be more wearable, but because I have spaced the buttons out so much, the issue of bulging at the belly is perpetuated.
All in all, you win some, you lose some. I tried out a different shape for me. It didn’t quite work and I made it worse than it needed to be by being lazy as hell.
Just to be clear, all the errors with this one are entirely of my own making – I hacked the pattern (the original zipped closure would likely have been much more effective), selected a too flimsy fabric and didn’t put enough buttons on the damn thing.
Mea culpa.
And that is why I resolve that I should no longer enter into sewing projects with the attitude that it is just a “quickie”. I find that I have a horrible tendency to do this with fabrics that have been in my stash for a while and that I’m starting to feel a bit guilty about having purchased in the first place. So I decide to relieve my guilt by sewing something quick “see, it wasn’t a waste, its now a skirt!”. But I need to accept that if I’m not going to put in enough effort to sew a project well (like “buy some damn buttons Beck”), it’s probably best that I do something else and come back when I’m feeling more inspired.
Does your mindset impact whether or not your projects work out?
If you want to see more of my sewing adventures, you can find me on Instagram here.
Man, I so feel you on the guilt of looking at a fabric that shouldn’t have entered the stash in the first place, and then giving it a hasty premature exit by way of an underbaked project. And afterwards I feel like some version of the evil stepmother trope sending this innocent fabric away to a horrible boarding school because I didn’t want to look at it any more. Except with more remorse đ Soooo – fewer compulsive fabric purchases for me in the future, hopefully!!
And yes, the mindset always impacts the outcome! I find that when the motivation is flagging, it helps to trawl the pattern’s hashtag on Instagram and see well-made outcomes, tends to bring the sewjo back!
Such a perfect description of the âI need to use this fabric for somethingâ mind set!!!!
I love the fact you’re sharing a sewing project which went a bit wrong. It makes me feel less silly when I screwed up a garment, because of a wrong mindset.
Often I just want the pleasure of looking at a finished garment, but actually I am rushing to finish it, which is no good for the end result.
By rhe way I really like the fabric. Couldn’t you wear it whit a long rip so you don’t see the top tier?
Indeed! It definitely still has potential, just need to get a bit less mad at myself over it first!!
Yes! Yes! Yes! All the time! And because I’ve decided that it’s a ‘quick’ project, there’s no way I’m slowing down to make it a ‘good’ project! And definitely if one thing goes wrong, if it started off as a ‘quick’ project then it will end up as a ‘binned’ project because I won’t take the time to fix it properly. Glad there’s a few of us out there! That skirt is very nice though, and still has great potential once you can face up to it no longer qualifying as a quick project!!
Exactly my mindset! Kind of relieved itâs not just me!!
Why donât you invest in more buttons and double them up. Otherwise I think it looks great.
Indeed, the problem is solvable. Just need to work my way up to a solution. Find it so hard to be motivated to fix projects rather than sew new ones!!!
This sounds so familiar! I’ve had a basically finished Fibre Mood Kai blazer on my chair under my butt for about 6 weeks now – because I can’t find out how to fix the bottom hem đ Now it’s clearly creased beyond repair (even if I magically succeeded in saving the hem), but I can’t bring myself to throw the fabric away, yet the pieces are not being enough to repurpose them… Grrr. Also, kudos for being able to sew with viscose, I hate these silky fabrics with passion.
I’ve made the Hettie skirt (in its original form) and love it. A zip rather than buttons really does work much better on floaty fabrics. Having said that I do love the look of buttons but man I hate sewing button holes as my machine doesn’t always cooperate. I love all your makes and this is no exception.
Appreciate that you shared something that didn’t turn out as planned.
I think mindset matters for sure, which is why I don’t sew when mad. Things will inevitably go terribly wrong, and then how poorly the sewing went will make me not want to wear it (even if Ive taken the time to fix it)
Thanks for sharing, I have a pile of these in my âto fix when Iâm feeling in the mood for some serious MINDFULNESS and PATIENCEâ box.
On the bright side, the colours are beautiful and match your turtleneck and sandals sooo well! Sometimes gathering at the widest point of our body exacerbates the issue – in this case, and only you can be the judge, it actually looks quite flattering. Wide here? Me? Nope thatâs the gathers and youâll never know different :).
In short, I feel this skirt is destined for eventual glory when you are feeling bloody minded enough to grit your teeth and revisit – very much worth it for this fabric and design, you will look fabulous.