Sarong as beach cover up for late holiday

[RuthieK]

DH and I are going on a resort holiday at the end of next week. I have bought some new swimwear but was rather late in the season and did not manage to get any sarong type cover ups - my legs are not the best.
It seems to me though that sarongs are actually very simple - just a big rectangle of fabric, the size depends on the hip width you have and the finish wearing length you want to have.

So on a hip width of 43" and a wearing length of 33" how big should I cut the fabric.
What sort of fabric is suitable - I don't really like the poly fabrics the cheap commercial sarongs tend to made from here in the UK

[AnnRowley]

Mine are packed away so I can't measure - but one and a half times hip would be about right I'd guess. And a couple of inches extra on the length.

Do you have a bit of "stash" fabric you can experiment with? Fold it to an approximate size to get an idea...

And definitely not poly!  Mine are fine cotton...

I hope you get lots of sunshine.   

[Karrol]

Ruthie, I have a bunch of these all from Hawaii. The long ones are approx. 56" x 45" and they go to the ankle. The short ones are approx. 67" x 23" and go to the knee (I have no idea why they are wider!). These are the ones I wear the most for poolside. I even swim in them (I have thigh issues! ). These are all in a light rayon batik. I have one from Mexico that is a heavier cotton, it's 64" x 34". These are all basic rectangles with fringes on the shorter ends. I think one and a half times the hip measurement x length you desire is plenty for a basic side tie style.
I have made a couple from cotton prints that I wear as wrap skirts. I measure twice the hip circumference and then from the waist to whatever length you want the skirt to be. When cutting, I add a tie tab - that is, from the waist add an extra 12" to 18" for ties then cut down about 3", in at an angle to the double measured hip measurement and down to the hem, curving if desired for a nice look when worn. On each side. So you wrap around twice and tie with the tab ends. Harder to describe than it is to do. I can draw it on paper and scan for you if you want, but the basic rectangles are the easiest for holiday wear.
How fun! Have a great holiday!

[StitchWench]

Hi RuthieK, like you I'm not enamoured with my legs so I sew the open ends of my sarongs together to make a 'cylinder'. I step into the cylinder, pull it up to my waist, grab 2 handfuls of fabric & tie them into a knot, I pull the fabric hanging down behind the knot up and over the knot so I have all these folds that hang down and make walking easier. I either anchor the fabric over the knot or poke it through the centre. I hope this makes sense. I use 1.5 times my hips and find no split makes me less self conscious and I don't have to worry about the wind whipping the sarong apart and exposing an expanse of bare leg. HTH
StitchWench (Australia)

[RuthieK]

Great ideas, I have promised DH some PJ shorts first, but then I think I'll do a simple cylinder sarong in brown and a double wrap with tie adapted from Butterick B4526 in black. This would provide something which tones with all the swimsuits which either have black or brown in them somewhere.
http://www.butterick.com/item/B4526.htm

[RuthieK]

I sewed a double wrap around with ties in plain black cotton. I quite like it but DH says its 'boring', which I must agree is true.
So I think I will add some rows of contrast machine embroidery stitches (the ones only the width of a zig zag) to add a little interest.

[booglass]

Love the Butterick pattern.  I have oodles of sarongs but I think the pattern is better.  The big rectangular sarongs can add bulk when wrapped.  But a cover up with a few well placed darts and ties can be far more flattering ensuring you are the envy of your fellow travelers.  :-)

boo