Finishing ideas wanted for skirt lining.

For those do-it-yourselfers...
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AMM
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Finishing ideas wanted for skirt lining.

Post by AMM »

Those who get in a panic about skirts that are too "femme" or frilly or conspicuous should skip this thread to preserve their sanity.

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I've made a red satin skirt for dancing, 30" long, fairly full (200" hem.) The hem of the outer skirt is just turned over, and I don't plan to do any more with it (except maybe add some weight to it, so it'll flare out better.) But it's got a lining (also red), and I'm thinking I'd like to put a nice "finish" on it that would be hidden when I stand but be "glimpse-able" when I twirl or move a lot. One idea is to put some lace on it, but I can't think of a good color. Red seems too boring. I thought maybe white lace, but I'm not sure how that would look.

I'm still scratching my head over this, so I thought I'd post here and see if anyone here had any interesting ideas. The point is to be festive and showy and maybe a little edgy, without crossing the line to silly or ridiculous.
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r.m.anderson
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Re: Finishing ideas wanted for skirt lining.

Post by r.m.anderson »

Aye - So you want to be noticed and not noticed!?
I agree with your idea to keep the color action down until it is 'Show Time'!
How about some white satin panels in the underskirt instead of lace.
What comes to mind here is not exactly in the same context - but I was
thinking of a pleated cheerleaders skirt with red as the main color and
white pleated panels that are of course exposed with most any movement.
Now this is not a pleated cheerleaders skirt by any means but think how
you could attach/sew the white satin panels to the folds of the skirt such
that when standing still or seated the only color you see is the red. Then
when twisting or moving about the white panels would be visible. This is
a real hard thing to describe but my visualization is something like the
movie "CAN-CAN" where the skirt is lifted and everything underneath
becomes "OULA-LA". Maybe this will enlighten someone with another
view/idea to help. When you said the hem was 200 inches - you really
meant the hem is 30 inches and the total circular pattern is the 200"
around. That is an awful eyeful amount of material. You might do better
with a partial petticoat of contrasting color underneath to solve the
problem.
rm
"YES SKIRTING MATTERS"!
"Kilt-On" -or- as the case may be "Skirt-On" !
WHY ?
Isn't wearing a kilt enough?
Well a skirt will do in a pinch!
Make mine short and don't you dare think of pinching there !
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Skirt Chaser
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Re: Finishing ideas wanted for skirt lining.

Post by Skirt Chaser »

I love the look of your rainbow skirt, AMM and those same colors would really make a splash as an edging. Maybe in one inch squares of each color along the border or even triangles pointing downward. That could be fancied up even more with a different color in a longer, skinnier triangle going upwards from each piece. Alternately, an easier way to incorporate color (and easier to sew) would be a few decorative rows of rickrack, rainbow colors would work or use still flashy but more subtle line of white, black, and silver.
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Re: Finishing ideas wanted for skirt lining.

Post by r1g0r »

gotta say i think a border of black lace would look nice, especially when the top layer pulled up enough to reveal that it is attached to another red layer of the skirt.

red
black
red
you know... george orwell warned us!
..................................
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Since1982
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Re: Finishing ideas wanted for skirt lining.

Post by Since1982 »

r.m. wrote: You might do better
with a partial petticoat of contrasting color underneath to solve the
problem.
There's another choice, 'specially if you're using the skirt for dancing in a way that you'll be twirling or/and spinning, like in a contra or square dance format. There's an underskirt for that purpose called a "prairie slip" which is about half the thickness of a petticoat and not nearly as stiff. They are sold on nearly all the Dancewear sites.
Went to Bingo sunday night wearing something new for me. Rooting thru boxed stuff I had left from my ex SO Judy (that had robbed me and been evicted) last week I came on 2 prairie slips, a black one and a red one. Prairie slips are like what might be called "limp petticoats" they are for contra dancing or giving body to an A-line, peasant or full skirts. If you're wearing a fairly full skirt with nothing under it, it tends to hang between your legs uncomfortably, I thought I might wear one to Bingo last night to see if I got any negative responses to a filled out skirt or one you could see "something" under when I moved or sat. I wore the black one with a white A-line twill skirt I have and was somewhat on edge once I walked in and got sat in my seat. Several looks I got but no comments for a while. About 10 minutes before the Bingo started a lady I have been quite friendly with walked over and asked me to stand up and turn around for her. I did, and she said "I mean spin around more quickly, I want to see what you're wearing under your skirt". Ooooookkk, I said, and did what she asked me to. She gushed "Ohh, I've not seen anyone wearing a petticoat since I was young". To which I responded, "It's not a petticoat, it's a prairie slip" She was not to be put off though, and responded with, "Sure looks like a petticoat to me, I used to wear several of them with my poodle skirt when I was in college" I had her there. "Why don't you still wear skirts? I've never seen you in anything but pants. I only started wearing skirts because women seem to have given up wearing them and they are so much more comfortable than trousers to me" She said, well I can see that, your um, plumbing would fit better in a skirt than trousers, I don't know why more men than you and the Jamaican that hangs out by the supermarket don't wear skirts, Ooops, they're starting the Bingo, we better get ready, very nice outfit you have tonight, Skip, Good luck!"
I lost, but enjoyed my evening. Had several other players come talk to me about my "look" after Bingo was over. All positive. I think I'll go again next sunday and try the red one under a Navy blue A-line skirt I have. :thewave: :thewave:
I had to remove this signature as it was being used on Twitter. This is my OPINION, you NEEDN'T AGREE.

