Fabric choice help please

The suggested fabrics types also include challis and crepe, either of which would be a good choice. However, I would disinclined to make view B of a really heavy wool, for instance, just because it would loose the drapeablility. You might want to cut deeper seam allowances then called for, so that you have enough fabric for alteration if you need to let it out at the hip and waist after it hangs for a day or two. You might also find a similar skirt pattern drafted for winter-weight fabrics and compare the pattern pieces.

Beverly

The basic problems are two: 1) the weight of the fabric will tend to pull the seams down more in heavier fabric and 2) generally speaking, thicker fabric will hang farther from the body than thinner fabric because the thicker fabric tends to have less drape. That visual bulk can be less than flattering.

My suggestion, if you like the skirts you've made, is to take one along when fabric shopping. Pick a new fabric that hangs like the current skirt when draped on the bias.... similar sorts of folds. If you happen to have a fairly large piece of leftover fabric from the skirts, that would be my choice to take instead of the actual skirt.

If you like the way bias skirts hang, you might also consider bias gored skirts... they almost always hang beautifully.

If you can get hold of a book called Fabric, Form and Flat Pattern Cutting by Winifred Aldrich, there's a handy list in the back of what fabrics drape similarly. Also Debbie Ann Gioello's book, Profiling Fabrics, can be useful for comparing drape -- the same fabric is shown draped on straight of grain and on bias.

Matching fabric to pattern is one of those things that can be rather difficult. If you make up the same pattern in three fabrics, one drapey, one medium, and one rather stiff, and the pattern looks good in the medium-drapey, the one made in the more drapey fabric often looks cheap, like it wasn't well cut, and the stiff one looks like a circus tent.

Kay

Thanks Beverly and Kay. I've a better understanding now of the possible pitfalls of using heavier fabric. And also what some of the fabric names mean.

Anne