Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Floral Shantung Dirndl Skirt (Simplicity 8211)


Hi, all!  Happy September!

I always am in a bit of a bind in late August and early September when it comes to sewing.  I am always excited to have the chance to make something lovely and fresh for the new school year (I teach full time), but because setting up a classroom and getting all manner of things together for the start of the school year is tough at best, I often can't get my sewing mojo on.  That said, this year I decided to go for it with a very unique fabric and a very simple pattern.  The two together check two boxes--it's a showstopper AND it's an easy make.  Bam!

It also happens to be a dirndl skirt, and because I am of German heritage (my mother is half German, and my grandmother was born and raised in Berlin), I actually have dirndls and wear dirndls!  (Every chance I get I am at a German festival or an Oktoberfest--typically in the dirndls that were passed down to me.)  I decided that I need a handmade dirndl of my own, but I chose to make my first as a dirndl skirt and a dirndl top combo so that I could wear the skirt on other occasions.  (The top will be from this Burda pattern and with my leftover fabric.)  If I actually can get my act together (unlikely, lol), I will have a full dirndl in time for my school's annual Oktoberfest on September 21.


Let's talk about this fabric.  It is stunning!  It looks so special in real life, what with its structured drape (comes from the weave of the polyester shantung) and saturated pops of color on the white background.  I looked up dirndls and many of the dirndl styles incorporate beautiful fabric like this, and not just the quilting cotton/calico that is typically associated with dirndls.  I love that with a two piece dirndl, this skirt can be used with less formal tees to keep it dressy casual, but can also be super dressed up for special occasions like a winter wedding, etc.

This fabric has been used before on this blog, in fact!  The way it was used by Michelle is JUST STUNNING.  Wowza!  I love how the drape is so dramatic, and should be a consideration when using it in a project.


When I saw it came back in stock over at Fabric Mart this summer, I decided to tell Fabric Mart that I would use the fabric from my stash (I bought it the last time they had it on the website) and make something from it.  Though it is now sold out, I am sure some of you reading this here bought it and are looking for ideas on how to use it.  I love the idea of bolder print/simpler design, but I could see this being used in a structured dress with precise darting and seaming, too.

If you are looking for other options for a dramatically draped skirt using a heavier fabric choice, here are some good options currently available on the website:

https://www.fabricmartfabrics.com/Black-White-100-Polyester-Abstract-Ikat-Floral-Print-Satin-Backed-Shantung-58W.html

https://www.fabricmartfabrics.com/dim-gray-off-white-cotton-polyester-floral-brocade-42w.html?category_id=1147

https://www.fabricmartfabrics.com/black-off-white-blue-orange-100-silk-satin-faced-dotted-petals-jacquard-organza-42w.html?category_id=1147

https://www.fabricmartfabrics.com/highlighter-peach-fluorescent-yellow-teal-black-polyester-rattan-broken-lattice-stripe-textured-jacquard-with-interfaced-backing-imported-from-italy-by-milly-54w.html?category_id=1147

You can see here the effect of removing extra width...while this is a fuller skirt, it is not so full that it crosses over into costumey and less wearable.  You can also see the back zip if you look closely!

The process of actually making the skirt was super simple, and that included changing the way the pattern looked (Simplicity 8211; I cut a size 12).  I made sure to take out a LOT of the extra width on the skirt as the heavier shantung is too "puffy" for a wide skirt like that.  I could see having a very wide short skirt like that on the runways, but for more conventional outings, I preferred that the puff be less "marshmallow man" and more "dandelion."  :-)  I took out five inches from the mid point of the pattern for both the back and the front, which means that the width went down from nearly 75" to 55"!  Crazy!  I still feel it is very full.

I also added the zip to the back rather than the side.  I appreciate a good side zip, but I prefer sewing a back seam, and adding a zip there, so I cut the midpoint of the back on the selvedge.  Bonus is that the selvedge is naturally fray resistant, so I didn't have to serge those seams.  I used a nine inch zip at the back and that is more than sufficient to get the skirt on and off.


