Hi Kathe

Maybe you've already seen this sweet little kitchen with the skirt....but in case you haven't...

KA:)

Here is a link that might be useful: sweet kitchen with skirt

Below is a link with more than just sinks skirted, but you can see the ideas. There are more posts featuring skirted sinks on the website.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen cabinets with skirts

Hi Kathec,

Here are a few. Skirts add a sense of charm and yet can be
put in an elegant kitchen like below.

~boxer

Estates Greystone Veranda

Newlywed diaries blog

Google image

Canadian Cottage blog

Brooke Gianetti

Gorgeous! Thanks for all the pictures everyone! It's so great to see a variety of materials. Although I'm a not at the finishing touches stage, actually, a long way from it, I'm definitely storing away the images. I've never seen the Canadian Cottage Blog, I definitely need to check it out. That image is the same model sink I'm planning on. I'm glad to see that it looks great with a skirt.

Kathe

I find it interesting that these sink treatments are now magazine-worthy. In my childhood, these humble kitchen items were features of the old timey kitchens of grandma and her cohort. Well, I guess what goes around, etc. Enough of nostalgia.

Having constructed a sink skirt for my elderly mom's wheelchair-access sink in her current residence, just want to say that you need to think through the issue of how to enter the various areas under skirted sink. At the sides? through a split at center? Will you need to touch the fabric? With wet hands, hands holding compost, etc? Will you need to push the fabric left or right on its dowel or just move the side edge? I learned later that there are readymade pivoting half-width metal dowel hardware units which I wish I had had access to before I sewed ours.

Also, consider the fabric durability and washability before fantasizing about that gauzy real white linen with the antique faggoting. Unlike windowcurtains, these curtains are more likely to get really dirty.

I am considering sewing a skirt for this sink. For this type of sink, what would my options be for attaching it?

Florantha is completely right about choosing the correct material. The skirt needs to be something that can go in the wash as needed without fear of fading or wear, such as ticking or light canvas. About 10 years ago, I made cabinet skirts for a friend & we chose black ticking with a coordinated stripe pattern for the drapery fabric window toppers. She's moved but there's a piece of that ticking hanging on her new back door. And it still looks pretty good!

Judydel:
If your skirt is not going to be entered very often (blush!) you might find that adhesive Velcro-type connection might suit well. You can put the stiff hook side on the sink with the built-in adhesive and sew the soft side to a permanently gathered skirt. This would allow the skirt to be tugged off for washing and repositioned quickly after you've finished ironing.

Otherwise, you will need to work up a frame of wood or use some kind of fabric cinching method to tighten a gathering cord around the sink. Is there a way to adhere a pair of stick-on hardware store hooks at center front of sink and run two cords, one on each side, to a screw-in eye on the beadboard at same level on sides?

I wonder if this topic is addressed in an old/traditional sewing book, such as the standard Singer sewing guide? Look for one in a Goodwill store? This is definitely an old-timey product and people made them for that kind of sink as a matter of course. By the way, Grandma had a foot-deep wooden shelf running the width of the sink about a foot off the ground, under her skirt. I wonder who made that--a former owner perhaps? Her house was an 1880s one and she bought it in 1942. I played under that skirt when I was a little kid.

All good points florantha. I haven't decided on a fabric yet, but I was thinking along the lines of Sunbrella-type indoor/outdoor. I figure if this fabric can handle sun and rain, it should be able to handle sink drips and occassional wet hands.

I'm hoping to put a narrow pullout, either between my sink and dishwasher or to the left of the dishwasher (I haven't decided) to hold items that need to be accessed often, like dishwasher tabs, cleaner spray, extra sponges, etc. I'm also planning on a pull out trash to the right of the sink, one of two. The other will be in the island.

My last sink cabinet was set on a corner and was like a black hole that sucked in all cleaning products and plastic grocery bags. I couldn't believe everything that came out of there just before the demo. This cabinet will be up against the wall and will be smaller, so I'm hoping to avoid filling it with too much stuff.

I'm still under construction, so I haven't figured out hardware yet. Swing arm rods are a great idea. I'll need to see if they come in the size I need and aren't too expensive.

This is supposed to be a cost saving measure for me, I guess a lot like grandma's house. I'm going for a classic/traditional kitchen with a vintage bent. My range is a Chambers from the 50's. I think a skirt would be appropriate, but probably not magazine worthy LOL. I'm okay with that as long as it functions better than the one the house came with.

