I’m not really doing custom work these days, but if a customer sees something I’ve made before and if I have the fabric to make it, I’m happy to accommodate.
Which is exactly what happened with this skirt. A customer asked if I could make one for her. I could! I had enough fabric.
It’s a subtle pattern. The same fabric with a distinctive weave is cut into pieces, then sewn back together in multiple directions. The weave of the fabric reflects the light so that if you look closely, you can see the different shapes.
First step, I cut strips of fabric, then sew them together in every direction possible. Next, those pieces are sewn together with others. I continue the process several times until there is a good pile of odd shaped blocks, each composed of at least 6 or 8 pieces. This first part is all random. Except for attention to varied directions and shapes, there is no set pattern.
A little math helps to determine how many to make. I needed about 5 blocks for each of the 16 panels, a total of at least 80. After all the blocks are made, they’re sewn together into the panels.
16 panels finished and laid out on the floor. They’re wider at the bottom for flair and narrower at the top at the waist. My space is small, so instead of a full circle, it’s more of a half moon. In the end all panels will be joined into one.
As I laid them out I made sure the shapes and fabric directions were scattered and not clumped together.
Half way along I pinned the front to the dress form so I could check out that the overall look was working.
Finished! Zipper in, lining sewn, all hemming completed and ready to go to its new home.
For the photo and so you could clearly see the piecing, I pulled the skirt a little tight over the hips. It actually has a gentle fullness like the original and the photo above.
A detail.
One last thing.
Not about sewing or kimono silk or anything like that.
My roses.
They are amazing this year! So beautiful.
I’m not sure if anything different happened to make them so gorgeous? Better pruning? Nasty cold winter that killed other plants but invigorated the roses? Or maybe it was some little magic golden rose dust that just happened to blow by?
Gorgeous silk; gorgeous skirt.
Thank You Jan!
The fabric and skirt (not to mention roses!) are absolutely beautiful and inspiring! Thank you for sharing this.
Thank You Pat!
A skirt made for twirling on a dance floor! The pattern the blocks make remind me of photos I’ve taken of beautifully cracked sidewalks. And those roses are gorgeous — as I drive around town, it looks like a good rose year for Portland.