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Debbie Shore's Dressmaking Studio: Wrap Skirt

Quick Links: What you'll need Project steps

Stay cool this summer: make this made-to-measure, midi wrap skirt! Minimal materials are needed, just choose a lightweight polycotton or viscose fabric.

This wrap skirt is simple to make and comfy to wear with its elasticated waist. Choose a floaty fabric such as viscose or polycotton to create a pretty drape from the waistband. The wrap should be sufficient to cover your legs and keep your modesty, but this is customizable and you can always add a couple of buttons at the side, if you want to.

Machine-rolled hem:

I'd recommend using a rolled-hem foot on your sewing machine, which feeds the raw edge of the fabric through the foot and curls it over to create a very narrow hem. This technique is favoured on fine or lightweight fabrics. See below for more.

Advice for sewing on elastic:

1. Mark the line along which your elastic will be sewn – this will help to keep it in a straight line as you sew.
2. Choose a wide zigzag stitch on your sewing machine. Sew a few stitchesat the end of the elastic to secure, then gently pull the elastic as you sew over it. It will help to ease the fabric from the back of the machine at the same time, but try not to pull against the needle or the stitches could become distorted. It pays to practise first!
3. To help you pass a piece of elastic all the way through a waistband channel – which can be a fiddly job – attach a safety pin to one end: you’ll be able to feel it through the fabric and it will give you something to grip onto.

Measuring yourself before you start:

The fabric you need will depend on your size: the width of your fabric needs to be 1.5 times your hip measurement, as this will allow the fabric to wrap around your hips and overlap at the front – you may need to join a few pieces together. The skirt can be as long as you like, but remember to add 1in (2.5cm) to the length for hemming.

• Place the elastic around your waist and pull slightly - use this as your elastic measurement.
• Measure from your waist and downwards, to the desired length of skirt.
• Measure around the fullest part of your hips for your hip measurement.

Skills you'll learn

1. Gain confidence in measuring yourself for a pattern.
2. Practise sewing with viscose.
3. Get to grips with your top-stitching.

Note: use a ⅝in (1.5cm) seam allowance

This project is from my book Debbie Shore's Sewing Room Secrets: Essential Skills for Dressmakers, where you can find further guidance on making garments.

For more dressmaking inspo, why not check out my Pinterest?

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You will need:

Equipment

• Sewing machine
• Scissors
• Cutting mat
• Pins
• Erasable pen
• Rolled-hem foot (optional)

Materials

• One 2in (5cm) wide piece of elastic, cut to your waist measurement.
• One main piece of fabric, 1.5 times your hip measurement and cut to your desired length (remember to add 1in [2.5cm] to the length for your hemming).

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