Don't get me wrong, this wasn't a cop-out; I've been planning to make a
maxi skirt since the summer, and have lots of images pinned. I was just waiting for the right fabric to come to me, and this rayon sarong fit the bill nicely. This rayon has a great drape (almost like a jersey), and such a great combination of colours that will go with just about anything.
It's actually more of a burnt umber/black than a mustard/navy, but I just don't have the time or inclination to adjust the colours right now. Take my word for it, it's great. Oh yeah, and it's batik. You expected something else?
I love the border, and so I immediately thought, "Fold it in half and make a knee length skirt with the border on the hem.", but then I checked my closet, and (all my skirts)-1=knee length, so it was time to stir it up a bit. I didn't want to hide the border print, so I sewed those ends together to make a tube, and then.....hey, I don't really have to describe how to make an elastic-waist skirt, do I? How about I just show you some photos of the skirt in action:
Good for kid wrangling...
....and putting decorations on the tree, and taking decorations off the tree, and putting decorations back on the tree, and....(you get my drift)
I wanted it to be MAXI maxi, and sweep the floor, even though I'm reminded of that quote from Heidi about long skirts:
"....(cousin Dete)...had a long trailing skirt to her dress which swept the floor, and on the floor of a goatherd's hut there are all sorts of things that do not belong to a dress."
I should amend this quote to read:
"...she had a long trailing skirt which swept the floor, and on the floor of a parasitological research facility, there are all sorts of things that do not belong to a dress."
Ah well, rayon is machine washable.
I love the pattern in your fabric! Also, this looks great as a maxi skirt - you look comfy and ready to party. Love it with the belt and black shirt - a fabulous ensemble!
ReplyDeleteFabulous skirt...and such perfect fabric! Love your christmas tree---such a sweet picture with both of you!
ReplyDeleteeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEP.
ReplyDeletei am equal parts in love with skirt and in horror at quote.
Thanks gals. I made it in 30min. last night, wore it to work today and got loads of compliments (and some amazed "You MADE that?!")
ReplyDeleteOona: you really wouldn't like the mega-nerdy game we played at our Institite Christmas party the other night, after too much dep wine: name that parasite and win a prize! I won $20 for being the first to recognize a tape worm. See, education really does pay!
Hee hee! I adore maxi-skirts, but then I like my skirts either really long, or really short. And that fabric looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteWe used to share office space with the veterinary parasitologists. I must admit to being a tiny bit glad it was just office space, not lab space. I'm pretty sure there's nothing more frightening on the floor of our lab than some very, very old dust...
great fabric, and I am astounded it only took 30 mins!!
ReplyDelete@Tanit-Isis: Actually, I don't have to handle any parasites at the moment. My project is purely molecular modelling using a yeast system, so no creepy crawlies coming home on my skirt.
ReplyDelete@Charlotte: Thanks, but it was a sarong, so it was already finished on all the edges with a baby hem. All I had to do was join the sides and create a channel in the top for the elastic. It was so fast that I even managed to do it before I put the kids to bed - imagine!
Hehe, who doesn't love parasites on their sweeping skirts? ;) Love the skirt, such pretty fabric!
ReplyDeleteI laughed so hard at that quote! I remember being a very tomboyish, no-fuss-no-skirts kind of girl growing up, and scorning Dete when I read that passage...who would've thought that I'd grow up to be Dete with her long skirts sweeping the floor every time I got chemicals off of a bottom shelf!
ReplyDeleteI realize this post is from many years ago, but I'm thinking of making a maxi skirt from a border print rayon, and when I googled, this post came up! I was wondering if you remember/know what the width of the fabric was. I don't want to make too narrow or too wide a tube, and I like the look of yours.
ReplyDelete