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Re: Finishing ideas wanted for skirt lining.

Post by JRMILLER »

Ahhhhh! I looked!!! Too frilly!!! My sanity is slipping, slipping away......












Well, some say I never had any to begin with! ;)
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AMM
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Re: Finishing ideas wanted for skirt lining.

Post by AMM »

Since1982 wrote:[ There's another choice, 'specially if you're using the skirt for dancing in a way that you'll be twirling or/and spinning, like in a contra or square dance format. There's an underskirt for that purpose called a "prairie slip" which is about half the thickness of a petticoat and not nearly as stiff.
I actually own 2 of the beasts, one black and one red. They are 33" long, so they would definitely show even if I were standing still, and they're a bit tight on the hips. They're also pretty warm (an advantage in winter, but a disadvantage at a dance.)

However, the "underskirt" in question is part of the skirt -- that is, it's already sewn in. The basic idea of the skirt is like the red skirt in my Pics & Looks posting, except that the linings are red instead of pink. (Since satin is a classier look, I didn't want the under layers to be in a color that would upstage the satin.)



As for the "prairie slips", I wish I could find them in larger sizes -- the largest I have found is XL, and it is awfully snug when I pull it over my hips. The folks I bought them from have asked the manufacturer for larger sizes, but they won't make them. I'd also like a few shorter ones, but they only seem to come in even smaller sizes.
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Re: Finishing ideas wanted for skirt lining.

Post by r.m.anderson »

AMM:
Regarding the Prairie Slip if the XL size is close consider doing the reverse of the DART and opening
up two or more places about the hip and filling in with elastic stretchy material. Since the placement
of a underskirt or prairie slip will be high up enough and covered by the outer skirt the openings will
not be visible. Or another thought opening up the waist band and putting in a larger elastic band. The
openings would not have to be filled in since they will not be seen anyway. I have no experience with
a prairie slip. But with petticoats the better ones have generally 3 tiers of waist band to adjust the
hem length. The waist band has an opening to pull out the elastic band with button and move in or
out to the next button hole to get a small adjustment in the waist. Experiment around I am sure a
solution can be found that is not cost prohibited.
No one needs to know what is worn under a kilt and in regard to your contra dance skirt no one needs
to know what adjustments - modifications - additions or deletions were made to create the skirt you
are wearing unless you let the secret out. I think the idea you are trying to effect is at or near the
bottom of the skirt showing some flash - so you should not be troubled by what is hidden under the
skirt at the waist line to get the 'flash' at the bottom of the hem.
This project gets more interesting by the minute - always did like a bit flash(ion) in clothing!
rm
"YES SKIRTING MATTERS"!
"Kilt-On" -or- as the case may be "Skirt-On" !
WHY ?
Isn't wearing a kilt enough?
Well a skirt will do in a pinch!
Make mine short and don't you dare think of pinching there !
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Since1982
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Re: Finishing ideas wanted for skirt lining.

Post by Since1982 »

r.m. wrote: I have no experience with
a prairie slip. But with petticoats the better ones have generally 3 tiers of waist band to adjust the
hem length. The waist band has an opening to pull out the elastic band with button and move in or
out to the next button hole to get a small adjustment in the waist. Experiment around I am sure a
solution can be found that is not cost prohibited.
That's pretty much what I did. The ones I have were "her" size, and have 3 spaced sections at the waist with elastic inside the sections. The sections were about 6 inches apart so I just cut off the top 2 sections. These prairie slips were 38 inches long and after cutting off two 6 inch sections the slip is now 26 inches long, which, for my heigth is perfect. And by removing those 2 sections, the waist size got 12 inches bigger so they fit on me perfectly without cutting gaps in the waistband. Since any slip is not "seen" at the top, you can do lots of different alterations to make it fit you. I like having the use of a slip instead of linings because it's tons easier to put the slip in and out than removing a liner. Or, if you have them, you can use multiple colored slips to give a splay of color under the edge of your skirt when you twirl. I have only one lined skirt and had it made before I started making my own. Personally, I'd never make another lined skirt, because there's such a choice in slips. :hooray:
I had to remove this signature as it was being used on Twitter. This is my OPINION, you NEEDN'T AGREE.

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AMM
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Re: Finishing ideas wanted for skirt lining.

Post by AMM »

Here is what I ended up doing. See also my latest pictures in Pics and Looks.
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r.m.anderson
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Re: Finishing ideas wanted for skirt lining.

Post by r.m.anderson »

3 Pix while seated
Go to the section "PIX AND LOOKS" to see this skirt in action.
AMM did a splendid job at this sewing project.
This project got more interesting by the minute. I always did like a bit of flash(ion) in clothing but
this project turned out to be a surprise how AMM made these small alterations to show a small
degree of color in the under-skirt without over doing it. Truly a very neat job revealing good
fashion sense.
rm
"YES SKIRTING MATTERS"!
"Kilt-On" -or- as the case may be "Skirt-On" !
WHY ?
Isn't wearing a kilt enough?
Well a skirt will do in a pinch!
Make mine short and don't you dare think of pinching there !
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