Re: Birch Street Sprial Skirt Pattern

Pat in Virginia wrote:

Hi Kate!
Question about those broomstick skirts. I've been wanting to make or buy one but cannot decide on the 'best' type for a woman with a very apple shape. What would be better, the elastic waist with gathers, or the dropped yoke with a zipper? IOW, which one would be better at camouflaging the rather round tummy area? Not that *I* have these problems ... this is a hypothetical question! ;)
Thank you. PAT in VA/USA

I sometimes think apple shapes are the very WORST to find a flattering skirt for! Pencil is usually best, or that lovely inverted tulip shape that flares out from the knee... However, if she's insisting on a broomstick, I'd still go for the elastic... Just make the top tier not too ample, and the elastic waist nice and broad. There are two good ways to do this:

1: 2" wide elastic: make the casing wide enough for the elastic, and then, once the skirt is otherwise complete and the gathers evenly distributed, stitch through the elastic in vertical lines in 4 or 6 places, evenly spaced. This will stop it folding and twisting inside the casing and prevent the chewed string look!

2: Make four or five narrow channels in the waistband and thread each one carefully with narrow 'knicker' elastic: this is a bit more professional looking, but takes longer. It makes a very comfortable waistband. It looks a lot better than the elastic that you sew on with several lines! THAT looks OK if you have a factory style multi-needle machine built for doing this, but is a pain to do one row at a time.

If the top tier is gathered just a bit it won't cling to the hips and is easier to fit than a yoke. Also, I find that a yoke can emphasize the hips being smaller than the tummy. Just be careful that it fits snug enough not to drop at the front and give an uneven hem, but not so snug that it's uncomfortable.
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