Blog — fabric

(This blog was originally published on July 19, 2019)

We are always looking for great, size-inclusive basics to teach sewing classes at the shop, and when Meg of Sew Liberated teased her newest pattern, the Estuary Skirt, we knew it would become a go-to pattern for us. The pattern features an elastic waist in the back and a clean, non-elastic waist in the front with a button placket that runs the full length of the skirt. 

Sizing

This is the first pattern released in Meg's extended size range — which goes up to a 30 (57" hip). We recommend sizing according to your hip measurement, and then adjusting the elastic in the back of the waist to get the perfect fit. Here is the sizing chart:

Our versions

Jessamy (below) has a 28" waist and 36" hips and she sewed the size 4. She used the Grey Pin Stripe Italian Cotton Shirting, and she sewed the pattern with zero modifications.

Jacqui (below) has a 42" waist and 52" hips and she sewed the size 24. She used Pink Sand-Washed Rayon, and she hacked the pattern to make a maxi skirt with with side slits.

Fabric

You can use basically any woven fabric for this skirt! The fullness at the bottom of the skirt provides enough weight to make even relatively stiff fabrics look drapey — like the 100% cotton shirting Jessamy used for her version.

Here are some of our favorites:

• One of our favorite fabrics in the shop is also one that Meg recommends for this skirt: Robert Kaufman's Brussels Washer Linen. This linen-rayon blend brings the best of both fibers — the rayon provides great drape and counters any wrinkly tendencies from the linen, and the linen makes the fabric less shifty and easier to cut and sew. And the best part — the price is very reasonable for an all-natural fabric and it only gets softer with washing and wearing.
• We have a number of 100% cotton fabrics that would achieve a drape and look similar to Jessamy's skirt: the Italian Cotton Shirtings, any one of our ikats, any of the lovely textured cottons from Diamond textiles, or if you want to splurge, a cotton lawn from Liberty of London. All these cottons are easy to sew with and only get softer and drapier with wear.
• 100% rayon makes for a beautifully drapey Estuary, like Jacqui's skirt. We have the ever-popular sand-washed rayon, or for something a little fun and summery, we also recommend the printed rayon from Art Gallery.
• We love the slubby viscose-linen Meg used for her samples. Our linen-viscose from Telio has great weight and drape, and we have it in stock in two great summer colors right now — Blush and Hunter.is very reasonable for an all-natural fabric and it only gets softer with washing and wearing.
• We have a number of 100% cotton fabrics that would achieve a drape and look similar to Jessamy's skirt: the Italian Cotton Shirtings, any one of our ikats, any of the lovely textured cottons from Diamond textiles, or if you want to splurge, a cotton lawn from Liberty of London. All these cottons are easy to sew with and only get softer and drapier with wear.
• 100% rayon makes for a beautifully drapey Estuary, like Jacqui's skirt. We have the ever-popular sand-washed rayon, or for something a little fun and summery, we also recommend the printed rayon from Art Gallery.
• We love the slubby viscose-linen Meg used for her samples. Our linen-viscose from Telio has great weight and drape, and we have it in stock in two great summer colors right now — Blush and Hunter.