The flocked wallpaper skirt

After proudly stitching the hem, and shimmying into it, I christened this item: the ‘Razzle Dazzle skirt’. Then the beau took one look at it and said,

“It looks like flocked wallpaper.” With the quick addendum, “not in a bad way.”

After freezing him with my evil eye, I decided he had a point. It does look like flocked wallpaper, in a good way. In fact, it kind of looks like the flocked wallpaper I used to surreptitiously pick at in my grandparent’s flat. (Sorry.)

There is something kind of…more-ish about the stuff but the skirt itself is more of a slow burner. The fabric choice is something totally different for me: I wanted to evoke the quilted trend, the silver thread running through it adds a little bit of pizazz and I own nothing this colour.

The pattern is Simplicity 2343, which offers 6 skirts made easy. I used view C, the shorter skirt with pockets, POCKETS, on the front, and a narrow waistband. (The longer length is supposed to be just above the knee but as I’m short, this is where the mid-thigh option ends up on me.) Shaping is provided by a pair of twin tucks on the front and two darts on the back. The instructions were straight-forward, as was the construction. I made no alterations to the pattern and it fits comfortably at the waist and has enough ease elsewhere for me to lunge. Lunging is a must.

The zipper on the back is lapped, which I like but due to some inaccuracies I didn’t end up with quite enough of a seam to perfectly achieve this. I put it in by hand for greater control.

You’re supposed to overlock or zig-zag to finish off the waistband facing but because the fabric likes to fray and I don’t have a serger, I used some white bias tape. Feeling smug, I decided to finish the turned up hem in the same way.

Overall the pattern is solid and I can see another version easily. The colour and texture makes it more of a risk and possibly takes me into upholstery territory. But who cares if I look like a couch, I have pockets.

Love:

• Have I mentioned POCKETS?
• Not a disaster on the bee-hind
• Flocked wallpaper-ness
• That I bothered with some extra finishing touches
• The price: a recycled zip, fabric £3/m, existing thread purchase, bit of bias tape = under £5? With pockets?

Love less:

• Fray, fray, fray
• The tucks on the front went a little wrong. Some of them don’t extend down far enough and end up looking a little puckery. That does leave room for mince pies though. I think a little more care at folding them before basting would have prevented this.

• The metallic thread woven through the fabric likes to snag, this skirt won’t last forever.
• Shouldn’t skirt patterns come with steps on inserting a lining?
• Think this will be a creaser. Any tips on how I can reduce sitting creases across my lap? Less sitting isn’t an option, at Christmas I only stand to d-a-n-c-e.

Coming up: sewing for Xmas gifts. And massive doses of procrastination.

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