Thread: 25 yard skirts... which one?

I'm considering purchasing a 25 yard skirt (to learn "skirt dancing" but also bc they look so frikkin' cool *g*), all black so it matches with anything.

Which store has the best deal on one? I've looked at the one at Moondance, and Flying skirts but they kinda all look the same to me, and I don't know the pros and cons of light gauzy stuff vs durable cotton for what I want to do.

All opinions welcome *g*

And while on the topic of big skirts, does anyone know where to get those gorgeous colored silk skirts that the girls of Martiya's Possession are wearing on the Gothic Bellydance DVD?

(I swear, the blue one is speaking to me "Buy meeeeeeeeee!")

Flying Skirts stuff is very good quality and holds up to lots of use.

Dhyanis makes absolutely gorgeous "gypsy" style skirts
Gypsy Skirt | World Dance Fitness

I've had a cotton 25 yard, a big heavy twirly skirt, and a gauzy white (love it!), but my favorite is my 10 yard silk skirt from Flying Skirts of San Franciso: Flying Skirts Tribal Belly Dance Costumes: Silk Skirt

Here's a tip, if you get a 25 yard gauze skirt do not hang it when not wearing it. They are made by increasing the yardage as they go down each tier of the skirt...so the last tier which is your hem is 25 yards while the tier above it might be more like 10 or 12 yards.

The problem with a lot of the mass produced skirts is that the top tier near your waist is a "circle" just like a circle skirt. So if you end up hanging it.....just like anything cut on the bias.....it starts to stretch. So if its hung when in storage your hemline will go kinda wacky. ..c::

A friend of mine went nuts trying to fix hers and is ended up taking out the top tier and replacing it so that its not on the bias. I ended up making my own because I happen to already have tons of fabric lying around. ,r:;

MoonDance seems to be having a really good sale and I've had friends that ended up liking the ones they ordered from them...but again remember not to store it hanging.

I've got two of the lighter gauzy ones and love them both. They've been in the washing machine multiple times and have held up really well. I think they both came from Moondance. I've had them for years.

I second Tehani's words of caution about storing them hanging. Actually, mine are stored in a ball on the floor of my closet and they do quite well there. I'm normally very anal about maintaining my costumes, but my 25 yards skirts can take the beating and still do really well.

Originally Posted by Tehani

The problem with a lot of the mass produced skirts is that the top tier near your waist is a "circle" just like a circle skirt. So if you end up hanging it.....just like anything cut on the bias.....it starts to stretch. So if its hung when in storage your hemline will go kinda wacky. ..c::

A classmate of mine has one from Moon Dance, and it is light and fluffy, and it looks pretty good. The color is vibrant, and it spins nicely. The circle on the top tier already started to stretch though, and I corrected it when I shortened it for her (I took it up between the top and 2nd tiers.) The fabric is loosely woven, and it didn't look very durable. It looks like if someone needed to take out a seam, the fabric would rip easier than the thread.

Thanks for the storage tips.

Hmmm... looks like I may have to buy two skirts... oh noes!!! *g*

I just purchased several 32-yard skirts of varying fabrics (chiffon, cotton, faux silk, silk cotton and cotton lurex) - every one of them was hanging in the BD closet, so thanks for the storage tip!!!

..l;,

I looove my old flying skirts skirt- very well made & has held up to tons of use. I have a few of the light weight cotton skirts & they are much fun, tho harder to stuff into a bag! I have also had problems with the dye running on some of them- if you end up with blue hands, pick up a fixative at the fabric store- there are a few out there that you can just throw in the wash with the skirt.

You know, I was just wondering about that, as I've read on their site that skirts are dyed when you order so your other pieces will be in the same dye bath and match. Does anyone know if Flying Skirts rinses their stuff in vinegar or some other fixative?

Lara, do you have a brand that you.like for fixatives?

ummmm- I'll have to go look
it is the one the local quilt shop carries, so it's not like I did tons of research- it is in a blue & white box, if that helps...