This is just a bit of silliness really; remember I said I had some idiotic plans for my leftover off-white leatherette? well I just hopped straight into it. This is a new skirt, leatherette with red stitching to delineate the seam lines, baseball-like. Yeah I know, kinda weird; and I’m still wondering if I ruined the skirt with that stitching! but it’s just a bit of fun really. I figure if I absolutely hate it down the track I can always pull out the baseball stitching 🙂
I used this picture to help me
The pattern is Vogue 1170; my fourth iteration of this pattern. I chose it because it had lots of seam lines! and I lengthened it as much as I possibly could given my small piece of leatherette. Actually, this is a good skirt for a smallish odds and ends of fabric; surprisingly good considering its flippiness. It’s only the two large front-and-back pieces that take up the most fabric; the smaller pieces can be cut out of edges and corners and other off-cuts. I left off the pockets and fully lined the skirt with cream polyacetate lining fabric; and I cut the waistband a lot narrower and on a curve to follow the curve of the skirt top. This resulted in a much better fitting waistband than the original straight one, imo. Also, I’ve learnt my lesson from my previous leatherette skirt where I found the leatherette waist facing kinda icky worn against the skin; and cut the waistband facing in white linen. Much nicer!
The stitching is in red silk thread, which I’ve had for years… er, 21 *blush* but who’s counting! 😀 a leftover from knotting Tim’s quilt; and a small portion in matching red topstitching thread, which I ended up having to buy new (grrr!) when I didn’t have just quite enough of the silk. Don’t you hate that!!
I did the stitching in two passes, first time you do alternate halves of the “wings”, and the second pass you finish off the other side of each one.
And because a baseball skirt needs a baseball tee, I made one; just because 🙂 I used two old Tshirts from my refashioning bag.
OK, I thought that this is what a baseball tee looks like; but imagine my disappointment when I googled images of baseball players to see that they actually don’t wear this sort of two-coloured raglan-sleeved tee at all! but instead have a big baggy short-sleeved top, sometimes with a close-fitting long-sleeve top underneath. NO raglans to be seen. Confused! So; why is a tee like this known as a baseball Tshirt, when actually it is not?! I would love to be enlightened. Anyhoo; I made it from from my own custom pattern, using an old raglan sleeve tee to help get me started and then fiddling and fine-tuning to fit me. The embroidered motif on the front of the blue Tshirt, I positioned on the back of the new Tshirt. It was either that or cut it in half, and even though my new tee is a cobble-together job, doesn’t mean it has to look like one!
With the neckline binding; I cut strips from the sleeves of the cream tee and joined them to get one long enough to do the neckline. And this time I cut the strips with a bias joining edge: you can just barely make out the join in this picture. This gave such a vastly superior finish to my usual method of joining on a straight seam! and I can’t believe it has taken me sooooo long to work out this might be a better thing to do. Up until now I’ve used a straight joining seam, and the bulkiness of all the layers in that bit make for a slightly bubbly and bumpy bit at that spot on the neckline. So I hide this by positioning it at the back of the neck somewhere; but if the seam is on the diagonal, like here, then there is less bulk and very little bump issues. Don’t know why it’s taken this long for the lightbulb to go off, but better late than never 🙂
Details:
Skirt; Vogue 1170 with minor modifications, off-white leatherette with red decorative top-stitching; my review of this pattern here and my tips for working with leatherette here
Tshirt; self-drafted, made from two old Tshirts
Shoes; Bronx, from Zomp shoes
I think that it was a long-ago style of baseball jersey. And today's high school baseball teams usually wear this sort of raglan tee. Your combo of shirt and baseball skirt is wonderful! You didn't get anything wrong! Karen from Texas
Thank you so much, Karen 🙂
What a fabulous skirt! You are sure to get a lot of compliments and comments when you that.
I love the stitching on the skirt. A really original idea. It really highlights the stitching lines too.
That couldn't be any cuter!!! Love the stitching!!!!
thanks Judi! 🙂
So creative, love it.
thanks Kat 🙂
I recognised the skirt before I even read your words. It's a lovely pattern and your whole outfit is fabulous.
What a fantastic skirt – I love the flippy back section and the zig zag sections at the front look wonderful. Nothing here looks cobbled together 🙂
It's so cute and sporty at the same time! And from now on, I'm going to keep tees for refashioning 🙂
Fabulous outfit, the dress is incredibly creative!
Very very cute outfit! You did a great work on the skirt, I am so impressed! Love the refashion t-shirt too 🙂
It looks absolutely stunning! I love the red stitching!
Brilliantly done!
the skirt is perfect. I love it. bravo
I love the skirt, such a clever idea to do the baseball style stitching.
Love the skirt and the stitching. Super cute and very original. Looks great on you too!
Cute idea, this would be great to wear to a game! I think baseball and raglan t-shirts is more of a historical reference, but kids still wear them as uniforms.
That skirt is too cute with the stitching! Well done.
This outfit is fabulous – so creative!
thank you sewingkm! 🙂
The embroidery really makes the skirt, fun and unusual. Love it!
this is such a clever skirt! great job on the seaming details, that is so cool!
I love the skirt! Baseball season just started here. We have a great local team that is so much fun to watch. We are excited about baseball season. I need a baseball skirt like this! 🙂 Also, I think the raglan sleeve tee was an old-school baseball tee but not anymore. It's one of my favorite casual looks.
