Simple Skirt Rig

[Sinned]

My wife came across some black material and she said that she would put it to one side to make a skirt for me. WTF? Her attitude to my skirts is ambivalent at the best of times. She's tolerant of me wearing them around the house yet complains of "always wearing skirts" even though I don't. She doesn't like me wearing them outside yet she knows that I do when she's not around and I have a reason to go out. I'd love to learn to sew and make some skirts and dresses, shift, shirt, T-shirt, and so on.

[john62]

Women, how do they think? One of the greatest mysteries of science.

John

[geron]

It will be interesting to discover what kind of skirt she thinks is suitable for you, will it not? And of course it will set a firm precedent

[rode_kater]

2. Make a sort of shirt dress, sewing a circle skirt to the bottom of a man's shirt.

I'm not a big fan of circle skirts, they use a ridiculous amount of material and I don't like the effect. I usually go for half or quarter-circle which require a lots less material and less wavy.

My favourites skirts however have a straight front/back, I think in kilts you'd call it the "apron"? These are essentially two trapezoidal shapes sewn together at the sides. For reference, think 100cm at the waist, 220cm at the hem with 50cm length.

I've thought of a variant with the straight trapezoid at the front and quarter circle at the back, so you get a flat front and wavy back. That would be closer to the classic kilt form.

The other thing to pay attention is where you put the waist. I find the most aesthetically pleasing when the top and bottom are about the same length, so it divides your body into thirds. This is higher than the typical waist for men's clothing though. If you want a longer top I think you need to make the skirt half the length of the top so it divides you body into quarters.

The best thing to is just get the materials and then start putting them together with pins and loose hand-stitching. That way you can try it on and see how it looks before you spend lots of time sewing and cutting.

[Sinned]

I have no idea and maybe she doesn't either. I did mention that I have a pattern for a skirt, I'll dig it out. IIR it looked complicated. I go for A-line or circle skirts.

[Grok]

I don't know her, so I can't say for sure, but.....

Could she be thinking that a skirt taylor made for a man would be considered a man's garment? And, if so, could that make your skirt wearing acceptable?

or....

If you are going to wear a skirt, this will allow her some influence over it?

[Sinned]

Grok, there may be some more evidence of my wearing INDOORS, but I doubt if there will be any extension of her acceptance of my wearing OUTDOORS even if she has made the skirt. I just don't know and am afraid to ask as I may get an answer I'm not expecting.

[Grok]

2. Make a sort of shirt dress, sewing a circle skirt to the bottom of a man's shirt.

Regarding 2.... Came across a DIY project online, for sewing a circle skirt onto the bottom of a girl's blouse. The blouse becomes the bodice.

I would make a tour of the area's thrift stores. In addition to shirts my size, I would look for shirts a size or two larger-with flat bottoms. I have in mind a rig that I could pull over my head like a T-shirt. Also, with a larger shirt I might be have something that is somewhat wider than my hips, the width becoming the diameter of the doughnut hole.

Just started to think about this concept again, today. Would involve visiting, and re-visiting, thrift stores for candidate shirts.First attempt would be an experiment, to see if this would work at all.

[Grok]

Alternatively, review the robe thread for inspiration.

[Mouse]

I am not sure I understand the concept of connecting stuff together. Is it not a more simple plan to make a quick circle skirt and then use it with what ever top you decide, allowing some mixing and matching, and giving you more choice day to day?

Sorry if I am being thick, but I have made 6 circle skirts, in different colours and lengths, then I can mix them with many different tops and petticoats if I want, to make many many outfits?

[crfriend]

Sorry if I am being thick, but I have made 6 circle skirts, in different colours and lengths, then I can mix them with many different tops and petticoats if I want, to make many many outfits?

No worries, but what is in play here is the complexity of the upper-body when compared to making a skirt for the lower. The upper part is vastly more complex topologically, and takes a lot of precise measuring, cutting, and sewing to turn the 2-dimensional fabric into a 3-dimension shape that can actually be worn.

Sleeves, as one might expect, are some of the most difficult parts to get right, and that's what threw the wrench into the proverbial works. The interface betwixt arm. shoulder, and torso is about as complex as it gets.

[Grok]

Exactly. By using an old shirt as the bodice, the more complex parts, the harder stuff, have already been done for you.