Tuesday 28 November 2023

Bias silky skirt

 I was widow shopping in Rugby as I like to do every now and then. It keeps me on track with whats going on in street fashion and also gives me ideas on what to make over the next season.

I saw this silky bias cut skirt in one shop thoguh I never noted which - probably H&M or New Look or River Island. 

 


The hem looks A-symetric but it is not. Its straight and just looks like that the way its been worn on the model. Waistband is elastic. Hem: narrow hem with overlocked edge.

I remember these types of skirt from the 90s and early 2000's I did not ever own one or even consider wearing one then, but now; I am considerably older. I still wear short skirts which was my choice then, but not so short as I used to do, and I kind of fancied trying out this look but I do not want to spend £28 to do so. Thats what this skirt was up for, and that, as far as I can find out is cheap. So more than likely this is in H&M. After all I might wear it once and decide its not really me and thats just a waste of cash which I have very little of. Also pale grey satin is lovely but not very wearable for me in every day life. 

Then I went away and considered for a bit because the one thing I do not want to do is buy fabric for something when I don't even know for sure I can achieve the making of it. Also I have no grey satin in my stash but I do have lots of satin and similar silky types of fabric. Generally these become nice linigs but they will work fine as a bias skirt.

In the end I found this 2m of a snakeskin print I bought last summer for just £2 so thats probably the cheapest I will find to make this. Its not really grey being a bright pink colour but to try this bias cut skirt look out will do for me. Especially since having worn this just the one very cold, rainy day at the end of November, that was not yet even that cold being just the start of winter, I will now keep this for Christmas indoor parties or next spring when the weather warms up a bit. So yes the pale grey satin is lovely but I am glad not to have wasted money on it because I would not wear that either. Far too cold.


I found a skirt pattern I thought I could possibly use for this despite its for an A-symetric A-line skirt from the early 2000's (Burda  World of Fashion July 2003, 114#) but the basic skirt shape is similar. 

I traced the skirt then extended the sides to make this 93cm long which when my partner measured me was what we thought it should be. However, its a bit longer than I intended. I wanted the hem to hit just above ankle. Never mind. I can always shorten though I may just leave it as it is and make another.


Sorry about the rubbish photos. As I said its a nasty, cold, rainy day and we managed to get a lull in the rain to take just a few photos and then it began raining again. Ahhh England (Scotland, Wales, Ireland!).

Getting this cut on the cross ( bias cut so it stretches across the width despite having no stretch or lycra in the woven fabric) proved difficult and I actually cut each piece opposite ends of the piece of fabric so had this print had an obvious direction I could not have made this from the 2m I had. The fabric is slightly shiny but not a bright satin though is silky like a satin but luckily ( because I really was unsure) it doesn't look different on the back and front so the shine does not have direction like satin often does. 

When I came to cut I decided; well although I like the fabric it was only £2 and I really need to do a tester for the pattern anyway because really I have no idea if I am even doing this bias cutting correctly. I thought I am, but with no guidance and never doing this before I was not sure and the original from Burda is not actually bias cut but just A-line. I am sure if I kept searching in my vintage patterns I must have at least one bias cut pattern but after 2 days of searching when I have a spare minute I was sick of it and ready to just go for it. Otherwise it will be June before I get round to making this and I want it now.

I tend usually to find a pattern I like and make it, not look for a similar pattern to something I have seen so this is a slightly different make for me. I have done this before with these skirts  and the dresses I made a few years ago but its not for me a norm.

But its worked and it does stretch. I am not totally sure its perfectly on the cross because with my small table this got quite complicated and confusing but it seems to work and the side seams came out straight so thats fine by me.


I probably ought to iron the hem flat but thats a minor issue. Its a fabric that does not require ironing hence I was a bit slack here.

Waistband has 3 inch elastic around it so about 7.5cm. But this was sold as 3 inch hence I am calling it that. Must admit my brain struggles a bit with inches but thats my age and on this occassin I am too young not to old! 

I top stitched around the waist to make it neater but perhaps should have sewn closer to the edge - the shop one was made like this so I just copied it.



This skirt has a defiite feeling of movement and swirliness despite its actually not that wide:



I am actually vry please with this make because this was a very real experiemnt for me and it worked!
 

I am now considering a jacket or warm top I can wear with this to Christmas parties. Ofcourse I will have nice warm leggings or tights to keep me warm under it too but this lends itself to a winter party I think. 

The sweatshirt is my navy glitter one made a few years back now and really its not warm enough any more so I should replace this one. 

Have a great week and thanks for popping by my blog

Bracken

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