Sewing Projects

Wrap Skirt in Cotton Batik

Use a lovely cotton print to make a simple wrap skirt ready for better days by Wendy Gardiner. You don’t need a pattern, just a few measurements and easy sewing techniques.

How to calculate fabric requirements

Width:
1. Measure around hips or buttocks (whichever is the widest).
2. Measure across front from hip to hip (for front wrap).
3. Add these two together, then add a further 4.5 cm (1 ¾”) for seams.
The total is the width of fabric needed.
Eg: widest area 100 cm + hip to hip 56 cm + seams 4.5 cm = 160.5 cm
(39 ½ + 22 + 1 ¾” = 63 ¼”)

4. Length:
Measure from waist to finished hem length. Add 2 cm (3/4”) for waist and hem. e.g. waist to hem 74 cm plus 2 cm hem = 76 cm (29 + 3/4”)

If using a stable cotton, you can cut the length needed (from waist to hem) across the fabric width (ie selvedge to selvedge thus will need your total width in fabric – ie: 160.5 cm of 90 cm wide fabric (1 ¾ yd of 36” wide).

Materials

Cotton fabric – amount as calculated above
Bias binding – for waist (or use remnant of fashion fabric)
2 Buttons or hook/eye and poppas
Scrap of tear-away stabiliser (for under buttonhole)
Thread to match fabric

 Making up

1. Cut one rectangle to measurement 1 above (around widest part) plus 3 cm (1 1/4”) seam allowances x length  (4 above)

2. Cut the wrap section, measurement 2 above x length 4 (above).

3. Sew the two panels together.

HANDY HINT: Use a French seam for this seam which neatly encases raw edges. Sew with WRONG sides together, taking a 6 mm (1/4”) seam. Trim seam to 3 mm. Press and turn through so that RIGHT sides are together and seam is on fold. Press again. Sew seam taking 1 cm (3/8”) seam allowance. Press.

Add shaping from hip to waist

4. Shape waist of wrap by making four darts. To calculate how much fabric to take in with darts:

- Measure around waist. Take this measurement from widest measurement 1. –
- Divide the difference by 4 (to calculate size of each dart).
e.g: waist 81 cm (32”), hips previously measured 100 cm (39 ½”).
Difference = 19 cm (7 ½”). Divided by 4 = 4.75 cm per dart.

5. Find dart positions by wrapping fabric rectangle around body, with wrap section at front. Mark side opposite fabric seam, then mark centre back and centre front of both under fabric and wrap.

6. Mark dart positions approx 10-12 cm (4-5”) either side of centre back and centre front. Repeat front darts on wrap.

7. Make darts, approximately 18-20 cm long (7-8”), taking in the amount calculated earlier at the waist, tapering to nothing at the point. Press darts to centre front and back.

HANDY HINT: At the tapered point of the dart, fix or lock stitch (do not back stitch). OR, continue sewing beyond tapered end to produce a thread tail, then lift presser foot and needle, and position fabric so needle will go inside the dart area approx 13 mm from end, stitch a couple of stitches and backstitch here to lock stitching.

8. Neaten raw side edges and hem by turning under a double hem – turn under 1 cm and then another 1 cm so raw edge meets first fold. Top stitch in place.

HANDY HINT: Curve front wrap at hem if desired. Use a dinner plate on corner to draw curve. Cut off excess. Clip wedge shapes out of the curve so when raw edge is turned under you will achieve a smoother line. Press first turning. Gather stitch around the curved section and pull up gathers slightly to ease in fullness as you turn fabric over again for second fold. Continue to top stitch in place.

9. Finish waist by attaching bias binding. If you have a binding foot, feed through foot, wrapping raw edge of fabric and stitching both sides at the same time. If not, open out binding and stitch to right side of skirt, with raw edge of skirt and binding together. Trim raw edges, turn binding over to wrong side and slip stitch in place.

HANDY HINT: For speed, rather than slip stitch second side of binding, stitch in the ditch from right side by gently pulling fabric taut and stitching within the previous stitched seam, catching the underside of the binding as you go.

HANDY HINT: Use a binding maker and remnants of the fashion fabric to make your own binding. Cut strips of fabric on the straight of grain (because you don’t want it to stretch) twice the width of the binding maker. Feed strips through binding maker and press folds in place.

Buttonholes

10. Try on skirt again and pin mark buttonhole position where wrap overlaps

at either end. Position tear-away stabilizer under the position and stitch horizontal buttonholes in the binding – nb buttonholes on the overlap (the stabiliser will help feed the fabric as you are stitching so close to the edge). Once stitched out, remove stabiliser.

HANDY HINT: Rather than buttons and buttonholes, use a poppa to fasten the underlap and a hook and eye for the overlap.

SMART IDEA

Our fabric was 115 cm wide and thus we had a nice length left with which to make a sash belt, or wrap to wear around a bikini top. Trim the ends to a point in the middle and double hem.

Stockist information

Cotton batik from a range of cotton prints at Fabulous Fabric. For mail order details, tel: 01530 416300 or email: alison@schoolofsewing.co.uk.