On Saturday morning, I decided to take the bull by the horns and work on the dreaded Donna Karan single seam skirt of doom. After a little taking in at the waist, I think the basted together version fit as well as it ever will. However, I've decided to scrap the project.
The fabric is a dark coffee brown color, and it has a sort of shiny (embossed looking) snake skin print on it. It's a bit slinky. And, as much as I like the fabric, I think it's just not suited to this skirt... or my thighs... or my thighs in this skirt... or something. You get the point.
I could actually see this working out just fine in a matte fabric that wasn't so slinky. I think if I had made it in a black jersey, I'd be inclined to finish it, put on some spanx and declare it cute. I may try it again in the future, but for now I'm setting it aside.
See how it is not really gathered and kind of drooping in the back at the hem? The only gathers on the back side are caused by my twisting around to photograph myself (my yoga teacher would applaud this twist).
Since this pattern was all of one large piece, I can easily salvage the fabric and make it into something more suitable and more flattering on me, like a slinky top, which is probably what I should have done in the first place.
Anyway, chalk this one up to lessons learned. Shiny fabric is a no-no on my lower half, at least for body-conscious styles.
Now, on to the other challenging skirt! I spent the rest of Saturday afternoon cutting fabric, so I have 4 projects lined up and ready to be sewn over Thanksgiving weekend. Hooray!
The fabric is a dark coffee brown color, and it has a sort of shiny (embossed looking) snake skin print on it. It's a bit slinky. And, as much as I like the fabric, I think it's just not suited to this skirt... or my thighs... or my thighs in this skirt... or something. You get the point.
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| It's shinier in person. Trust me. |
I could actually see this working out just fine in a matte fabric that wasn't so slinky. I think if I had made it in a black jersey, I'd be inclined to finish it, put on some spanx and declare it cute. I may try it again in the future, but for now I'm setting it aside.
My only issue with the pattern itself is the lack of structure in the back. There is no gathering or seam to support the gathers. So, the skirt requires careful arranging to get it to look right and the hem to hang straight, and then the gathers don't stay where they should as soon as you move, anyway.
Since this pattern was all of one large piece, I can easily salvage the fabric and make it into something more suitable and more flattering on me, like a slinky top, which is probably what I should have done in the first place.
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| One large piece of fabric - pretty cool, I think. |
Now, on to the other challenging skirt! I spent the rest of Saturday afternoon cutting fabric, so I have 4 projects lined up and ready to be sewn over Thanksgiving weekend. Hooray!
4 comments:
I have this pattern in my stash, and I think I'll leave it there! You are not the only sewist on the web to find it excruitiating.
I am so buying this pattern at the next sale. At least three other sewists/bloggers have made this attractive skirt. Thanks for the heads up on how the skirt response to movement.
Aww, rats! At least you'll be able to salvage the fabric for something else. I think it would look great in a matte, maybe a heavy doubleknit that'll smooth everything over?
Too bad it didn't work out! I think you can wear this curve-hugging style, but I can see how shiny would be just too much. I have this pattern but no suitable fabric--I will keep the need for matteness in mind!
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