Thread: Update: Photos! Trumpet skirt for Great Loop question

Update: Scroll down to see photos!

I'm making a stretch velvet trumpet skirt to go with my new Teal Great Loop. Since the belt dips in front, I want the front of the skirt to do the same, so as to be unseen.

Any tips?

Has anyone from the Great Loop Troupe made such a waistband before?

I wear mine with an L Rose trumpet and all I do is roll it down and pin it in the little dip and the front. Never thought of actually having a design for it though, and since I don't sew very well I can't help you on that. Sorry!

most of my costumes have a dip in the front. I just pin it down to the belt so it doesnt show

try running some carpet thread down the front to create a little gathered v.
like this but on the front of your skirt [yes, the top is cut that way in pic but carpet thread should be strong enough]hope it works.

Good idea about pulling some thread(s) like that. I've done that when making a choli-type top from stretch velvet.

For some reason I have this silly idea that L Rose at one time actually offered trumpet skirts with the slight dip in front, but maybe that was some sort of lovely belly dance dream . . .

And yes, the fold-down is always good. I've been experimenting with sewing the elastic to the top of the skirt and flipping it to the inside to avoid the extra bulk (and work) of a waistband. Maybe the front part could be double flipped to the inside?

oh, no need to sew a dip in your skirt! pin it so it doesn't ride up, or, get some handy-dandy industrial-sized snaps: sew one half to your skirt and the other to your belt (you can sew a corresponding snap half to each of your skirts that you wear with that belt). skirt won't ride up, belt won't twist, never worry about forgetting a pin. (I keep two big safety pins attached to each of my belts, to pin front and back. when I unpin, I stick them in the belt lining so they're always there when I need them.)

Sorry, a little off topic, but what pattern are you all using for the trumpet skirt? Is Madame X the best one? Has anyone managed to find one with the chiffon inserts? Thanks!

Originally Posted by sabrinabellydancer

try running some carpet thread down the front to create a little gathered v.
like this but on the front of your skirt [yes, the top is cut that way in pic but carpet thread should be strong enough]hope it works.

I tried this once but the elastics kept the top of the skirt up - hardly no V-shape there - the effect was it got shorter at the bottom ..c::

I have snap-fasteners in my costumes to prevent the skirts peeking over the belts.

Originally Posted by lallakahina

Sorry, a little off topic, but what pattern are you all using for the trumpet skirt? Is Madame X the best one? Has anyone managed to find one with the chiffon inserts? Thanks!

I have to say I'm not a fan of the madame X pattern, I made it once and wasn't overly happy with the style and fit. I have had more success with Simplicity 4401 (skirt f):



I slightly adapted it to have a lower waist, and be a bit tighter (I make it a size smaller from stretchy fabric) I'm sure it would work with a dip in the front too, I like the idea of the ruching. I have made one in stretch velvet, one in strech saitn, and a couple in lycra, they look just like L. Rose ones.

Originally Posted by firefly5

I have to say I'm not a fan of the madame X pattern, I made it once and wasn't overly happy with the style and fit. I have had more success with Simplicity 4401 (skirt f):



I slightly adapted it to have a lower waist, and be a bit tighter (I make it a size smaller from stretchy fabric) I'm sure it would work with a dip in the front too, I like the idea of the ruching. I have made one in stretch velvet, one in strech saitn, and a couple in lycra, they look just like L. Rose ones.

WOW! I have a pattern with a short skirt that is similar in style to the one you have here. I was going to alter it and make it a long style! Now I don't have to!

Thanks,

Azeeza

Ooh, sounds good. I'll have to get that Simplicity. Thanks!

Yeah thanks! I was looking for something like this too.

I have got to learn how to sew! I can barely sew on hooks and snaps....
I am the queen of pinning things to the inside of my belts which I do with the great loops.
Let us see a pic when you're done!

So far I have left the top of the skirt as is, with no dip, and it seems okay with the Great Loop belt (pinned, of course). I should have photos after this weekend. (I'm dancing in a show Sat. night.)