Like the first commenter, I suspect baseball players in days gone by used to wear colour blocked, raglan sleeved t-shirts. I have no proof for this theory though.
Your outfit looks great though and I think the stitching adds a nice touch. Just one thing: You mentioned you though you could just take the stitching out if you didn't like it… but eh… isn't that just the problem when working with leatherette (or leather, for that matter): if you take stitching out, it leaves holes.
P.S. Did you see the top I made using Pattern Magic 3? It's here: http://petitmainsauvage.blogspot.nl/2014/03/its-kind-of-magic.html
When I was working on it, I realized this is one of the few remotely wearable designs from the book which I haven't seen made by you 😉
Lauriana; yes, pin- and stitching-holes in leatherette are permanent; so if I did go off the red stitching I would have to decide which would be the lesser of two evils; stitching or little holes! But so far so good, I've worn the skirt twice and am pretty happy with it, stitching and all 🙂
I googled Baseball Tshirt and came up with Fruit of the Loom (brand name) raglan sleeves, so I don't know why the team sports players wear those baggy things. Love your t-shirt. I think the skirt is really cute – stitching and all – but wonder how comfortable it will be to wear. Leatherette just doesn't enthuse me as a clothing fabric, I see it more covering those bench seats in diners, but that's just me. I think there is a Murphy's law about thread that you encountered!
I like it – very innovative!
great out for summer – baseball season just starting here. love the stitching and I am on a raglan tee kick, so comfy.
So cute – you're a walking baseball! That pattern works surprisingly well in leatherette…
What a unique idea. So adorable. I love it, just wish I had thought of it first. It is a 'home run' !
Oh my! I love the stitching!
The stitching is just fab. Love the skirt.
Ellen 🙂
Both items are awesome !
Cute skirt! I like it and the tee you are wearing with it works great also.
This is great! I love the humor of it. And I don't think you'd find that skirt in any store, which is a plus.
Love it. The seam lines in the skirt work very well for baseball-inspiredness.
Oh how fun! I love that bit of whimsy!!!
You are now officially a "walking" home run! This is so much fun, so creative, and clever! Not silly at all, Carolyn, this is very stylish.
The baseball tee is the "close-fitting long-sleeve top underneath." Usually (maybe always) white or gray body with colored sleeves.
All the images I've seen show it to be a single block-coloured top, with a very high, buttoned neckline. 🙂
What a great skirt! Such a fun idea.. I hope that it gets loads of wear!
That's so inventive! it think you could easily dress that skirt up too. I love the two t-shirts to one idea, too. Can't help on the baseball front, we don't have that sport here, but I think I have heard those tops referred to that way, too. How peculiar!
YOU LEFT OFF THE POCKETS??????? I don't believe it!!!!
That is so cool and unique. You certainly have not spoilt the skirt with the stitching. I bet you will be stopped often in this while people look closely and admire!
I love this outfit, and I think the stitching on the skirt really makes it. It's fun, and subtle enough to get the reference, but without looking costume-y. And this skirt is a great pattern which looks great on you, which helps!
Cool outfit. I have been struggling with binding a neckline myself this week so the diagonal join tip has just gone into my brain for safe keeping. I am still finding sewing with jersey really hard but I am persevering. Jo x
Fun skirt. And good use of the old tshirts – you have hit this one out of the ball park (probably someone has already said this but I can't be bothered to go and read all the comments…..)
This would be the perfect outfit for attending baseball games, of course! I love the outfit, and the top is much like baseball tees we see the youth wear here in the USA. In Tampa, just a stone's throw from us, we have the Yankees' Stadium where they play their spring training games. So you need to visit with your outfit. 😉
I LOVE YOUR BRAIN. That skirt makes me HAPPY.
The skirt is absolutely fantastic! The stitching is ingenious and fun, fun, fun. The raglan sleeves are something I remember from the little league teams when I was a kid. You continue to wow. Thank you!
How great is that whole outfit. Takes me back to that female baseball movie A League of their Own. Very funky. Love it.
Oh man, I would have been all over this for myself twenty years ago when we used to travel to spring training in Arizona for baseball (always was a nice dose of spring ahead of time and a great lazy holiday). I had the Keds sneakers with the stitching in the white leatherette, and this ensemble would have sealed the deal! When you get tired of it, put it up on Ebay and you will get takers.
hehe, thanks SJ, and those sneakers with stitching in white leatherette sound gorgeous!
you are such a clever girl . I am in awe of your creativity and the AMOUNT of work you do . After I get home from work I just flop . I really must get better at using the end of the day more creativley Well done
Mem, aww, thank you so much!
I love your leatherette skirt, the baseball stitching is an absolutely fabulous detail. My man does actually wear a shirt like that with his ball team sometimes!
I don't know about raglan sleeves and actual baseball tees as here in France baseball is fairly non-existent 😉 you did an amazing job on the stitching! how is leatherette to wear ? comfy or not?
Thanks for the tip on the bias joining, it's now sounds obvious, but I haven't seen it anywhere before!
You are so creative as always! Love it all!
Ha! Love it! What a cute skirt.
It looks awesome and love the stitching 🙂
wow incredible leather work! I´m so impressed, you are an artist Carolyn!
What a clever, clever detail! I love that you made a baseball bum ;). I don't know what others have said but my dad was a baseball coach most of my life and I also played (softball), and at least up until the early 90s these were the type of shirts we wore–basically raglan tees with contrast sleeves (in school colors of course). I think in the professional leagues it was always a bit different with the boxy button downs.
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