Reuse, Recycle

The term upcycle (the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality) may not have been coined until 1994 but let's face it, Scarlett O'Hara perfected  this practice years before when she turned her curtains into a ballgown.  My skirt has a similar origin.  When I purchased some winter white wide wale cotton corduroy curtian panels (whew!) from Ikea I needed to chop almost four feet off of them to make them fit my window.  The resultant "scraps" were ideal for a long, straight skirt.  I used a pattern drafted from my Pattern Master Boutique software which included waist darts, back zipper, and a faced waistband.  To add some interest to this piece I hand stitched dozens and dozens ofwhite buttons around the hem, a detail that adds beauty but also an unanticipated loud jingling sound when I walk (I scare my cats every time I wear this skirt).  I like to think Scarlett would be proud.