Thursday, December 26, 2019

Finishing Touches


When I first conceived of the idea of making a quilted skirt, I planned on making a facing for the hemline.


I did not want the inner layer to show when worn, and a deep hem on a flared skirt is not the neatest finish.


Unfortunately, I did not have enough of my twill fabric to make a facing for the hemline after cutting out the skirt pieces, and I did not want to purchase any more fabric for the project.


I decided that the length of the skirt was long enough so that only Valentino (and other creatures standing 12" tall or less) would be able to see the inside of the skirt around my ankles, so I cut bias pieces out the leftover twill to bind the raw edge.


That bias fabric was applied to the front of the skirt and wrapped around the edge.  With that finished edge, I then folded up the hem and stitched in place by hand.


I cut, quilted, and stitched together a shaped waistband.   A few boning pieces were added to the waistband lining, along with a bias piece of twill folded over and finished to create hanging loops, one on each side of the skirt.


And remember when I said that I would cut one size larger because of the bulk of the skirt?  Well, that was a mistake.  Instead of needing more room, I needed less because of the weight of the skirt itself.


A waist-stay was added to the inside of the waistband to help hold up all that weight and cinch in the waist measurement slightly.  And a regular zipper was applied to the center back seam because there was no way an invisible zip could handle the bulk and live to tell the tale!


Overall, I am very pleased with this skirt.  In fact, I think I need to make myself a quilted petticoat sometime soon because this thing can stand up on its own and would make an excellent crinoline substitute!


7 comments:

  1. First off, this is vision brought to life. How you can make an evocative statement, collect the pieces, and construct the garments which are even better than what one envisioned. Texture, pattern, and colorways - all spot on. You continue to amaze with final products which are refined and appealing. That skirt answers the blouse, and the entire outfit begs for you to sit on a raised hearth, ankles crosses.

    Your lack of specifying where the fabric originated from leads me to think JoAnn's, and then mystifies me into wondering how you continually go there and create masterpieces.

    At year end Laura Mae, you out did yourself (and see, I'm big enough to acknowledge your success).

    Happy New Year, and wishing you 12 fresh months of fine fabrics, unexpectedly stylish patterns (Laura Mae goes international in her searches), and the time required to achieve the quality you strive for.

    A true fan

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  2. Wow!! Everything about both the blouse and skirt is spectacular. I cannot wait to see you model these pieces and I'm dying to see the shoes you choose to complete the look.

    Thank you for sharing your passion for sewing with all of us -- you are an inspiration. Happy New Year!

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  3. As always, this is fabulous!!

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  4. Dare I say it? This skirt is so reminiscent of the skirt Vera Lynn wore in White Christmas! The black/white houndstooth looking one. Loved the costumes in this movie.

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