Couture Skirt An easy and wearable garment teaches essential guipure techniques | By Susan Khalje

eautiful guipure lace is what guipure vary tremendously. Some are and shaped to follow the contours of catches the eye in this trendy small and finely worked, while others the body, echoing the shape created B two-tone skirt, but it’s the layers are heavy and bold with lots of space by the darts and side seams. It is then of cotton and charmeuse beneath between the motifs. finished with a center-back , zip- that enable the guipure to take Given the horizontal, structured per, and petersham waistband. center stage. nature of guipure, it makes sense to Here, I’ll show you how to properly Guipure is unique in that it doesn’t use it for a simple garment, such as a orient lace so it lies smoothly and have a net background. Instead, its pencil skirt, and to place the attrac- evenly spaced throughout, shape motifs are held together with small tive along the edge. The lace at the darts and side seams, and bars. These so-called “brides” featured skirt requires four layers: handle lace along the open- make cutting through guipure pain- The is made with silk crepe ing. With these straightforward steps, less, since you can easily isolate a de Chine, the underlining is cot- you’ll see how simple it is to make an motif with a clean that leaves the ton batiste, the fabric is silk elegant couture skirt with guipure. design intact. The space between the charmeuse, followed by the guipure motifs provides room for an under- lace top layer. To prevent the guipure Susan Khalje is a couture expert, lying fabric to shine through for a from drooping, it must be tacked to an teacher, author, and Threads contribut- striking look. The designs available in underlining. The lace is also trimmed ing editor; SusanKhalje.com

Supplies

• Guipure; a length equal to the desired skirt’s widest • Lining; same measurement as the fashion fabric measurement plus 4 inches (Note: The selvage will be • 7-inch regular skirt zipper (not invisible) placed along the .) • 1-inch-wide petersham ribbon for the waist ; waist • Fashion fabric; two skirt lengths plus enough for the hem measurement plus 4 inches allowance and at least a 1-inch at the • Hook and eye skirt’s top edge. (Note: Cut with the vertical grainline parallel to the selvage.) • Carbon • Prewashed muslin or reasonably-bodied cotton batiste for • Thread to match the lace, fashion fabric, and lining the underlining; same measurement as the fashion fabric • Medium-sized snaps (optional)

44 THREADS , seam, and zipper details are hidden in this elegant guipure pencil skirt.

Lace: metallic guipure, B&JFabrics.com; fashion fabric: silk charmeuse from the author’s stash.

www.threadsmagazine.com October/November 2014 45 5 2 3 4 1 underlining. the guipure. of the fashion fabric Cut to matchthe side,right these linesguideeven since positioning basting stitchesasvisiblepossiblefromthe fabric’s the sideseambegins.the uppercurve in Makethe front. Then, basteahorizontal hiplevel lineat where the edges,along the darts, at the center andat contrasting thread, hand-baste the layers together carefullytake apart, it andreleasethe darts. the guipure isapplied.the muslinfits, Once markit, edges, thencut. seamallowances 1-inch aroundthe least Include at all the fabric’sthroughto pulled sidewhenstitched. right won’tthroughthe fashion show so it fabric orbe carbon paper.the carbonpapercolor Choose carefully grainlines, seamlines, waistline, hemline, with anddarts 46 the fashionto lining fabric. Next,the hem. turn up the sideseamsand sew partially two muslinwithonefront and backpieces.Createthree-piece a skirt fits, Once it tracethe under theunderliningandbaste tothe pieces the foundation with Start adjustments. same length.they aren’t, If makethe appropriate center-backto make seam sure bothsidesarethe allowancesto even widths, andpressthem open. the bastedhorizontalto up lines.the seam Neatlytrim

the hemlength, can’t easilybealtered sinceit after Begin by fittingamuslin.Pay careful attentionto First,underlining. measurethe open along Turnthe to the hemandcatchstitch up it underlining. Tracetheir the piecesandmark Pressthe muslinpieces, andlaythem over the overthe fashion fabric,the grainlines. aligning With Laythe marked underliningpieces inasinglelayer •  •  •  lace C underlining asone,the skirt’s andsew sideseams the sideseams. Sew Treatthe fashion fabric and other at the center back. other at to each them next want apairof not might back seam.the lace haslarge If motifs, you the center- along See wherethemotifs meet matter. center front is agood idea; may or may it not the to the laceseeifplacingamotifat Study beyondthe fashion fabric’s hem. instance, you wantthe motifsto might extend Determine where youto wantthe laceend. For THREADS onsideration s Side seam C atchstitches Waistline

Grainline asting at hiplevelBasting at Darts U nder FASHION FAB Zipper placement g (WS) linin C (RS) RI

Center back -

Photos: (45; p. 49, right) Jack Deutsch; all other photos, Sloan Howard. Stylist: Jessica Saal. Hair and makeup: Patrycja for Halley Resources. Styling credits: (p. 45) earrings—House of Harlow 1960 (Macys.com), top—BCBG (LordAndTaylor.com); (p. 49) earrings and bracelet—stylist’s own, top—DKNYC (Macys.com). Position and attach the lace Position the lace motifs on the skirt as desired. Then the lace to the fabric layers. These stitching lines are essential in keeping the lace properly oriented. Finally, construct the skirt.

With the skirt right side up, position the lace over the fashion fabric. the lace’s lower edge along the hemline Basting 1 as desired (see “Lace considerations,” on the facing page). Smooth the lace into place, keeping it flat and evenly spaced. Do not stretch it.

