Let’s get ready to make your Lettie Skirt! Beyond selecting your size, one of the first decisions you must make is what fabric you want to make your skirt out of. The Lettie Skirt is suitable for various fabric types, from light-weight viscose to mid-weight denim.
When selecting your fabric, one of the first things to consider is your experience with zero-waste pattern cutting. Stable fabrics with more structure, such as cotton, will be significantly easier to cut out than shifty fabrics like silk or rayon. The fabric’s weight and drape will also affect your skirt’s overall structure. Fabrics with more drape will create a more fluid, swishy skirt and fabrics with more structure will have more volume around your body and show the shape of the skirt.
Another thing to consider when selecting your fabric is directional print or nap. Due to the zero-waste pattern layout, the skirt panels are oriented in the upright and inverse positions. If you use a fabric with a directional print or nap, 3 of the skirt panels will be upside down.
I used Vanilla Herringbone Handloom Cotton from Loom and Stars for my final sample. This fabric is a dream to work with – easy to cut out and sew and is oh-so-soft. At only 43″ wide, I adjusted my pattern layout to fit (guidance is included in the instruction booklet for making these types of adjustments). The fabric is not 100% opaque, and depending on the light, the pockets can sometimes be seen, but it’s nothing a slip couldn’t fix. You may consider eliminating the pockets if your fabric is lightweight or not 100% opaque.
Another favorite of mine is Washed Hemp from Lyrical Fabrics. This fabric has both structure and drape, similar to linen. It makes for a great everyday skirt that can easily be dressed up if needed. This fabric is a little shifty so takes a little more consideration when cutting, but overall not too difficult.
My pattern testers used a variety of fabrics: linen, ikat, Tencel cotton, chambray, etc. Each one turned out beautifully!
Notions
After you select your fabric, you will need to gather your notions. The construction of the Lettie Skirt calls for a few materials you may not be familiar with or are not readily available at your local fabric store. The front waistband is interfaced with non-roll, non-fusible waistband interfacing, such as Ban-rol. This type of interfacing allows the waistband to move and bend with your body without collapsing, folding over, and wrinkling. The elastic in the back of the waistband is 1 1/2″ (3.8cm) wide, heavy, non-roll elastic. You want an elastic that will not fold over to the strain of being stretched. Finally, the partial button placket is finished with two different-sized buttons. The main part of the placket uses 1/2 “(12mm) buttons, and the waistband is secured with a 3/4 “-1” (19-25mm) button. These buttons can match, or a contrasting button could be used on the waistband.
Below, you will find additional information and resources on where to find these materials:
Interfacing:
If you can’t find Ban-rol (or non-roll, non-fusible mono-filament waistband stabilizer) at your local fabric store, it can be purchased online, in bulk, or by the yard. If you prefer not to use this type of interfacing, then un-stretched elastic can be used as a substitute.
Below you will find some online shops that sell Ban-rol. This is not an extensive list, just a starting point. If you purchase from a shop not listed, let me know as I would love to expand the list.
USA:
- Wawak – 50 yards
- StyleMaker – sold by the yard
- Vogue Fabrics – sold by the yard
- Zipper Shipper – sold by the yard
Canada:
UK:
Australia:
Elastic:
Not all elastic is created equal. When selecting elastic for your Lettie Skirt, you want to select a non-roll elastic that will retain its shape when stretched. This will make a big difference in the feel and look of the back waistband of your Lettie Skirt.
Below you will find some online shops that sell non-roll elastic. Again, this is not an extensive list, just a starting point.
USA:
- Wawak – sold in 12 yard lengths
- Matchy Matchy Sewing Club – sold in 2.5 yard lengths
- Hart Fabrics – sold by the yard
- Fabric Wholesale Direct – sold by the yard
Canada:
- Core Fabrics – sold by the yard
- Riverside Fabrics – sold by the yard
- Fabricland – sold in 1.2-meter lengths
UK:
Australia:
If you have any questions about fabric selection or notions while planning your Lettie Skirt, please don’t hesitate to contact me – emily@goldfinch.limited.
