raggety hem

The above photo is a bit surreal looking, but it was after dark and lighting in our hallway isn't too bright.

I'd made a skirt from some soft gray corduroy quite a few years ago - I had two large pieces and just made deep pleats, put on a waistband, etc.  It's been snug for a while and I recently got tired of that, so I cut off the waistband and side seams, and re-cut it into a moderate a-line.

It was hanging around for a while after that, however, because I couldn't figure out how to hem it. I liked the length it was - without a hem. I didn't have any matching hem tape hanging around here. 

Finally, I decided I was goofing around with this skirt too long, and I thought about letting it fray at the bottom. I did this last summer with another skirt, but it hasn't frayed yet sufficiently to tell how much I really like the look - but, you can think about a thing too much, and for too long, if you know what I mean!

Meanwhile, I've been watching a cute DVD series called Homestead Blessings, with a mother and her three daughters - farmers - who show you how to do all sorts of homey things like make yogurt, bread, candles, soap, etc.; and I was watching the quilting episode. They were talking about the so called "rag" quilts, where you sew right sides together, and eventually the seam allowances (on the front of the quilt) fray and make a fringe-y effect. And Vicki West, the mother, was snipping into the seam allowance every so often, presumably to facilitate the fringing process.   So! 

I decided to do that to my skirt! And I wore it that way to work yesterday. And I think it looks pretty cute, and I also think that I'm going to employ this method again in the future. I still don't know how the fraying will end up looking, or how long it'll take.

Here's a clearer picture.

I took this last photo in daylight.  All in all, I like the effect.