skirtcafe.org

Yes, I used the top (size "S") full length and sewed the skirt inside it, unlike the Silkbody dress where the waist is higher and the whole done in a more seamless way.

Actually, I'm not so sure of that one as a surf dress as it is 100% polyesta, and doesnt wet as nicely as the cotton. What I do next summer is try them both out: that and the lighter "L" size black cotton one I enjoyed last time.
I made that one long sleeved to protect my arms from the sun here. I like to read the paper or a magazine inthe sun, and I can wet that one to stay cool. It keeps my body out of that ultra-violet that we didn't used to have.

Jack Williams wrote:... backstitching of 1/4" foward and 1/8" back.
...stitching about 3/16" lower

Are you making fun of us? boasting of your precision sewing? or do people really use these fractional measures?

Martin

couyalair wrote:Are you making fun of us? boasting of your precision sewing? or do people really use these fractional measures?

Actually, the numbers he's giving are fairly coarse -- certainly not tight enough to qualify for "couture" status. 1/4" is the same diameter as "old" headphone plugs so you get the idea.

The forward/back ratio is pretty standard for linear stitching, full/half; the net above is one "pierce" every 1/8 inch and produces a decent workmanlike finish -- but not couture.

Yes, people really do use fractional measures that fine - and finer, though not necessarily for sewing. 1/16" is very common (1.5875mm), with 1/32", and 1/64" (.396875mm) being seen occasionally. Beyond that, though, you'll almost always see things measured in thou (.001" or .0254mm). Long live the traditional units!

I use the thread double, and go one quarter inch forward, through, one eighth inch back, through, one quarter inch forward, through, one eighth inch back, etc, giving a stitch each of an inch.

Here's a late night shot of lighter cotton knit surf dress as mentioned:
I'll redo this video this summer. A bit off camera here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0GipbJ325k
And another pic next morning..

Impromptu visit with friend Allan out to Piha beach yesterday, so I put on the shorter, then longer Silkbody dresses, and over them the one I made with sleeveless marino bodice and long polyesta skirt, for a pre-season frolic in the surf. It was lowish tide. The waves would be better with the tide higher and coming in. Good though all the same.
Late in the day, and hardly blazing sunshine, But the hi-teck fabrics are surprisingly warm without bulk. Ideal.

The marks on the harder sand are from people galloping their horses up and down.

Well yes, I certainly enjoy my dress surfing.
It's better to have a more dedicated design methinks. The lighter cotton t-dresses were the best. Perhaps a bit revealing upon reviewing some of the video clips I thought, although there have been no complaints on YouTube. (!).
The long Silkbody one was a lot better and heaps of fun, but really too good a thing to subjet to the job. Flying colours of course because of wonderfuul quality. Way beyond design specifications. I actually made it by attaching the flip skirt to the mens crew top.
I did make an excellent dress by joining bodice from heavy cotton dress to an old velvet skirt. There are photos of that, and I'm really pleasd with it.
However it is useless wet, as the skirt sags immencely. Unbelievably.
This doesn't. Not in the slightest.
Nor do the knit cotton bodices.
Good. Ready for coming summer, if not before.
Photo when compleat.

Yes, got that sewn the other day. Bit of a mission. the skirt being stretchy but smaller than the correct fitting bodice. Way to go of course, but one has to stretch the materials out flush while sewing, having done that already for the pinning! A bit of hard yakka for the left-hand fingers.
Good result though, keeping the puckering even so when stretched on the bod, the skirt and bodice match.
Colours are different though of course. but with the original "scoop" neck here, I intended as more of a base layer-ish job.
Dosn't look bad here with the pocketed vest though:

You can see here what a good surf-dress it could be.