Judydel, I love your sink! I wish I could afford something so roomy with lovely legs. I'm hoping to get that same look using the IKEA sink and wood legs. I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Kathe

Unless you are doing a very tailored? pleated? skirt, I'd choose a fabric that drapes better than Sunbrella.

Do you live in an area that has a fabric outlet store? If you don't object, look for some Scotchguarded drapery fabric, which is no longer available in current retail lines. I think it was discontinued by 3M about 6-8 years ago, but outlet stores still have it, such as Mill Ends here in Twin Cities.

Or look at other fabrics in the drapery section of a fabric store and choose something with synthetic fibers in it and wash it in hot water and dry it hard before you sew it up. Or choose a fabric that has color dyed in the thread, not printed on, such as a solid color or a non-printed plaid. You can do a lot with trims on a solid color background and if you choose just a plain contrasting color band, you are in fashion right now. You should prewash and predry these also. Don't forget to wash and dry the trim too. Or attach the trim in such a way that it can be removed for washing.

Or just choose whatever fabric you like right now and plan to change it out when it fades or gets dirty. This is not a difficult sewing project and the fabric cost is minimal.

Thanks for the tip on the sunbrella. I haven't really researched them. You're right though. Most of them are very stiff. I'm not sure how frilly or pleated I'm going to go. I was going to ask my mom : ). She's the real seamstress of the family. I just sew the basics.

I'm in the Dallas area. I'll definitely see what's available in scotchguarded fabrics. I know we have several fabric shops, but I don't know if they're current lines or discontinued.

I kind of like the idea of going simple on the skirt. Maybe I'll see if I can find a solid and trim it. My window treatments are going to be made from a discontinued Laurie Smith fabric. I've had this fabric for a few years now. I'm FINALLY going to use it, but it IS a bit busy. The sink will be directly under the window, so the two need to relate to each other.

You're right about it being a fairly small amount of fabric. I guess if I make something up now, I'm not married to it and can change it easily. On that not, I might have some fabric in my stash that will work...

I appreciate all the feedback and you've definitely given me a lot of options to consider.

"If your skirt is not going to be entered very often (blush!) you might find that adhesive Velcro-type connection might suit well."

Florantha you are too funny. Aside from your humor . . . you're very smart. I like the idea of the velcro fastening. I found a gal on Etsy that will make the skirt for you (using your dimensions) with the velcro fastener.

Thanks for your help! Great thread : )

kathec:
I've sewn many new looks for our patio furniture over the years--we ruin a set of Sunbrella-weight chair cushion covers every two years because they're directly under a black walnut tree with birds and squirrels sitting in the limbs. Critter poop, pollen, nutshells, and squirrel spit. AARGH!

Re your skirt--
Since you already have a print, if you have enough to spare, you can use the print for the trim band. Find a solid color that complements the print and prewash both the skirt fabric and the piece of the print fabric to be used for the trim so they don't shrink on subsequent washings. The trim piece should be sufficient to make a band about 6-8 inches up from the floor and about an inch or 1.5 inch wide plus turn-under allowance of 1/2 inch each side. Press the trim piece so the edge is sternly turned under on all sides, then stitch it down (from the top). Don't hem the skirt until the trim is attached and hung from the dowel/rod for a while so it stretches as much as it's gonna stretch. Plan the hem just as you would a real skirt--you want it to hang nicely and be positioned just where you want it. You can machine-stitch the hem or hand-stitch it.

This is not a difficult sewing project and it will give you a feeling of satisfaction to get it done.

I've been collecting pictures of "in" roman shades for six months from kitchen resources online and I've noticed how many tailored roman shades there are with contrasting band trim. It's a fashionable look. If you want to make things very coordinated, use a piece of the solid fabric for a trim band on the print curtains. But be sure you retain an extra hunk of the curtain fabric for a second skirt trimming just in case the original skirt gets too dirty to use before the curtains get too dirty to use.

Judydel:
No, I am not funny. You will note the expletive "aargh" in use in my postings, similar to Charlie Brown's use of the term. Clearly I am a very serious, sober, contemplative person. Nevertheless, thanks for the compliment!--F.

How could we have missed this one? Very restrained good taste.

Here is a link that might be useful: EngmaQuandry redo with skirt