DIY maxi skirt

Yesterday I went to Jo Ann's for some spray paint. Twenty dollars later, I left the store with not only spray paint but 3 pieces of fabric and some $1.00 hand soap (can't beat that right?). Lol!

In my defense, one of the pieces of fabric I ended up buying was some that I had been eyeing for months. It was on the clearance aisle, but was still 12.00/ yd. Until yesterday that is, when all the clearance fabrics were an additional 50% off. 

I couldn't say no to that. So I got some and made this maxi skirt, and I LOVE it. Totally worth it!

I wish you could see the detail in the pics, but it's a sheer almost lace-like fabric with a tiny bit of sheen to it.

Some people might not be dumb brave enough to make something without a pattern, but that's kind of how I roll. Pattern's annoy me sometimes, so if I can figure it out without one, I'm way happier.

Here is the basics of what I did.

First, measured how long I wanted the fabric to be then cut it, along with the lining. 

Then I took about 4 measurements of myself (waist, hips, etc) and transferred them to the lining and pinned it. (I wanted to try it on the lining first so if I messed up it was not on my pretty fabric.)

Next, I sewed the lining and tried it on. Happily it worked, it was a tad more snug then I wanted the skirt to be, so when I measured onto the fabric I added about an inch.

I sewed the skirt fabric, then put the lining and the skirt fabric together and rolled the waist down and sewed it. Then I added elastic in the waistband and I put it on. I could barely walk. I wanted a straight lined skirt but didn't leave enough room at the bottom for my legs to move. Ha!

Soooo..... I added a slit in the back. This involved me taking out the seam of the skirt AND the lining and then sewing it open. It only took about an hour to do that one thing. Lesson learned. If I ever make another skirt like this I'll know to either have more fabric allowance at the bottom, or put in a slit from the start.

It would have been much simpler if I had used a fabric that didn't need a lining, but oh well, I figured it out and I love it.

What do you think?

Would you ever sew something without a pattern?

Outfit breakdown:

Shirt: xhilaration: purchased at the thrift store for 1.00

Skirt: DIY'd, total cost approx. 11.00

Belt: purchased at the thrift store for 1.00

Shoes: Mossimo, purchased at the thrift store for 4.99

Necklaces: one bought at JCPenney's for 3.99, and the other was gifted

Stay tuned to see what I did with the excess fabric from my skirt:

I linked up with: