Zero waste project 8: buttoned maxi skirt

Finally finished zero waste project n°8: a button down maxi skirt! A big thanks to everyone that helped me with this make via my stories

This is adapted from the wrap skirt in @lizhaywood3754’s #zerowastesewingbook, made from exactly 188x97cm of organic cotton with a button placket and classic waistband from the pages at the end of the book. (Because I don’t trust the wind here in Nice to wear a wrap skirt) Pattern works for all sizes!

As usual I had my share of beginner mishaps with this project: I drafted the skirt for my waist as per the instructions, but I somehow forgot my hips are 2-4 sizes bigger than my waist – so the skirt had no hip ease (see photos 8 + 9). Liz suggested multiple fixes, I chose to go with chopping off 7cm from the top, which gave me 16cm of ease at the hips 💃

Then I needed to reduce the top width by 13cm to fit my waist again. I tried to make darts at the back, but struggled to get the shape to match my butt despite a dozen attempts. So I ended up unstitching 20cm of each overlocked and topstitched panel, and redid the seams tapering them each in to 2cm at the top. (See photo 7)

I had some leftover fabric from cutting the waistband + the fabric I cut off the top for hip ease, which I patched together to make some patchy patch pockets! (See photos 3 + 6)

I also learned a lot about making buttonholes lol. Protip, don’t touch the presser foot while it’s working 😂 And if you do make a mess of it, unstitch it carefully and do it again 😎

Despite all my mistakes it’s zero waste! It took me quite some time to unstitch and resew things, but it was worth it and I love this skirt even more than if I didn’t need to fix it.

This is a fantastic pattern and a really great book. Every pattern has ideas for hacks and changes, and I will be making this skirt again in another fabric. Without the mistakes 😅

#zerowastesewing #zerowastefashion #zerowasteskirt #maxiskirt #beginnersewing #zerowastepattern @zwdo_collective #sustainablefashion #sustainablesewing #zerowastedesign #petitesewing