Today we are off to Nashville! It’s a much-anticipated family vacation and my opportunity to take class with the fabulous Anna Maria Horner. After doing some wishing and praying (and begging), I was granted a late entry into Anna’s “Skirting Couture” workshop. Yes, we’re making skirts, and I still haven’t chosen a fabric.
To begin with, I’m just intimidated. My attempts at sewing clothing before have been frustrating, to say the least. And, this isn’t just a skirt – it’s to be lined and have an invisible zipper! On the one hand, the weekend workshop is a wonderful opportunity for me to learn some new skills with a real-live teacher to help. That’ll be a first! On the other hand, I’m afraid I’ll destroy my supplies, be the dork of the class and not even like what I make (entirely my fault, of course). And then there’s the thought, what if I annoy Anna Maria and she doesn’t like me at all? (Wait, is this still high school?). Ahem. And there’s all my cards.
So, chin up, I’m going to Nashville. I’m bringing along two fabric options because I really couldn’t decide. Hoping you could help me with that! The skirt I’m making is a fairly common style with gathers that fall all around from under a wide drop yoke/waistband. I think it’s to look something like this one made by my friend Amanda of Little Cumulus, but with not quite as long of a drop yoke.
Anyhoo, here are my fabric options.
Option 1: familiar quilting cotton. a fabric I have no other use for. would have to make drop yoke/waistband out of the ash gray as shown, because do not have enough of print. the birds are great, and I like this kind of over-sized, open print for a skirt. a little too rainbow bright for a grown woman, perhaps? still, I think I would wear it. my husband says I will (yes, I am surprised he has an opinion on that).
Option 2: silky cotton voile (by Anna Maria, no less). a fabric I purchased for this project and it was pricey. afraid it will slip when I sew. afraid I will destroy it (I could save it for something else). the colors in the print are more “me” for clothes. the print is a little small and may make me look bigger? Aria thinks this fabric is dreamy. she is right.
Please help me decide!
I think that both options are lovely, but I am leaning more toward the second one.
You will do great and i am looking forward to seeing your amazing finished project. Have a great time with AMH!!!
Second one! Believe in yourself…you are a quick learner and so what if you make a few mistakes…that’s what seam rippers are for 🙂
Ooh, beautiful! Have a great time in Nashville and enjoy your class!! I like them both, but if you’re hesitant to use the second pricy one, you could always make the first skirt from the first fabric, then when you feel confident make a second one from the second fabric. But then again, I agree with the above – you’ll do great and are a quick learner. Have fun!
I’m with Michelle. Make your first out of the not-favorite fabric, then do the other one. They’re so different, no one will ever know they’re the same pattern! (and also, while i love the second fabric, i personally would be hesitant to take a designers own fabric to her class. But that’s just me)
Oh, and if you choose the voile, just remember to play with your thread tension, i usually loosen mine.
Enjoy! I love yellow, but both look great. I think also you would wear the first one, nice fabric for a skirt like you say. I have sewn with Anna Maria’s voile and it was surprisingly easy. This wasn’t very helpful, was it 🙂
Have a wonderful trip and fun in class! Both fabric choices are great; but maybe you’d be happier taking the first one and then if you love the skirt and feel like making another you could use the AMH? Tell Anna Maria I said hello! {wink}
I actually think the first is totally appropriate for a grown woman! I would wear it anyway… 🙂 I’m going to echo others and say try it first with the first option, save the more expensive voile for next when you have a bit more confidence. By the way, I find the voile very easy to sew with, and extremely comfortable to wear to boot! Have fun, sounds like a dream come true!
You are going to have so much fun! I think you may be surprised at how well you will do. You do have sewing experience. I would probably go ahead and use the second one. If you are anything like me, a second skirt may never be made 🙂
That’s the truth – I’m afraid the 2nd skirt would never get made!
If the second one is your favorite then go for it with that fabric. As you said, you will have a real live teacher there to help you. I am sure Anna Maria will have tips and tricks to teach you if the fabric is slippery. Have a wonderful trip and enjoy the class! Jealous!
I love the second fabric; it looks like it will drape nicely for a skirt. It looks like ‘you’. Good luck; you’ll be great! I finished a napkin today; took me two hours, and it didn’t turn out perfect, but for my first project I considered it a success! Thanks for inspiring me; looking forward to hearing all about your class and vacation!
Have a great trip. I like them both too. I’m with some of the other ladies – use the first one for the first skirt. Use it as practice run – a very nice pretty practice run :). Once you got a handle on it, then use the second fabric to make a second skirt.
I’m sure if you don’t want 2 skirts there will be plenty of use for it – ie: gift, give-away, etc.
Both are good choices, and under normal circumstances I would say use the least liked fabric for the first skirt. But, this is NOT normal circumstances! This is Anna Maria Horner teaching you to make the skirt! Pull out all the stops. I would take the voile, especially because I have read that it is harder to work with and who better to get tips from then the designer?
And don’t worry, she will love you. =]
You will do fine! Use the one you love!
i’m a cheapie so i would definitely do a practice run before i pulled out my expensive fabric.
That first fabric matches my bicycle so if you don’t use it let me know, I’d love to buy it off of you or swap for it!
And I think the bigger print with the white background might look to large for a skirt. Meaning, your eye is always drawn to white first and the large print makes it kind of overwhelming.
[…] 31, 2010 by Rachel Thank-you, thank-you for your comments and advice on Decisions, decisions. The first morning of Anna Maria Horner’s Skirting Couture workshop, I still didn’t […]