My goal with this skirt was to have a quick wrap for the pool. I made a huge mistake with the fabric I chose, which was on sale. (Isn't that always the excuse when you give in to the sales?) The fabric I chose was a velour that rolled all too easily. It falls very gracefully, but the waist band was made far more difficult than need be by the rolling of the material.
The size I chose for my daughter is a women's extra small. The pattern boasts one seam for most sizes, but with the xs size, you actually have NO SEAMS! The huge (and I mean huge) spiral is cut in one layer and literally wraps around the body to make the graceful style you see.
To cut the xs one huge spiral, I had to literally clear my living room floor and cut on the floor. I'm sorry now I didn't take a picture. It's really quite something.
For other sizes, you have one seam to attach one section to another. Then hem the bottom, adjust the top with some loose gathers, or not, and attach the waistband / tie.
That's where my choice of fabric was a bit frustrating. The fabric rolled during cutting, and rolled during sewing. My fault, not the pattern. In the end, it would have been a lot smarter to do in a fabric that didn't roll so easily.
I think using this pattern for the occasional quick wrap might still be useful. It's pretty simple to assemble, though working with such a huge piece of fabric can be daunting at times more than complex seams. You can purchase this pattern at Create For Less
, or directly at Birch Street Clothing. I did not attempt the top, as I'd have to adjust the sleeves to be longer. I'm not much of a designer, and have had zero luck with adjusting sleeves for length. Since my daughter will most likely use this as a pool wrap, wearing a long sleeve shirt beneath the designer top is not in the plans at this point. I think it looks very classy, though.
