With the Mave Skirt Sewalong starting next week, I wanted to go over the suggested fabrics and notions you will need to gather so you will be ready to get sewing on Monday.
MAIN FABRICS
The Mave can be sewn up in a variety of woven fabrics depending on the style you are going for. Keep in mind that it requires wide fabrics so avoid the 45" choices.
A more structured fabric like linen or cotton is going to hold it's shape and have more poof, standing away from the body a bit more. A thinner, more drapey fabric will have the opposite affect. It will fall closer to body and have more of the swish factor. Both are great choices, it just depends on what you are going for.
Another thing to to consider when choosing a fabric is whether or not not you are sewing a lining. A lining always feels a bit more upscale in my opinion, and is great for sheer fabrics, but it will also add a bit more structure to the gathers and fullness of the skirt. So keep that in mind when you are deciding whether or not to add a lining.
RAYON
Let's start with the fabric I sew with the most - rayon. All of the samples I sewed for the photoshoots were rayon crepe. I think that rayon challis is a very similar choice. Both fabrics have a nice drape, and weight, are very easy to press and sew, and have an expensive look while being easy to care for. The downside to rayon is that it can be a bit tricky to cut. It has a tendency to be a bit shifty on the cutting table. Here are few rayon fabrics that would work great fort he Mave.
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LINEN
Linen is another great choice for the Mave skirt. Whether 100% linen or a linen / rayon blend, linen is wonderful to wear and sew with. It's easy to cut, and sew and is super breathable in the hotter months. Linen is generally a bit more structured so it will hold its shape more and stand out from the body more than a rayon. The biggest downside of linen is that it wrinkles super easily. I don't find that to be as big of an issue with a skirt as pants or a top, but if you are someone who hates wrinkles, beware. Here are some great linens and linen blends you might like.
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COTTONS
Cottons are always a great place to start and are very beginner friendly and easy to find. I generally suggest avoiding quilting cottons and instead heading to the cotton lawn or cotton voile section. These fabrics are much thinner and softer and nicer to wear. They will look more ready-to-wear and less home made than a quilting cotton. Because these fabrics are often sheer you will want to consider adding the optional lining to this one.
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SILK / CHIFFON / GEORGETTE
Silk is a great option if you want a fancy Mave skirt. I am a big fan of silk crepe de chine and think it would make a beautiful skirt. I would suggest adding a lining if you are using silk just because it's higher end and higher price point fabric. It also has a tendency to attract static in my experience so a lining would help that. A couple other fancyish fabrics I want to talk about are chiffon and georgette. Both of these fabrics are sheer and are a wonderful choice layered over a lining. It reminds me of the skirt that inspired the Mave - a layered and crinkly broomstick style skirt from my youth. Chiffon and georgette can be tricky to work with depending on it's substrate, so I generally recommend it to intermediate or advanced sewists.
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LINING FABRICS
If you choose to add the optional lining to the Mave skirt, you will need to choose the fabric you will be using for the lining. Any of the non sheer fabrics above can work for the lining. I suggest finding something on the thinner side so you are not adding bulk to the gathered waistline. I have found that cotton voile, cotton lawn, and rayon challis are my favorites when it comes to a lining. Just make sure it is at least 54" wide.
NOTIONS
You are also going to need a few notions for the Mave skirt. The required notions are:
- matching all purpose thread
- 2 inch wide elastic
- 1"x3" scrap of fusible interfacing (light to medium weight)
- sewing machine needle (match it to the weight and type of fabric you are sewing with)
- safety pin to thread your elastic and drawstring
An optional additional notion is something to finish the ends of your drawstring with. You can simple fold and sew them if you like. Or, you can add aglets or beads to the ends for a fun look.
Aglets are metal or plastic ends that you would find at the bottom of shoelaces or jacket cords. If you want to add aglets to your Mave, I suggest finding small and light weight ones. Above is a photo of a few that I have found on etsy.
Another option is beads strung on your drawstring with a large knot at the end. Make sure that you purchase beads with a wide enough hole to fit the drawstring thru. I have found that macrame beads are usually good. I found the above brass beads on etsy, but I also think that wood or glass beads would be cool too.
OK, I think that is it for fabric and notions. I can't wait to get started sewing on the Mave Skirt on Monday. Let me know if you have any questions.