Fiddlehead Fern Skirt

I have long admired the work and designs of Alabama Chanin, a company in Florence, AL that makes clothing out of organic cotton jersey knit (t-shirt fabric), sewn and embellished completely by hand by local stitchers. An item of their clothing can cost hundreds of dollars, sometimes more, so I am very grateful the company's founder, Natalie Chanin, has authored three books (first, second, third ) where she generously shares patterns, stencils and techniques to make your own. They are three of my favorite sewing books; I return to them often for inspiration. This is my third version of the Swing Skirt from the first book. (Please ignore the wrinkles, they aren't really there. Trick of the light, I guess.)

I love this skirt style--fitted, but still stretchy and so comfy. I prefer mine to fall just below the knee, shorter than the pattern given in the book (I'm 5'6"). It's two layers--the under layer is brown--to give it more body, which is important when you are embellishing stretchy knit fabric. The seams of the four skirt panels are sewn with running stitch and felled (folded over and stitched with two rows, like blue jean seams).

I embellished this one minimally. I drew the fiddlehead ferns on freehand, but this simple and lovely design is not my own--I saw it in a sewing book (also on a knit skirt) that I got from the library, but I'll be darned if I can remember the book's title or authors ( I believe there were two). I did a quick browse around Amazon and still couldn't find it, so if any reader recognizes it, please tell me the book's title and authors so I can give credit where it's due. To give the fiddleheads a nice, defined outline, I used a backstitch with four strands of embroidery floss in many leafy shades of green. I wanted the colors and embroidery to be soft and subtle. (I know: Me? Sew something subtle? I can hardly believe it myself.)

I have about as many embellished knit ideas as I have quilt ideas--so enough to keep me very busy ;) Here's a peek at my next skirt: purple! This one will be my second version using the spiral applique's from the second book.

These knit projects are wonderfully portable. They often take me forever to finish, because I tend to 'save' them for occasions when I want something portable to work on. But they get done, little by little, stitch by stitch. This current one is progressing quite quickly, though. Probably because, you know...purple!

Have you ever done any hand-sewing with cotton jersey?

Have a good week!

Linked up with Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday and Nilya for MontagsMacher