Island Batik - Everyday Skirt

March's challenge for the Island Batik ambassadors is to try something new. It could be anything, so long as it was new to us. I was planning on doing needle turn applique, because I've always wanted to try it, but I couldn't decide on a design and didn't really feel like doing a new hand stitching project with my two EPP projects, Scattered Stars and my Hexie Rainbow, already on the go. In the ambassador facebook group we had a huge list of possibilities, but nothing really grabbed my attention.

Then I thought, "I've never sewn with rayon before. I wonder if that would count." When I checked, I was told I was good to go, so I've made myself an Everyday Skirt (pattern by Liesl + Co) with the beautiful rayon sent to me by Island Batik.

Focus on the pretty fabric, not my non-existent modeling skills, lol!

I was a little nervous about cutting the rayon. I've made skirts before, but only with quilting cotton, denim and poplin (which behaves almost exactly like quilting cotton). The rayon is softer and shifts around more. It feels more fluid, which doesn't make much sense considering it's a solid, but it just feels like it has more movement to it. That's great when you're wearing it, but it made me nervous as I was laying it out to cut the pieces.

Sewing the rayon wasn't much different than sewing with quilting cotton. There's no stretch to it, so I didn't have to worry about that. Again, it felt like it shifted around a little more than a quilting cotton would, but I had no problems sewing it.

The Everyday Skirt is a great pattern and I will definitely want to make more. The pattern is well written so I had no trouble with any of the steps and I'm a novice when it comes to garment making. I wasn't sure what size to make, though. My waist measurement said I needed a large, but the pattern said that if you wore it a little higher (which I figured I would), then you could maybe make the smaller size as long as that size's measurement for the elastic when extended would fit over your hips, which the medium would.

I printed out the pattern and cut the waistband pattern piece for the medium and held it up to my waist to test it. It seemed like that would fit so, with a little trepidation, that was the size I cut out. It fits! Actually, I ended up using a shorter length of elastic that the pattern said to use for the medium, so I'm very glad I didn't start out with the large!

I also cut 2 1/2" from the length of the skirt before I hemmed it because of my short legs. I've made a note of that on the pattern for next time and I'll just cut the pieces that much shorter to conserve fabric.

And the best part about the Everyday Skirt (aside from the super-comfy elastic waistband)? It has pockets! Nice, big, roomy pockets. I'll be able to carry my phone and/or my keys no problem this summer, even when I don't want to carry my wallet. That's good because I often go for walks and I want to have my phone with me, but I don't want to have to carry anything in my hands. Pockets in a skirt are a must!

I wore the skirt to church on Sunday and it was wonderfully comfortable. The rayon feels wonderful and doesn't wrinkle much while being worn, which is a definite plus. I've been trying to find a Canadian source to buy the rayon batik in other prints because I'd love to make a dress with it for the summer and I see that Along Came Quilting carries 3 prints. They carry a large selection of the quilting cottons too, if you're looking for those 😉

While I was making the skirt, I kept thinking about the slow fashion movement. Have you heard of it?  Basically, it's a movement to get people to be more intentional about their clothing choices. To buy fewer pieces, to buy pieces that are made sustainably and by people who are paid a fair wage, to throw fewer pieces into the landfill. Making this skirt had me thinking about how much fabric actually goes into an article of clothing (almost 2 yards for this skirt), and how much time it takes to make vs how little we are often willing to pay for things at the mall. I know I'm guilty of trying to only buy things when they are on sale, which doesn't really make much sense when I consider the real cost in both fabric and time. It's the same as trying to sell a quilt for what it's actually worth, isn't it? It's something to think about, for sure.

Well, that's my something new for this month's challenge! Thank you to Island Batik for giving me the gorgeous fabric to play with. I'll be wearing my new skirt a lot this summer 😊