Awhile ago I went a little crazy buying vintage silk saris online (they are so cheap! and colorful! and embroidered!).  I posted previously about several of the garments that I made from them, and now I have added a couple more.

The first one is a super fun maxi skirt from lekala, #4186.  It is basically a circle skirt, but is has an asymmetric yoke and a split in front.  I thought that it would work really well with one of my embroidered saris.

The sari I picked was mostly green, but the contrast area (called the pallu, I believe) is pink and has a woven pattern.  I used that for the yoke and also for the area near the split.  I had to do a bit of piecing to get it on both sides, but I think that effect works.

I do wish that I had adjusted my parameters when getting this pattern (lekala makes a custom pattern based on your measurements) because the yoke is very tight.  I let it out as much as the seam allowances allowed, and I can just barely zip it up.  I’m glad that the yoke is both interfaced and made of the sturdier part of the fabric, because I don’t that the flimsy green part would withstand the strain.

The top is the Nettie bodysuit made in a cotton knit.

This skirt is fun to wear, especially with all the sequins on it.  I do wish there was enough of the embroidered area that I could have had a bit of it on the back as well as the front, but there just wasn’t enough of it.  I also think that if I make this again I would leave off the waistband.  The tight yoke makes it kind of redundant, and it end up more high waisted than I really wanted.

Twirl!

The second piece is actually pieced.  I used up scraps from 3 different saris that had been used for other projects– similar to how I use up knit scraps.  Most of my other scraps get tossed in my scrap bag and then made into quilt squares as described in this post.  However, I learned that sari silk is just too delicate to work well for quilting.  This is a shame, because it is such fun fabric; this is my alternative way to avoid throwing away the scraps.

The pattern is from Burdastyle, 8-2015, and I used it previously to make this top and this dress.  (I actually have fabric for a second dress as well.)  I pieced my scraps together first and then cut out the pattern pieces.  The raglan sleeves on this pattern worked especially well because the sleeves were already two pieces.  I love doing these types of projects because I find it a fun puzzle to make everything fit and also be aesthetically pleasing.

Since the silk is not opaque, I plan on always wearing this over another shirt, which actually makes it pretty great for fall layering.  If it is a depressing day, this top is sure to cheer me up!

And one more for fun!