Over a year ago I made up my mind to make something out of burlap. There are so many fabulous potato sacks out there with catchy slogans and vintage graphics, and they all can't be made into tote bags. At first I was thinking corset or vest, paired with gingham perhaps, but this particular sack wouldn't lend itself to cutting.
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| what I started with |
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| what I ended up with |
To begin (without a pattern of course), I wrapped the sack around my waist to find the best placement for the wording. First I set in the separating zipper and then moved on to fitting the waist. The zipper acts as one front dart, and I added a second dart to the front. A plain burlap panel runs down the back of the skirt, joining the top and bottom of the bag. I also added two back darts, and another to shape the side seam. Essentially this is your basic pencil skirt construction. It is lined with cotton. I also added on a 4inch wide "ruffle" to the lining to add a bit of length. The bottom hem is only secured with a straight stitch. I wanted to leave the rips and loose strings.
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| bottom ruffle |
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| farmpunked potato sack |
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| photo shoot done on our wooden chop wagon |
I really like the separating zipper design. When zipped all the way down, the skirt requires a little extra hip wiggle. But being able to adjust for actual movement, such as climbing a ladder or running to catch the mailman, is really appreciated.
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| Hello, Mailman. |
This was a fun, creative project that I'm not afraid to wear or get dirty. I have some scraps of the cotton lining so a matching tie-front top isn't out of the question. And I do have several more potato sacks (one says "Super Spud!" on it) but I'm not sure how much burlap my wardrobe can handle. Who knows? Maybe one more piece paired with wool for my winter barn chores. Anyways, don't be afraid to restyle your textiles, any textiles, into anything you can imagine. The possibilities are endless (and so much fun to wear about town!).
Super Cute! My daughter is doing vintage pin-up photo shoots for her sister, my younger daughter's, bachelorette party. I will post some when she does them. She just started a side business for photography while still in school - now for Master's Degree.
ReplyDeleteyou are so cute! And super resourceful. I love your posts!
ReplyDeleteyeay!! you are the queen of farm punk!!!!
ReplyDeletethat is really a great skirt, cool outfit and your pinup posing is perfect.
sadly potatoes in germany come in net sacks, so sewing with them seems me to ambitious ;-)
did miss you.....
xxxx
p.s.: just bought a new can of italian coffee - do you want sugar? ;-)
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ooh that's so cool! your creativity is ridiculous!
ReplyDeleterandom question: do you plan on selling fleeces again? i'm very seriously considering getting into spinning (I've done some random amounts, and would want an actual Project to propel me in), and I'd rather buy wool from someone I even vaguely know (via having read your blog for a while) than just buy rovings from knitpicks or something.
I know that in the past you had had a few fleeces for sale, and was just curious if that was a one-off or a regular thing.
Hi Tegan, Yes! Thanks for asking. I do have a few fleeces left from last year, and we're half done with this year's shearing. If you follow me on facebook, I have photos posted there, and will be adding more. Or you can email to talk colors, etc. My raw fleeces (unwashed but heavily skirted) average 3 lbs with a staple length of 5 inches. $15 each plus shipping, but I'll give you a deal if you buy 2 or more!
DeleteLove it!
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