| Lining a Mermaid Tail Skirt |
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By Susan Khalje
DIY-Do It Yourself Network A sewing friend -- a former student, actually -- just called with an interesting sewing dilemma, and I'd like to share the solution we came up with. She's hemming a long skirt with a mermaid tail. In this case, the tail isn't formed from a separate piece of fabric -- it's formed by widening the two center back panels. The fashion fabric is dark blue polyester satin and she underlined it with silk organza. The underlining helps the polyester maintain its shape and give it body -- it also gives a layer of fabric to attach hemming stitches to, sparing the fashion fabric. My friend is getting ready to put in the lining and she asked how I would line it. Mermaid tails combine style with function. They can give more movement to a tightly-fitted skirt or to a straight add movement. They can be bulky and difficult to line. In the first place, the hem is curved, and matching the lining to the curve is tricky. Secondly, lining fabric in the "tail" as well as the fashion fabric can create a lot of bulk. I suggested instead shaping the lining differently from the skirt. I didn't ask her if the skirt was straight, A-line or bell shaped; regardless, the lining can be cut without the tail sectional. In the case of a straight skirt, the lining can simply go straight down. Add a deep kick pleat opening though so the wearer still has mobility. If the skirt is A-line, the lining can be, too, minus the "tail." If the skirt is bell-shaped, the same thing applies. The shape of the bell should give the wearer enough movement without adding kick pleat, but one could always be added if necessary. In all thee instances, the circumference of the skirt and the circumference of the lining differ, so the lining needs to hang independently of the skirt. In this case, the raw edges of the skirt and lining need to be taken care of either by serging, pinking, zigzagging or even hand-overcasting. If the skirts seams are angled, then fraying may not be too much of an issue and careful trimming may be sufficient to control the raw edges. The lining will go over them, so remember you simply want to guard against fraying. I then suggested using French tacks (sometimes called sing tacks) - little lengths of crocheted thread that join, very loosely, the fashion fabric of the skirt to the lining. These are placed on the side seams, at the top of the hem allowance and are an inch or so in length they keep the fashion fabric and the lining in the same area, so the lining doesn't twist around inside the skirt. Regardless of the skirt's varying circumferences, side seams can be lined up and loosely joined. Remember, as long as logic applies, what sometimes seem like unorthodox lining solutions can work very well. As long as your logic is clear, the solutions to many sewing dilemmas can be unorthodox and still very successful. (Susan Khalje is an author and host of DIY-Do It Yourself Network "Sew Much More" which airs weekdays at 2:00 P.M> ET. Contact her at skhalje@aol.com or Box 51 Long Green, MD 21092. For more information, visit www.SusanKhalje.com or www.diynet.com.)
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