There are Sarongs and then there are sarongs.

As I type this we are in the middle of a mini heat wave. We've been reminding all of our customers to stay hydrated and to be sun aware. In such weather a sarong or wrap can be a perfect addition to your wardrobe. There are two main styles of sarong, a large rectangle which many people just  wrap around thier waist and tie up, covering the legs, and then there's the "Mundu" style sarong. This is a tube of fabric, about 60 centimeters  larger than the wearers chest or waist measurement. it's then worn like a skirt around the waist, or around the chest with the excess fabric tucked in.
Both of these sarongs are very easy to make, you either need to hem a rectangle of fabric or sew a tube of fabric and hem it.  So I thought I'd talk about measurements and fabric choices.

The classic rectangle sarong is 1.8 metres by  0.9 metres. This will give you the "cover up" style sarong which will cover the upper body as well as the legs. It can also be folded in half and used just for the lower body.

To make the full length 'Tube' style sarong you will need to measure from under the arm to the floor (or from the waist to the floor if you're making a mundu) and the chest (or waist for a mundu).
 Typically the under arm to floor or waist to the floor will be the same or less than the width of most fabrics. To work out the length of fabric you need take the chest or waist measurement and then add 60 cm or so.

Top make a tube style sarong or mundu simply sew the short sides together and then hem. This is a good excuse to practice your french  seams however so you may want to adapt the sewing instructions for our "carrier bag holder" project. The sarong is then placed over the body and the excess fabric rapped and tucked into it's top.

There are many fabrics suitable for a sarong. Ideally the fabric should be light and free flowing. If you wish to use cotton we'd suggest a cotton voile or a very light weight cotton. A light cotton lawn should be ok but a printed cotton or a craft cotton will be to stiff and heavy and not flow right.







You can also use a cotton blended with Viscose (or Rayon as it is other wise known) or even silk. Viscose is a strange fabric, it is not strictly speaking a man made fiber as it is derived from wood pulp normally. It has a light "hand" and tends to be smooth and soft and rather silky. For a  project such as this  a viscose voile or a cotton and viscose blend would be ideal.

Pure silk can make a beautiful sarong if it is light enough, a silk chiffon would be ideal.

Most linens tend to be too stiff for a sarong, however linen much like cotton can be blended with other fibers. A lose weave linen and viscose blend will again offer a cool and floaty sarong.

Sarongs are great ways for both men and women to keep cool this summer.
HOWEVER THIS BIT IS VERY IMPORTANT!

Most fabrics only offer a SPF (or Sun Protecting Factor) of around 5-10. So please wear a high factor sunblock under your incredibly fashionable sarong. 

Now we know everyone is itching to see the author of this blog (a 20 stone Welshman) demonstrate how to wear a sarong, however this YouTube video will have to do :)