After the Mohair Lace Skirt, here comes another skirt! A skirt that is also constructed from a shawl, albeit with a very different shape and construction method. Today I present the Spiral Lace Skirt.
Let’s take a look first at the shawl piece I used for this project piece. The original was a triangle lace shawl worked in a gradient cotton yarn in shades of beige and blue. The shawl was made at quite a large size and featuring columns of a chevron-like lace pattern.
For making additions and seams I opted for the same sport weight cotton-silk yarn that I used for the Mohair Lace Skirt. I quickly realized though that this yarn by itself would not be enough, so I supplemented with a DK weight cotton yarn in a darker pale blue shade.
Due to the large size of the shawl, I first thought I could make a nice summer top with it. The first thing I tried modelling on the body form was a top put together with pleats and seams. After a few failed attempts at finding something I liked, I abandoned this idea altogether. Pleats did not seem to work well with this shape and fabric.
It was time to try something else. The shawl was large enough to wrap around the body at least once, that’s why I focused on trying a skirt instead. The final shape came rather easy: the spiral seam works really well with the elasticity and drape of this lace fabric.
So how did I construct this skirt? I took the wide upper edge of the shawl and placed it on the waist of the body form. Using one corner as the starting point, I wrapped it around the waist and used removable stitch markers to mark/create the first closure point. I measured this waist circumference and made sure that it is wide enough to allow for the skirt to be worn without the need of buttons/zippers at the waist. Then I took the rest of the fabric from the waist and started connecting it with removable stitch markers diagonally across the side of the shawl until there was no more fabric left from the wide upper edge. This concludes the setup for the seams.
In the next step, I worked a flexible crochet seam across this entire marked line. I achieved this by working a ‘net’ of single crochet and chain stitches. I avoided using a classic rigid seam, because I wanted the seam to move with the elasticity of the fabric. Not to create awkward puckering and issues with the ease of the overall knitted fabric.
Once this seam was finished, I worked a round of single crochet stitches around the entire bottom edge. I had two reasons for this addition. To strengthen the edge and to provide a nice border – a contrast with the colors of the shawl.
Next I concentrated on the waistband. I did not work a closed type of waistband with an elastic as I made for the Mohair Lace Skirt. Here I wanted to keep the lacy and see-through effect of the knitted fabric throughout the piece. The alternative I came up with was rather simple. I picked up stitches around the now-seamed waistband. Then I worked a round of double crochet stitches to create the ‘base’. Then I switched to a simple crochet net by working one double crochet stitch followed by one chain stitch all around. I finished the waistband by working a round of reverse single crochet stitches.
Lastly I prepared a really long string by working foundation single crochet stitches and the thicker cotton yarn. This string works as the waistband strap to make adjustments and enhance the fit around the waist.
And those were the steps to put the piece together and create a long maxi skirt. What do you think of it?
I personally find the final result super fun and easy to wear. The knitted fabric is elastic and drapey and the whole thing does not weigh more than 260gr! I also like how the spiral seam places the color gradiation in unexpected positions, creating a unique and interesting effect.
I had lots of fun working on this piece and I hope you enjoy the result as well. 🙂
The Spiral Lace Skirt is available for purchase now in my shop.
