Craftings: Stained Skirt Reclamation

About a year ago, I bought a lovely basic grey skirt.  Knee-length, goes with lots, fits well.  So you can understand my dismay when, on the second or third wear, I stained it by sitting on a sharpie or pen or something.  Well, I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it, even though there was a big black stain on the caboose, so I set it aside, figuring I could wear it with long jackets or sweaters or something.  Which was maybe once. I mean, I didn't know what exactly I could do to cover it without the covering looking worse than the stain itself, you know?  But I figured I could come up with something when I had more time and ambition.

The original stain.  Mid-project, from underneath. :(

Then, I held a bridal shower which left me with hundreds of surplus buttons.  Perfect!

And unemployment leaves me with plenty of time!  Perfect! (well, perfect for crafting, at least...)

So, I parsed out all they grey, black, and pearly buttons.  Stuck one over the stain, and then started sewing more on, randomly.  And kept sewing - I wanted a thicker covering of buttons at the bottom hem, tapering up towards the waist.

The back, with stain now cleverly hidden.

Things I Underestimated About This Project:

1. The amount of time required.  I didn't sew each button more than 2 or 3 loops, but each one is individually knotted, and that takes a while.  This was a 3-evening project!  I didn't anticipate it taking more than a night.
2. The forethought required in achieving a "random" pattern.  It was hard to scatter buttons so that they weren't equidistant from their neighbors!  I had to keep shifting them and adjusting before sewing them down.
3. The weight of all those added buttons.  This skirt weighs close to a pound now!

Extra buttons sewn into the lining for those I will invariably lose!

My reclaimed skirt!  From the front.