Thread: border print into full or circle skirt?

I got 4 yards of printed border fabric, tan and yellow on mainly black, pretty attractive, but needs embellishment, maybe tons of jet beads or something. Anyway ...

My question is: I can see how I could make a big gathered skirt and have the border appear at the lower edge, but I'm hippy and don't need that extra bulk. Is it feasible to make some kind of circle skirt using this border fabric? ---> seen here

If you make a circle skirt you'll lose most of the border pattern.

Pleating onto a band or yoke rather than gathering is a good way to reduce bulk in the hip area.

a yoked (tiered) skirt is your best best for retaining the pattern.

If you're a big fan of circle skirts, make the circle length to about mid calf, then add a gathered edge to it with the border design.

Yaknow, I wore an adjustable skirt once that had deep ... mmm ... Vs (?) in two places, at the sides, to allow quick on-and-off. I could mini-pleat into the band and tie it on. The waist/hip band would be a self-tie with probably a couple hooks-and-eyes helping out ...

?

I have skirts where the seamstress cut off the border, made the skirt, and then sewed the border back on the bottom. She made her circle skirts in a gored construction, but I don't think that is a significant difference.

I've been trying to figure out the same thing (I have some lovely Saris with border print). The best option I've come up with is alternating straight rectangle pieces with triangle godets. I saw a posting that gave instruction on making a straight skirt with the triangular godets - the godets start at the knees so good spin factor. Hope it helps.

Hmmmm, and the godet starting halfway down the skirt would reduce the amount of fabric at the hip. I get it. Hmmmm.

I hate making tiered skirts (don't mind wearing them), so this is a wonderful thought, having extra flare at the bottom. uh-huh

I have many skirts that are a panel in the front and a panel in the back. Each panel comes to about knee length. Then the bottom layer is fuller. Almost like a loose ruffle.

For a simple embellishment you might want to border your fabric with gold sequin.

Originally Posted by ohio_laura

I've been trying to figure out the same thing (I have some lovely Saris with border print). The best option I've come up with is alternating straight rectangle pieces with triangle godets. I saw a posting that gave instruction on making a straight skirt with the triangular godets - the godets start at the knees so good spin factor. Hope it helps.

Thanks, ohio_laura, do I just make 4 rectangle pieces and 4 triangle pieces, and sew the triangles to the lower vertical line of the rectangles, sew them together alternately, and make a waist/hip band and hem?

Is it really that easy? Have you done this?

What about the relative proportions of the triangles, I would think they'd need to be wide along the border to provide flare? If so, I'd think that the rectangle-to-triangle and the subsequent r2t to the next panel seam might be ... lumpy?

Was that posting you mentioned here on bhuz? *runs off to do a search*

I've cut off the border of sari fabric, made a full circle skirt out of the rest of the material, and then simply sewn the sari border back on the circle skirt hem. Because the curve on a full circle hem is not all that curvy, I haven't had to gather the border or do anything tricky at all.

Originally Posted by jewelbellydance

Because the curve on a full circle hem is not all that curvy, I haven't had to gather the border or do anything tricky at all.

Fantastic!

I found a webpage that talks about godets with helpful drawings. It doesn't EXACTLY address the border print issue, but it looks doable: Draft a Skirt with Godets « THE SEWING DIVAS sewing, design, fashion

Here's a drawing of a skirt with godets in it:

what about making a panel skirt with it.

your best bet is the idea of cutting off the border, making a circle skirt and sewing the border back on. I don't envy you this problem. I always end up making multiple straight panels and overlapping them for a fuller look.

Yyyyyyyeeaaahhhhhh,

... I think so too. Meh. LOL.

That being said, it'll be quite cute when it's done, with a black blouse, bra, and stuff. Yeah.