Altered: No More Paper Bag Waists!

In my "I want to wear linen EVERYTHING" obsession I've had the last few months, I took to some online second hand marketplaces and made a few orders. The first one was a lot of 2 brand new with the tags Banana Republic linen/rayon skirts - one in navy, one in rust orange. I got these on Mercari. I loved the colors of both and the patch pockets and the fabric, but the other details were honestly a little hard to see on my phone screen (one of the drawbacks of not having pro photographers since it's a second hand site). 

When they arrived, I saw that they were mid-calf length (longer than I usually prefer) and they both had a paper bag waist. Now there isn't anything inherently wrong with a paper bag waist - I know they have been trendy on and off the last few years - but since I almost never tuck my shirts into skirts, they are just not functional for me. I did try wearing these skirts as they were, but I had to wear them with looser shirts so the bulk at the waist didn't look too odd. Well no more! I grabbed some matching thread at the fabric store and unpicked that ruffly waist detail.

This was actually incredibly easy to do. Usually when I'm altering things, I'm adding something or remaking a detail completely in some way. This was a simple removal job - get it there, cut out the offending piece, then close it back up. I did make it a bit more complicated by getting cocky with my seam ripper pointed the wrong way up, which sliced the fabric a tiny bit. It was on the inner waistband piece and I was able to interface and top stitch it just fine, but an inconvenience nonetheless. 

The only fiddly part was sewing the waistband closed given that I had to start and stop around each of the belt loops. This was originally sewn with the belt loops hanging free on one side and then the buttons were sewed through the tabs after the rest of the skirt was finished. I didn't want to unpick all 4 of the buttons and resew them, so I just tried to be careful and go about halfway under the belt loop before cutting my thread and starting again in the same spot on the other side of the belt loop. It was a hassle, but it really wasn't that big a deal since this was such a simple project in general. I think I probably spent an hour on these 2 skirts from unpicking to finishing.

These skirts are now infinitely more wearable for me. I'm still not sure about the length, but I'm wearing them as they are to see if I grow to like it. If not, that's another simple change later to make them just below the knee.

I managed to alter 4 different items that night, 3 of which are winners, lol. Alterations are really an underrated form of sewing in my opinion. With just a little effort, I have pieces that are custom made how I want them.