tissue cotton?

[Bama]

I want to make a 10 yard tiered skirt (ten yards at the hem) and read on one site that they recommend tissue cotton because it's light weight. I've searched and can't find a fabric called tissue cotton. Anyone know another name it might be called? I was thinking a cotton batiste might work, but wondered if the "tissue cotton" was even more light weight. A skirt that full could be quite heavy in the wrong fabric. Any other fabric suggestions and where to get them?

BTW, I'm probably going to use these directions and pleat the gathers rather than the zig-zag over dental floss and pull method that I've done in the past. http://www.wiggle.org.uk/skirt.htm The fabric type used in these directions would be much too heavy for me to wear so I want to go with the lighter fabric suggested on other directions.

I don't have a ruffler, which would probably be the easiest way. Maybe I'll get one if I decide to make more than one or two of these skirts. Of course dd wants one too.

[MartySews2]

To me, tissue cotton is very fine batiste or lawn. These full ruffled skirts also can be made of gauze. If you add a stay to each tier of ruffles plus a waistline stay, then skirt won't feel so heavy. A stay can be a strip of twill tape or use a grograin ribbon or selvege edge over the ruffles for each tier and the waist.
Marty

[DorothyL]

When I made one of those skirts for my daughter I found the easiest way -- I gathered but I would assume it would work with pleats -- was to have my daughter do the pulling of the gathers!
Those pleats look like a real pain to me and if I was you I'd have the kid who wanted a skirt get busy.
That skirt was a real pain. She had 5 tiers, each 1.5 times as long as the last. Just attaching them took forever. It was a two woman job. I sewed, she pulled the gathers.
Any light weight fabric should work well.
Dorothy

[pucktricks]

try bubble gauze

ticia

[temom]

Wow! You are so brave! I will be following this thread, that is for sure.
I have absolutely no advice, but would like to say Good Luck. If anyone can pull it off, you can!

[kaitlinnegan]

Maybe cotton voile? I think a batiste or lawn would be just fine too. Just the thought of all that hemming makes me tired.

[Bama]

Kaitlin, that's why I'm using those directions and leaving the selvage edge for the hemline. I know it's usually a no-no, but this is just for belly dance class. I might add a border around the bottom with a heavier contrasting fabric so it spins better.
Dorothy, I plan to have dd help with her skirt. It will be good for her.
I made her a tiered skirt from a pattern with a heavier weight cotton and it's just too heavy for her tiny body. And it's probably only 6 yards at the hem.

Can you believe some people make and wear 25 yard skirts? I'm not brave enough to try making one that size. I can understand why a ready made one costs $85 and up. I found these when I was googling for ideas: http://creationsbyangelia.com/25_yard_cotton_skirts.htm Very nice.

I'm going to check out Hobby Lobby tomorrow and see what I can find. A cotton voile might work if pantaloons were worn underneath. Isn't it pretty sheer?

[Bama]

I found some cotton gauze at Walmart for $1 a yard. It looks a lot like the gauzy fabric that Hobby Lobby had for $7.
It's white and I wanted black, but at least I can make one with this cheap fabric and see if I want to buy a more expensive fabric and make another one.

[MartySews2]

Bama, you could always dye the white cotton in black
Marty

[Bama]

I just might do that AFTER I finish the skirt. Thanks for pointing out what should have been obvious to me Marty. See what happens when I take two teenagers shopping with me. (dd and my 15yo nephew. He's been here for two days) My brain is in a fog after that and listening to Guitar Hero for hours at a time.
I bought what was left on the bolt and should have enough to make dd Simplicity top 4177 http://simplicity.com/index.cfm?page=th ... tartRow=37 with the extra amount. She suggested that when she saw the fabric. She wanted it in white.