I made a teal stretch velvet trumpet for the Great Loop set, plus turquoise and gold glittery trumpet skirts for other costumes. All hail the trumpet skirt!

Originally Posted by lallakahina

Has anyone managed to find one with the chiffon inserts? Thanks!

I bought McCall's 4296 to see how to incorporate godets. Looks like they're just triangles with slightly curved bottoms. That's one of my next projects - yesterday I bought coordinating chiffon for some fabric I have (in the drawer for about two years!!!!!) to make something like the Pharaonics "Labyrinth".

Also bought Simplicity 4480, thinking it would make an interesting skirt.

Ooh, let me know how those two go! I found a few nice Vogue ones also...

VoguePatterns - V8288 - MISSES' DRESS - 8288

VoguePatterns - V8329 - MISSES' SKIRT - 8329

Also one on ebay:

Vogue Pattern UNCUT OOP 1993 Trumpet Skirt Sz 6 - 10 - (eBay item 120178426214 end time Nov-30-07 20:07:01 PST)

Still in the process of getting a new sewing machine. Then I'll tackle that Simplicity 4401 ..g.:

Oh good lord stay away from Vogue! I hate their patterns! They tend to be the most complicated to put together and often have the most confusing instructions... just a warning! You can normally find something similar in a Burda pattern (A European company) that is much easier to put together.

Thanks, I'll take your advice

Another question for those of you who have made the mermaid skirt from lycra or stretch fabric... do you usually put in a zipper or elastic cord for the waist? Or neither?

Originally Posted by kiyaana

Also bought Simplicity 4480, thinking it would make an interesting skirt.

ooh! with a lycra top and chiffon bottom, that's exactly like the pharaonics christina skirt.

The first two times I ran elastic through a waistband, which works great. You can cut the fabric pieces 1 1/2 to 2 inches longer at the top so that you can just turn it down and stitch (leaving an opening for elastic) in place.

However, on the last three that I've made, I made the skirt itself snug at the hips (so that it could stay there by itself when I tried it on), then serged or zig-zagged 1 1/4 inch elastic to the inside top edge, stretching the elastic just a little in the back. Then I flipped the elastic down and tacked it at the seams. This seems easier to me.

Originally Posted by lallakahina

Another question for those of you who have made the mermaid skirt from lycra or stretch fabric... do you usually put in a zipper or elastic cord for the waist? Or neither?

Thanks Kiyaana! That answers my question. By the way, your cat is adorable... I used to have a black one just like that, but she's in kitty heaven now ,f::

You also can create a waist/hip band that is curved at each end and meets in the front - like they often put on yoga pants. I made my own trumpet skirt pattern with six straight sections, center front and center back being just slightly wider than the sides, 6 godets, and a hipband. Fairly simple skirt and much easier to put godets into seams than into a cut in fabric. If that makes sense.

Originally Posted by Surida

You also can create a waist/hip band that is curved at each end and meets in the front - like they often put on yoga pants.

Surida, do you mean like a drawstring(or a waist band that ties on front)? Thanks! ,r:;

Awww, thanks. He's on my lap right now. I, um, taped those little devil horns to his head (it was Halloween) and he was not happy about it, which is evident by the look on his face! But I took them off right after the photo.

Originally Posted by lallakahina

Thanks Kiyaana! That answers my question. By the way, your cat is adorable... I used to have a black one just like that, but she's in kitty heaven now ,f::

Originally Posted by *maria*

Let us see a pic when you're done!

Here they are! I danced in it Saturday night.

(All photos by Susan Loving.)

Spinning:


Floaty veil:


The "up" before a hip drop:

That is gorgeous! Absolutely perfect colour and shape, it fits and moves so well!

Lovely skirt and fabric! Did you put a side zipper in it? I have the same pattern but haven't sewn it yet and I think it does have a side zipper.

Someone asked about chiffon godets. The current issue of THREADS magazine includes an article, with pictures, about adding godets to a skirt pattern.

Souzan

WOW!

Beautiful! I love the color on you, by the way.