Tablecloth Ball Skirt

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This embellished silk organza fabric leaped off the fabric store shelf and into my arms screaming “Ball Skirt!” It’s been in my collection for several months, and I figured it is now the time of year to make it up. I pretty much never go to parties 11 months of the year, then in December, all of my friends invite me over for drinks. Such is life in the suburbs. I have several dresses to wear to these things, but most of my clothes are memorable, so it’s nice to have at least one new item to wear. Enter the ball skirt.

I was originally going to gather a huge rectangle at the waist and be done with it, but I was hemming and hawing about that. Having lots of gathers at the waist is really not the most flattering look.

I thought about a circle skirt, but I find the random seaming on circle skirts too distracting. Then there are the 1950’s connotations. Not my thing.

Then Shams at Communing with Fabric did a post and tutorial about a “tablecloth skirt”. It seemed like the perfect solution to my dilemma. There is also some discussion at Stitcher’s Guild if you are interested.

I really love the result. It’s just what I was looking for for this fabric. I lined it with some silk with a bit of metallic. I added a plain elastic waist, since I’ll never want to tuck anything into this skirt. It is floor length on me, so it’s a bit longer than the one Shams made.

I finished the whole thing in one day. DD is sick this week, so I have lots of time to hang out in the house and sew while she sleeps and watches TV.

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