DIY: THE WELLINGTON SKIRT

'Success? Failure?' Rating: ★★★★☆

My wife and I live in Wellington, NZ. Wellington is known for its wind (both the political and the weather kind). You can spot a tourist in Wellington as they are the only ones who carry umbrellas (usually broken) - locals wear a raincoat. Raincoats are often too short to completely cover a skirt. Solution: the Wellington Skirt (to go with your Wellington Boots, perhaps?)...

The Wellington Skirt: The patternI used my Filter Holder Calculator to help with the pattern for the skirt (by substituting centimetres for millimetres in the calculator). I entered a 'base diameter' (i.e. waist diameter) of 27; a 'maximum lens extension' (i.e. waist-to-bottom-hem length) of 80; and, a 'filter diameter' (i.e. twice waist) of 54. The resulting pattern is on the right. I used a length of string and tailor's chalk to transfer the pattern to a suitable piece of waterproof fabric. I increased the extent of the sector to around 65° in order to create a good 30cm of overlap in the skirt.

After cutting out the pattern, I hemmed it and added sets of press fasteners to the waist and just-above-the-knee.

The Mrs. is very happy with the result!

The Wellington Skirt: On the floor
The Wellington Skirt: On the floor
The Wellington Skirt: On the Mrs.
The Wellington Skirt: On the Mrs.

Success? Failure?

★★★★☆

Pros: Very lightweight/compact to carry.

Cons: None that I can think of!

Enhancement Suggestions: Add a band of webbing (or other weighty fabric) to the bottom hem to help weigh it down; elasticate the waist band (as well as press domes) to enhance wearability (especially when sitting in it); build a waterproof pouch into the inside for storage when wet.