My problem all started when I decided to repeat my hosting of a Eurovision party. Eurovision is only the most dreadful event on television all year, and the funnest thing I can think of is to have some fun making fun of it. Fun!
Dressing up is not compulsory, but as the host, I like to make an effort. The host country this year is Ukraine, so I am planning on wearing the colours of the national flag. Easy peasy: the Ukrainian flag is just two colours, blue and yellow, and looks very cheerful. Unfortunately, they have gone and put the yellow on the bottom and the blue on the top. Not so easy for us lovers of dressing up. Reverse them and I could have managed it with jeans and a t-shirt. But with this colour arrangement, a yellow lower half was required.
Now, my brother in law does actually own some yellow jeans, but nobody else in real life does. Then, I remembered that solid colour fabrics are super cheap on eBay, polycotton even more so, and I'd been wanting to make a circle skirt for myself for ages. This was my chance! A circle skirt also has other Eurovision associations because the most famous UK entry, Bucks Fizz, had full skirts as their costumes, and yellow was a featured colour. Win!
Faster than you can say tear-off-skirt, I was off to find a circle skirt calculator (used this one: http://www.nadira037.com/2014/04/diy-circle-skirt-pattern-measurements.html) and calculated that I only needed 3m to scratch this itch. £8.02 later, and my (wafer thin) bright yellow poly poplin was on its way!
For reference, my dimensions were:
B - 12cm
C - 61cm
D - 73cm
I folded the fabric in half, widthways, and then in half (same) again. The two selvedges are running along the top and bottom and the folds are both from selvedge to selvedge.
I drew two curved lines from the folded corner, one at 12cm, the other at 75.5cm. Once cut out, you have two half circles to sew together.
I sewed the two side seams together and stay stitched the waist. I made a 3 inch wide waistband and attached it 2cm further down the waist opening. This is because I didn't add a closure to get it on and off. I didn't have a small zip and didn't want to add bulk at the waist with a gathered waistband. I have to pull the skirt over my head to get it on. It's very undignified. The final skirt hangs from my hips, rather than sitting at my waist. It has space to insert an elastic, but I interfaced it so it is quite bulky. I will add the elastic to bring the size down for a child.
The hem is a small rolled hem. I was going to make bias binding for the hem but it was much faster not to mess about with that. It is very see through, I wearing a full slip underneath. I wish I had a tulle petticoat.
A circle skirt has been on my to-sew list for quite some time. I really enjoyed sewing something without a pattern. I love making marks straight on the fabric, and find pattern cutting out very stressful. This shape however is not very flattering on me. It is not at all my usual silhouette. I think my hips look a bit bulky and I don't have a nipped in waist, but it is fun for a change. I was delighted to know that I can get it all out of 3m of fabric. I would like a black on white design with a black hem band. I think that would look smart-but-fun. I love Gerties fabric at Jo-Anns this season. I think I might be able to get the whole skirt out of 110cm, if that was the width of the fabric. 43cm length would be short, but this skirt style would look better, on me, in a mini length. Of course, you wouldn't get the fun swishy-ness, but a thick, quilted fabric would have a lovely look for winter.
I doubt anyone at my party will know I'm supposed to be the flag of Ukraine, but I'm going to be eating European food and marking off my bingo card, revelling in the cringe-worthy glory of Eurovision!
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