magic $2 skirt

 
I think $2 is a fair estimate.  The fabric cost about fifty cents.  It is of unknown fabric content but it feels pretty nice, and I have loads left over which will probably become something embarrassing for Joseph to wear. The trim (velvet rick-rack, who knew?) and elastic are from JoAnn and the hem facing was from a friend's stash.

The pattern is really similar to the famous five minute skirt, but narrower and with darts added in the back. I've used this basic template a few times before, and at some point I cleverly transferred it to nice thick poster board which miraculously was not lost during the move.

The real adventure was figuring out how to simultaneously attach the trim and blind hem the skirt. I also kind of wanted to figure out how to do a hem facing. I used this excellent tutorial and followed it to the letter, except that I sandwiched the trim between the layers of facing and skirt, sewing right down the middle of the trim. I had to try it on scrap fabric a few times before I got the trim positioned the way I wanted it, but it was not complicated or fussy at all. 

Here's the inside:

I like how the facing 1) is less clunky than my usual turn-under-twice type of hem and 2) looks kind of neat peeking out.  Yay.