In the second draping course at New York Fashion Academy we are draping a 6-gore skirt, tracing it onto a flat pattern, and then sewing it up to confirm that we have transferred all of the seam lines correctly.
Gored skirts are not something I usually make. I think I tend to wear A-line or pencil skirts. However it was very important and useful to understand how fabric drapes when you move the excess fabric from the waist dart around to the hem.
All-in-all this was easier than I anticipated. I’ll have to try it again at home to make sure I remember all of the steps.
Side note: I am going to time lapse everything now. 🙂
I chose a cool gray rayon to make the skirt. I am secretly hoping that it will fit me. (It doesn’t.)
Although I’ve sewn with a wide variety of fabrics, I usually am focused on 1) color, 2) weight and drape, and 3) texture. Rarely do I think about the science behind each fiber type.
I learned that rayon is cool to the touch. I had never thought about that and will remember it the next time I am poking around a remnant bin.
I took home the skirt and a little extra fabric to try and make a waist band. I think if I sew a 3/8″ seam allowance instead of the 5/8″ allowance I used I can probably get this skirt to fit me.
This class is bringing me so much joy. I look forward to it every week and I leave with a sense of pride and accomplishment. (The 6pm coffee probably helps too.)
Next draping challenge: Collars and lapels!
The Fabric Alchemist 