Pin the lace along the center front. It helps to count the 2 motifs and measure their distance from the hem to keep Center-front line the sides symmetrical. Pin the lace in rows spaced every few inches. Stop once you get to the basted horizontal line.

Attach the lace. Secure the lace to both skirt layers with a 3 small or fell stitch along the skirt’s hem edge. Use thread that matches the lace. Be sure the bottommost stitches don’t show through the hem allowance. Notice how the scalloped edge’s midpoint aligns with the skirt’s center-front line.

Working horizontally, tack the lace in place using running stitches 4 or . Work upward from the hem. Begin and end each Fell stitch tacking row about 1 inch from the center-back seam, and space the rows Hem edge approximately 2 inches apart (depending on the motif design). Do not pull the stitches tightly, otherwise the motifs will distort. Continue until Secure lace to the hem edge. you reach the basted horizontal line at hip level.

Continue tacking the lace. Tack the lace above the 5 horizontal line on the front and back pieces, but continue to keep at least 1 inch away from the seamlines and darts. Be sure the lace stays even at the center front and doesn’t shift to one side when tacking it to the upper center-back panels.

2 inches On the foundation 6 layers, sew the darts, the remaining Lace part of the side seams, and the center-back seam up to the zipper marking. Do not catch the lace in any seam as you sew. Trim the Running stitches seam allowances for neatness, and press them open. Press the Underlining (WS) darts on a pressing ham toward the center Underlining (WS) front and center back.

Sew and press the darts without catching the lace in the seams. www.threadsmagazine.com October/November 2014 47 Conceal the shaping Garments are shaped with seams and darts, but lace should be treated differently at these areas to avoid unnecessary bulk. Lap and trim the lace along darts and seams for nearly invisible results.

Trim and arrange the lace at the A B 1 darts, side seams, and the center- back seam below the zipper opening. Sewn Lay the skirt over a ham, cut into the dart Sewn brides joining the lace motifs to the dart approximate length of the dart or seam (A), and overlap the motifs so the lace conforms to the underlying curve. The overlaps should be in the same general area as the darts and seams, but needn’t be exactly on top of each other. Then, cut away the Cut into excess lace from the underlayer so the the lace, Cut the pieces just barely overlap (B). keeping excess lace the motifs from the intact. underlayer.

Next, fell-stitch the lace edges. Put the topmost layer The lace can be treated a 2 into position, pin, and fell-stitch the edges with matching 3 number of ways at the zipper thread through all layers to hold the overlap in place. opening. If the lace is lightweight, as shown at right, secure it along the seamlines with small running Fell-stitch the stitches. Next, fold it and the fabric slightly overlapped to the inside, and install the zipper edges together. The sewn dart is hidden beneath the by hand, carefully matching the lapped lace. motif placement. If the motifs are heavy, as shown below, some can be trimmed and arranged to overlap the zipper and snap into place once the skirt has been For lightweight zipped. Not only is the zipper lace, turn it and the fabric under covered, the lace also appears at center back continuous and seamless. and insert the zipper by hand.

A B

Snaps Cut and lapped lace

Cut and lapped lace

Zipper

Insert the zipper by hand, trim the lace, and apply snaps where the motifs meet (A) to hide a zipper beneath heavy lace motifs (B).

48 THREADS Finish with a ribbon waist facing Once the lace has been secured to the foundation layers, use the muslin as a to cut the lining. A traditional waistband is often too heavy and thick for this skirt type. Instead, use petersham to make an inner waist facing.

Make and Attach the lining Lay the muslin pattern pieces over the lining fabric; cut with sufficient 1 seam allowances. Transfer the markings. Then, sew the pieces together as usual. Press and trim the seam allowances.

Insert the lining into the skirt with wrong sides together. Turn under the 2 lining’s raw edges near the zipper and secure the lining along both sides of the zipper tape with small fell stitches. Fold the lining’s bottom edge so it rests 3 about ⁄4 inch above the hem; form an , and attach it to the skirt’s hem allowance with small running stitches.

Complete the waist Join the fabric layers. Machine-staystitch along the waistline, joining all four 1 layers: the guipure, the fashion fabric, the underlining, and the lining. Trim 3 the waistline seam allowance to ⁄4 inch, and zigzag the raw edge.

Topstitch the petersham. Use a 2 moderately hot iron and steam to shape a piece of petersham so Petersham it matches the skirt’s top edge Topstitching Staystitching contour. Flip it over and align the new top edge with the staystitching line on the skirt’s right side. The petersham will now cover the seam allowances. it in place, as shown. Note: If the petersham has been oriented correctly, the unstitched edge will appear fluted. This will be fixed once the seam Topstitch the petersham to the skirt along the allowances are clipped. staystitching line.

Clip the seam allowance 3 generously beneath the petersham. Then, fold the Turn the petersham to the skirt’s petersham and its underlayers inside edge. inside the skirt, along the staystitching line. Press this edge A bold color combination, such as aubergine firmly. Tack the petersham’s lower lace and chartreuse fashion fabric, really makes edge to the darts and side seams. Tack at the darts. this classic skirt pop. lining

Turn under the petersham’s Lace sources 4 raw ends. Tack them in • BAndJFabrics.com place with a few stitches near • Fabrics-Fabrics.com the zipper. Finish by securing a hook and eye to the petersham • Mendel Goldberg Fabrics at the center back. 72 Hester Street Attach a hook and eye New York, NY 10002 to the petersham. (212) 925-9110 www.threadsmagazine.com October/November 2014 49