26 Oct 2015

Grey Pegged skirt

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 12

In some respects the joke is on me.

At an early stage of my sewing career I bought some suiting fabric in a nice, neutral grey. On the selvedge was written

SUPER 120’s ALL WOOL MADE IN ENGLAND

I wanted to believe it, although it felt a little polyesterish. I was too nervous to consult the vendor (Robert at Simply Fabrics). It was cheap – less than £5 a metre as I remember. I bought a couple of metres, and as I have discovered much nicer wools over the years, this not-very-nice fabric languished in my cupboard.

But sometimes cheapish “wool” is a good fabric to use for experimenting and toile-ing. I reached for this fabric when I made my deconstructed four gore skirt mainly because I liked the selvedge. The selvedge is particularly polyestery.

Fabrickated deconstructed 4 gore skirt
4 gore deconstructed skirt (side view)

However I thought I would use up the remainder on one of my Draped Pegged skirt experiments. I did a burn test, and while there maybe a little bit of sheep hair in there, I can now announce this fabric should have a selvedge that reads

NOT VERY SUPER POLYESTER  MADE IN CHINA

And in case you were wondering what is Super 120s (or is it 120’s?)

The description is reserved for 100% Pure New Wool. A super 120 (reflecting a relatively fine yarn) will make a nice, slightly drapey/silky suit, but one that is relatively hard wearing. If applied correctly it would denote a good quality suiting fabric, especially if made in England.

This drape has the CB on the bias. It is also the skirt with the exaggerated shape. Although it makes the question “Does my bum look big in this?” relatively easy to answer, I really love this skirt. I enjoyed wearing it (hence the creasing at the back) and I felt very 1980s and powerful in it.

I included the selvedge in the waist band, and featured it down the CB. The Grey skirt is the one which has a straight grain CB and the front is on the bias. You may see there is a bit of pulling on that CF seam, and it does kick up just a little bit although the hem is as straight as it is ever going to be. Again this is not a perfect skirt, but I really like it and think with decent fabric it might be rather a nice look. Certainly I think it is a style that can be worn by curvy women.

12 Responses

  2. Jay
    |

    The skirt design has worked out well! I have had a similar fake wool experience, mine claimed to be Italian wool suiting, something to that effect was woven into the selvedge, and if I’d had my brain in I might have questioned why an Italian company would label their product in English. As poly goes it was quite nice. I learned from a fabric trader that Chinese imported poly often has a small amount of another natural fibre woven in or even sewn in to the selvedge – something to do with a ban on imported pure poly. So, I’m guessing that the message woven in white in the selvedge was probably in a wool yarn.

  3. Sam
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    This looks great Kate! I’ve remembered I have a RTW skirt with similar draping over the hips, I prefer to think of it highlighting how small my waist looks rather than exaggerating my hips! I must get it out.

  4. Cheryl
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    I love this skirt on you. You have done an excellent job incorporating the selvage into the waist and down the ct. back seam, a fun twist for the grey “serious” suiting.

  5. Stephanie
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    I like the effect of the fullness at the side fronts – very pretty. And as usual, you’ve styled it very well.

  6. Lynn Mally
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    A fun result–and what a great use of the selvedge. I don’t often sew with wool, but I do have a piece with a similarly woven selvedge–so I’ll test before using!

  10. Kim Hood
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    I like the shape of this skirt. I don’t have any waist to speak of, and very little by way of hips, so I think this may actually deceive people into imagining I had a figure!

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