03 - Pattern & Fabric choice

With an outline skirt idea & colour now agreed with T, I suggested a range of man-made fabrics should be looked at - all ideally as lightweight as possible.

Fabric choice

T was sent to 'Fabricland - Bristol' where she found a selection of fabrics perfect for the skirts:

a) Upper skirt layer:

• white 'shimmer' voile

b) Underskirt layer & sash:

• grey acetate satin

c) Net fabrics were:

• white ballet nylon net – average size stiff mesh
• bridal ivory tulle – soft small mesh

The shimmer voile would be ideal for creating a 'fluffy' style overlay to the satin & could be easily 'fluted' around the hemline. The satin would work well under the voile & would make an excellent sash 'cover' over the skirt waistline to give the impression of the outfit being a single dress. To gain marginal volume for the net petticoat, a stiffer nylon net would be used for 'shaping' a first layer with the softer tulle used as an overlay.

Pattern

For these skirts, I decided to 'mark & make' the pattern directly onto the fabric by measurement alone - working from the basic shape of arcs of a circle. The general style of the skirt would be flared & gathered with a total of 3 shaped panels for each skirt - this would use a minimum of fabric with maximum shaping & would also provide a back opening 'overlap' for a press-stud fastening.

Each waistline sash would be cut from a single length of fabric (i.e. no seams) & would have a false bow attached at centre back. The sash would fall from the waist to full-length.

Final fabric & haberdashery

For the 4 bridesmaids, the following fabrics & items of haberdashery were purchased from Fabricland:

• 16m. white 'shimmer' voile
• 20m. grey acetate satin
• 15m. ivory ballet nylon net
• 9m. while tulle
• clear plastic press-studs
• small & large metal press-studs
• small & large hooks & eyes
• narrow & wide elastic
• buttons, zip, waistband stiffening, Velcro