Shopping and Fitting
When fabric shopping, consider what your pattern recommends for fabric and when and where you plan to wear your skirt. Synthetic fabrics or cotton-polyester blends are more wrinkle-resistant and easy to care for than natural fibers. A long skirt will drape better and be more flowing in a silk or silk-type fabrics. Gathered and elastic waist skirts should be of lightweight fabrics to keep them from seeming too bulky around the hips. Remember to check the notion list on the back of the envelope to get your interfacing, zipper, buttons, or elastic.
To fit your pattern with several sizes on the tissues, mark the cutting line for the appropriate size at the waist and the appropriate size at the hips, as described for the dress pattern in Chapter 15. Remember to cut the waistband or waistline facings in the size that corresponds to your choice for the waist.
If your pattern only has one size in the envelope, or you fit a size somewhere in between the pattern's size groupings, you should probably choose the size that most nearly fits your waistline. The hips are easier to alter if the waist has darts or curved seams for shaping.
If you have chosen a silk, suede, or other fabric that will show pinholes, you will not be able to redo seams if you don't get them right the first time. Try out your pattern first on something that will handle some altering so you know the pattern fits just right before you cut out your more expensive fabric.
