Just like the essential LBD, everyone needs a black skirt. I’ve made this one for Daughter No2 from 1m of black stretch cotton sateen I bought from Fabric Godmother on Boxing Day – what else was I going to do on such a lazy post-Christmas day?? It was in the sale at just a 1m piece, so was only ever going to be a skirt and I had intended to use the Burda pattern I’d used last year for this plaid version. I decided this one would be lining free, more of a summer skirt. Possibly not my best decision, I now need to either make a slip, or find some stretch lining.
I used the same alterations I’d used on the previous version, tapering the side seams to make it more pegged, but otherwise the waist fitted really well. I think I might put some stabilising something or other either in the top or on the waistline, because this stretch cotton does stretch really well. I don’t want any complaints that it’s moving too much or not sitting properly. So there might be a strip of grosgrain ribbon appearing at a later date.
So, lining – as you can see in these photos, the sateen clings to tights, so if Daughter No2 were to wear the skirt now, in the cold weather, she’d be fighting a losing battle to keep the skirt off her legs. Now I did think of it more as a summer item, needing no lining. Needless to say, now that the skirt is made, it will need to be worn, so I will have to make a plan.
In the meantime, I’m happy, she’s happy and I have used up fabric before it’s had a chance to disappear into the stash – it’s a win!
Talking of fabric… Daughter No1 is now in her last year as a Textile Design student and has uploaded some designs onto Spoonflower. Her plan was that loads of people would buy her designs, and she’d have enough money to go travelling for a year to Thailand, Australia and South America in September. My plan was to print loads out for myself, but I just couldn’t decide which designs to print onto which fabrics, and then there was the waiting time, the cost of postage to the UK and of course, the UK customs tax.. So when the ladies at By Hand London announced they’d be printing custom fabric fabric I thought all my prayers had been answered! It’s still taken me 3 months to pick a design, but finally last week I bit the bullet and ordered 2m of the “Thread” design.
I didn’t order a test swatch first, naughty I know. The initial design is more grey than the fabric that arrived, this has a blue/green tone to it, but I don’t dislike it. The fabric is a sturdy, crisp cotton and would stand up well to being a dress with either pencil or full skirt, it has plenty of body. But I don’t do dresses, so I’m thinking a tailored shirt. For me! I just need to draft a pattern.
In the meantime, I am shamelessly going to ask that if you like a design on the Hauser Prints Spoonflower page, that you go ahead and buy some fabric! Otherwise I’m going to have to fund more of this trip than I’d really like! You’d be supporting a really good talent (I’m not just saying that because she’s mine) to explore more of the world and hopefully return to us in one piece, fully inspired by all the fabulous places she’s seen and the new cultures she’s experienced. Then she can knuckle down and get a job in a design studio somewhere and start living her life!
THE COMPULSIVE SEAMSTRESS 
Great skirt, Anne! Checked out Spoonflower – wowzer, she’s good! Blues & blacks aren’t in my palate. 😦 Will keep checking.
Thanks Del, there should have been some orange in there too, but it wouldn’t print the correct shade. These were initially designed for interior fabrics, but I kept seeing jackets & trousers & dresses!! 😀
Thank you for explaining – that makes more sense for my wardrobe. But there are plenty with these colours in theirs!
Ugh cotton and tights is always the bane of my existence in winter, nice floaty skirts are transformed into weird flappy things! I hope your daughter is able to fund her trip, I’m currently saving to try get to South America!
Nice skirt, and those prints are pretty special.