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Home made skirt

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2020 1:04 pm
by skirted84
I have finally joined the ranks of DIY skirt with my new sewing machine. Only made a couple of very basic skirts but its very obvious they are measured to my shape and size not an approximate female design thats flowing around the hips or off in some other way. Not confident enough to make a kilt yet but it takes anyone years to master. I'm planning a denim skirt which will be same as mens jeans except 1 tube instead of 2.

Had some advice from a dressmaker who keeps urging me to use 'patterns'. Obviously they are all designed for the female figure. A project for someone in building a library of male skirt patterns.

Re: Home made skirt

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2020 1:17 pm
by beachlion
Good show.
If you like to make a kilt, try the http://www.xmarksthescot.com/ website where you can find instructions. Prepare yourself for a lot of math to calculate the pleats and other parts of the kilt.

I still don't understand the urge for male skirts. The fabric is not stiff like a body armor. Fabric flows and fall along your body. It might be a little roomy at certain places but when the waist fits, the skirt fits. The women in general have wider hips so there is always some extra room around the hips for the guys.

Re: Home made skirt

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2020 2:53 pm
by trainspotter48
I must admit that I have no direct experience in 'fabric technology', but it occurs to me that if you want to eliminate a very 'flowy' feel, it may be better to get a pattern that fits the hip size instead of the waist, but remember to adjust the cutting or pleating between hips and waist to cater for the generally larger male waist measurement. Also, any waistband will need to match the intended torso rather than the pattern.

Re: Home made skirt

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2020 3:47 pm
by crfriend
trainspotter48 wrote: Fri Jul 03, 2020 2:53 pm[... I]t occurs to me that if you want to eliminate a very 'flowy' feel, it may be better to get a pattern that fits the hip size instead of the waist [...]
That can work in many instances, but begs the question, "Why would one want to eliminate the 'flowy' feel of a skirt?" That feel is one of the sublime pleasures of skirt-wearing.

The waist measurement -- both the "natural" and "wearing" waists -- is the only really critical datum with a skirt (other than enough length for decency).

Re: Home made skirt

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2020 7:43 pm
by mishawakaskirt
skirted84 wrote: Fri Jul 03, 2020 1:04 pm I have finally joined the ranks of DIY skirt with my new sewing machine. Only made a couple of very basic skirts but its very obvious they are measured to my shape and size not an approximate female design thats flowing around the hips or off in some other way. Not confident enough to make a kilt yet but it takes anyone years to master. I'm planning a denim skirt which will be same as mens jeans except 1 tube instead of 2.

Had some advice from a dressmaker who keeps urging me to use 'patterns'. Obviously they are all designed for the female figure. A project for someone in building a library of male skirt patterns.
Congratulations on the successful sewing projects keep up the good work.

Some skirts are more feminine than others.
But being a skirt most every one sees skirts as for females.

Just use a pattern, or design your own which ever is easiest to go off of. The general public is going to still see a ladies skirt no matter how You make yours it's the way we are currently programmed.
Women have completely taken the realm of skirts.
Any length, any color, print, style, material type. We can't even take a pair of denim men's jeans and convert them into a skirt (they have already done it) without it been seen as a intrusion of men into women's wear.
The kilt is about the only skirt that Is seen as for men. And women readily take that too. I have seen a fair amount of right side fastening 24 in long kilts on ladies at Ren fairs.
The reverse is a little true. I wear some plain ladies jeans. I have never had someone say Sir did you know that you are wearing ladies jeans? I can tell this because the zipper is an inch shorter than it should be, or your rear pockets are 12% smaller than they should be. Or the seat and hips are a little bit baggy, therefore those can't be men's jeans you are wearing. Get the gist.
Most people don't care or take the time to notice your clothing to notice subtle differences. Making a skirt out of Kevlar and adding bullet proof armor, chains, grease stains, shrunken heads, skulls and cross bones. Won't make a men's skirt for a majority of the population. It just makes for a really bizarre ladies skirt. And that is where their brain stops.

Multiple companies have came and gone with their attempts at a men's skirt. Rebranding is a tough nut to crack. In the attempts to rebrand the skirt at the very least as unisex. I am glad companies are trying.
Just wear it and own it.

The cost is the biggest hindrance for me on buying a men's or unisex marketed skirt when women's skirts fit fine and are available for cheap at resale shops, and internet.



The best thing we can do to promote men in skirts is to wear simple style skirts, in what are considered traditionaly male colors.

Knee length denim a line skirts are practically invisible.
And if they are noticed they are not jarringly over the top.

I am a shy person naturally so the less people notice me skirted or in trousers the better.

Which ever route you go with your sewing patterns, the main thing is that it is your skirt.
That is actually cool, if anyone ever gave you grief about your skirt. You can tell them you made it and you made for a man. Cheers

Re: Home made skirt

Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 12:19 am
by skirted84
mishawakaskirt wrote: Sat Jul 04, 2020 7:43 pm Multiple companies have came and gone with their attempts at a men's skirt. Rebranding is a tough nut to crack. In the attempts to rebrand the skirt at the very least as unisex. I am glad companies are trying.
Midasclothing are quite a loss not least as another UK company, some designs I could take inspiration from like denim/camoflague/polyvisc.

Re: Home made skirt

Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 8:32 am
by pelmut
skirted84 wrote: Fri Jul 03, 2020 1:04 pm Had some advice from a dressmaker who keeps urging me to use 'patterns'. Obviously they are all designed for the female figure. A project for someone in building a library of male skirt patterns.
Some people find they can only follow instructions, so they use patterns; others prefer experimenting and trying to work things out from basic principles.  If you discover you are in the second category, my skirt calculator could save you a lot of work.

Re: Home made skirt

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 3:57 am
by Grok
So far women haven't totally taken over kilts. I think there are two reasons for this:

1. Kilting is uncommon.

2. Women have mostly switched to twin tubes.

Re: Home made skirt

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 5:01 pm
by Spirou003
skirted84 wrote: Fri Jul 03, 2020 1:04 pm but its very obvious they are measured to my shape and size not an approximate female design thats flowing around the hips or off in some other way.
Seems to not be a problem. A skirt designed by a man, for a man, having correct measurements for the man. All good :wink:

I never touched to jean fabric with my sewing machine, thus I can't help you at the moment. I have some plans about reusing fabric I collected from old (broken) jeans I disassembled, but as most of my sewing project it will take a loooooong time before them to concretize!

Re: Home made skirt

Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:19 am
by Pdxfashionpioneer
A friend of mine who is a professional patternmaker is looking at creating and selling skirt and dress patterns or men so they fit properly.

How many of you DIYers would be interested in buying such items?

Re: Home made skirt

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 1:07 am
by Faldaguy
Pdxfashionpioneer » Sun Jul 12, 2020 4:19 am

A friend of mine who is a professional patternmaker is looking at creating and selling skirt and dress patterns or men
Really Dave, in this era of trafficking.... :( :roll:

Re: Home made skirt

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:33 pm
by Spirou003
Thanks for the proposition but I'm not interrested. For me, creating the pattern to be used for building clothes (or anything else) is a part of the fun when making your own clothes, I would not have enjoyed (and learned) that much by just following some prepared patterns ;)

The last project I begon is a matress cover. The result will probably a pity in term of look but it was funny to mind about how to do that. I was a bit silly btw to make it from one unique sheet to fold instead of cutting it in many sheets to assemble, lesson learned! But it was fun to throw the matress outside of my bed, struggling for hours to wrap it with my unique huge sheet and add a lot of pins in the sheet... but not in the matress, and without putting it outside of the cover! :lol:
(Yes, I'm sometimes crazy)