Wednesday 6 August 2014

Viscose knits: a sonnet

Ah viscose, beautiful viscose knits...  How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...




OK it won't actually be a sonnet (did you guess already?)  Let's call it an ode. I have been steadily falling in love with viscose knits this summer, and thought I'd show you just two of the ways - in my opinion two of the best ways - I wear them.

The items on display here are a Maria Denmark kimono tee (free pattern!) and a basic quarter-circle skirt with wide elastic at the waist (thank you, By Hand London circle skirt app!) Both very simple shapes and both excellent everyday clothing.




And both elevated beyond their basic-ness by the cool, fluid drape of the fabric. This, readers is why I love viscose knits. They hang wondrously, and they're incredibly, breathably fresh to wear. Lightweight but rarely transparent, they have excellent stretch recovery, and hold up ever so well. Honestly, I know about this: a black maxi skirt worn by the mother of small children generally comes in for a lot of accidental abuse.

This particular black maxi skirt is my replacement for an even-more-basic rectangular H&M maxi I had that died at the end of last summer: the stretch was gone, and it had always been a bit see-through.  No more cotton! I vowed. Only to find that all the black viscose had sold out everywhere in Brussels (I'm clearly not the only fan). I had to go to Antwerp, and once I'd finally got it, I grabbed enough to make a BIGGER skirt than the previous one - because, um, more fabric is always better?


See? Lots of fabric.


The tees, I've been living in - I made three. This one, a black one and hot pink. All viscose, and all easy to wear with almost anything.  They're long enough to cover your bum, which means they're ideal paired with leggings-as-trousers, and they're on just the right side of oversized to let the air circulate. That's the air coming through the lovely, breathable viscose...

Maybe I sound a little obsessed. It's been hot dammit!




Turns out it's quite hard to photograph the wide swish of a slinky maxi skirt. You have to do silly moves.

What do you think - are you a fan of viscose knits, too?  What's your favourite fabric?


10 comments:

  1. Stephanie RamaekersAugust 06, 2014 7:52 pm

    Remember the viscose knits I bought last summer at our meet-up. I sewed up the first one of those two weeks ago. AND OMG IT'S PERFECT!! There is nothing that drapes as nicely!

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  2. i have one vicose renfrew and fabric for another that i really need to make as I wear it every week, love it!
    Berger usually has a pretty good selection.

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  3. Suchperfect timing! I want driving around to a bunch of fabric shops in the cities (sort of) near me on a search for viscose knits - and tragically, found none! In the process of doing my fabric review videos I've realised that without fail my favourites are always rayon/viscose/bamboo knits- just so perfect! Your top and skirt look so nice on you. Can' you imagine the same patterns sewn up in a stiff interlock, or a cotton lycra that shows every bump? Ugh. Viscose forever!!!

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  4. Yes they're my trusted source! It was the high wardrobe rotation of one t-shirt last summer that made the click for me too - now almost all my knit garments are viscose.

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  5. They look super cool and comfy! I've only used a viscose knit once before and it was a bit too flowy and drapey for my needs at the time. But I'd give it another go with a more suitable pattern. A maxi is a fab idea!

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  6. SeamsOddLouise.Blogspot.comAugust 08, 2014 5:25 pm

    These are lovely I have an RTW maxi in black and like your previous one it has seen better days. Your new version looks great.

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  7. Wow! This looks so comfy! I don't own any viscose knits, but I must a dream to wear! Viscose is so lovely to wear in summertime, and that in a knit is an extra plus!!

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  8. Ahhh yeah I love viscose knits. They just feel so incredibly luxurious - although they can cling a bit, I'll sacrifice that.

    And why have I never thought of a viscose knit pencil skirt??! I am so doing this for summer!

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  9. Looks super comfy and stylish at the same time!

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