The pockets are lovely and deep and look very professional.  I love the feel of the fun material on my hands when I put them in there!  It is also deep enough for my phone, which is one of the biggest out there, the Note 9.


I am so excited I finished this cute skirt even though I was crunched for time (yes, a few of the sewing sessions were early--5 am--and a few were late--10 pm).  I think I will wear this next Tuesday which happens to coincide with our "blue" day at school (we do rainbow colors everyday for the first few weeks--the kindergarteners love it).

I hope some of you were able to grab this awesome fabric before it left Fabric Mart!  What are you planning on doing with it if you got some?

Do any of you plan on making a dirndl?  I know Julie, who works aft Fabric Mart, mentioned she may make one this fall!  I hope she does a blog post on it!

You all have a great September and October, and I'll see you back here in November!

Comments

  1. I love your skirt Dina!! The fabric is stunning! You're looking great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw thank you! I'm really enjoying life, but it's been super busy! I was so grateful for a chance to slow down and sew!

      Delete
  2. I really like your skirt. What a perfect look for the classroom. I love the floral print and the colors. A very sharp looking teacher you are indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love your skirt. I just got some of this fabric as a mystery fabric. It’s gorgeous. Can’t wait to make something equally beautiful.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Bold Aspen Dress for Spring

 As I write this in mid-April, central New Jersey weather is showing small signs of spring. My neighbor’s daffodils are blooming and our magnolia tree is trying to unfold its vibrant magenta petals. I am in the midst of preparing my wardrobe for the warmer months, even if we are still huddling against windy 30 degree days. For me, warm weather means linen. I love breathable, floaty linen sundresses and drapey, loose linen wide-leg pants. My vision for a spring piece was something bold and bright, inspired by the natural colors of blooming flowers, but also something that could transition well between the warmer and cooler months. When I saw Fabric Godmother’s Apsen Dress, I knew that it had the sensible transitional opportunities I was looking for while also providing a blank canvas for fun prints, patterns and colors. With the pattern in mind, I then turned to the stunning linen collection that Fabric Mart always has on hand to see what colors or patterns would best suit my visio...

Made By A Fabricista: Celebrating warm weather with Spring sewing!

Hi sewing friends! I don’t know about you but boy, was winter cold and dreary this year! The weather here in the Philadelphia area has been slowly improving, but Spring sure did take her sweet old time to arrive. So by April, I was definitely in the headspace of needing to sew up things that were either bright and cheery or meant for the warmer weather I am very much craving right now. I recently purchased a few SewBexx Patterns so I took them on a test run to create some Spring makes. First on my list was to make a top using this absolutely gorgeous ITY fabric I picked up last year. I had two yards which was enough for a long sleeve shirt. I chose the Olivia top, which is oversized with a drop shoulder, has multiple lengths and a split hem. I think the pattern is intended for heavier fabrics but I was envisioning how lovely this top would look with the drape of ITY knit fabric, and it did not disappoint. It came together for me quickly and was a straight forward sew…and I love the br...

Made By A Fabricista: Stripes For Spring

Hi everyone!   It’s finally warming up here in southeastern Pennsylvania and I wanted to make a light, flowy dress for springtime. I snagged a vintage Laura Ashley pattern from Joanns on one of my last trips there. I somehow didn’t have anything in my pattern stash with a sweetheart neckline, so I thought it would be a good addition. The pattern calls for a giant gathered skirt, so I knew I would need something lightweight and drapey for it.  Something like a pink striped cotton fine seersucker. The fabric is light and has a really nice drape, almost like a challis . I knew it would gather beautifully. I  got to work cutting everything out, with help from my assistant. When I say the skirt is massive I mean it.  I ran into an issue right away where my fabric isn't wide enough to cut the back panel without opening the fabric out. And my three yards of fabric wasn’t enough to cut two back panels. I ran into this issue last year when making my pinafore dress . In ...