Once you have drafted your wrap skirt pattern pieces as described in part one, you are ready to put together your skirt.

I made my skirt with inseam pockets, but the skirt is even easier without.The following instructions are brief and assume some basic sewing knowledge. I will however, describe in detail how to add inseam pockets in part three.

For this skirt I prefer the wrap to be at the back. I have two other skirts in my wardrobe that wrap at the back, both made from the skirt pieces of Crepe by Colette Patterns.

I particularly love my floral skirt, and wanted to replicate that but shorter with this skirt.

There are no rules though, if you want your skirt to wrap at the front that will work. You could even change your mind day to day as all three pattern pieces making up the skirt are identical.
For the sake of these brief instructions we will call the centre skirt panel the front.



Remember if you want to add inseam pockets, I will be covering the instructions for adding them in part three.

For a skirt without inseam pockets:
Start by sewing each skirt panel together. With right sides together sew one skirt back panel to the skirt front panel, press, neaten the seam edges and repeat with the second skirt back panel.
You now have three skirt panels sewn together and can wrap the skirt around your body.

Next turn and press 5mm on each side (back) panel, then a further 1cm, to neaten the side edges of the skirt.





Machine stitch the turning.


 

Matching the centre front of your waistband/waist tie to the centre front of the skirt, pin and tack in place.
Stitch the waistband/waist tie in place along the top edge of the skirt with a 1cm seam allowance, press seam allowance upwards, also pressing in all the edges of the waist tie by 1cms.
Press in the raw edges at the end of the waist tie, and then press the waist tie in half lengthwise, encasing all raw edges. Pin and tack in place before top stitching.

You now have a skirt with a waist tie. You can simply wrap and tie the skirt like this, but I like to add a buttonhole in the waistband in line with the side seam through which to thread the waist tie.



Finally, you need to hem your skirt. If it is a full skirt it is wise to leave the skirt hanging overnight before hemming to allow the fabric to fall under it's own weight and level off naturally.
Stitch your hem using your preferred method. I machine stitched this hem, but had I more time I would have hand stitched.
I can highly recommend this tutorial for hemming a full or circle skirt by machine.

I do like a wrap skirt, they are simple to make,comfortable and most importantly still fit after you've eaten all your toddler's left over Halloween treats! ( I was doing him a favour eating it right? )



Making your own wrap skirt pattern is so easy. Start by following my basic skirt drafting tutorial.
Once you have your basic skirt pattern, there are so many ways you can use that as a starting point for many styles of skirt.
Take your skirt piece ( I would use the front piece.), and if you are happy with the shape of the basic skirt pattern, there is no need to change anything. Just cut out three pattern pieces instead of the usual two.
If however like me, you want to have a fuller skirted wrap, then gather together your pattern drafting materials:

pencils,pens.
ruler
set square,
flexible curve/french curve
scissors
pins
tracing paper (I prefer fabribaste/swedish tracing paper)



Take your basic skirt pattern piece, and cut up the centre, then spread.



Pin this piece to your tracing paper and mark carefully the curve of the hem.







Cut out your new pattern piece.



Remove your basic skirt piece, and mark the new pattern piece with grainlines and details of the pattern. In this case I have the piece to be cut on the fold, just as my basic piece. (You can experiment with cutting on the bias if that suits your chosen fabric, for example a silk with a good drape for an elegant evening skirt)



I wanted to add pockets to my skirt, so I marked where I wanted the pockets to be on my pattern piece.



I then lay over an extra piece of tracing paper and drew in my pocket shape to make my pocket pattern piece.



Adding 1.5cm seam allowance after drawing the shape.





Meanwhile Ernest was busying himself sticking offcuts of fabribaste to the patio doors with soapy water.



I then cut out the pocket piece. (The eagle eyed amongst you may notice I have not included matching notches to match the pocket up to the notches on the skirt pattern. I really should have done, but I will instead match the edges of each pocket piece to the notches on the skirt pattern, minus the seam allowance.)



Once all the pattern pieces are made, pin the pieces to the chosen fabric and cut out. (For an average size 12 about 2 metres of fabric is enough)



Three skirt pieces are needed, front, back and wrap piece. Two pockets (optional) and a waist tie. For this skirt I cut a waist tie 8cm in depth by 300cm in length. (Or rather I cut two 150cm lengths and joined them in the centre as that was all my fabric would allow.)

The next step is to construct the skirt, which I will detail in Part Two....

Please look away now if you are of a delicate disposition when it comes to hacking up vintage clothing.
I found this skirt in Oxfam in Hockley, Nottingham a month or so ago. I spotted it immediately on entering the shop, the gorgeous Art Deco style print catching my eye. On closer inspection I found the skirt was a rather nasty acetate fabric, but the print so gorgeous I couldn't leave it hanging on the rack.
The skirt probably dates from the 1970's judging by the nasty synthetic fibres and the maxi style.



The waist was absolutely teeny tiny at only 22", but there was so much fabric in the skirt I knew I could easily get another skirt out of it that would fit me.
I started by chopping the skirt off just below the zip fastening to see how much fabric I had to play with...rather a lot as it happened.
I then cut off all the previously sewn seams. I evened up each panel, 4 in total.
I then stitched up three seams and added an invisible zip to the fourth before completing that seam.
I tried it on, and it was a little large for me, so since I didn't want to lose any of the fullness in the skirt length, I added four waist darts .
I then finished the waist with bias binding and a hook and eye fastening.
I had kept the original hem in place on each panel and simply ensured they matched up when I stitched each seam.

The result is a lovely circle skirt, and I'm really pleased with it.

A few weeks ago while rummaging in my favourite charity shop I found a bundle of flannelette sheets still with the original sticky sales labels attached. The whole bundle including double flat sheet and two pillowcases cost me the princely sum of £2.



The obvious choice of what to do with them was of course to make some pyjamas. I love pyjamas for lounging in. I'm not really a tracky pants kind of person, but if I want a cosy stay at home day I'm much more likely to wear pyjamas.
I used a pair of men's pyjamas I find comfy as a basis for drafting the pattern.



I cut the pyjama bottoms to take advantage of the hems already sewn onto the sheet, and gave them a simple elasticated waist.



The pyjama top has a soft collar, front patch pocket and is finished with lovely vintage buttons picked up at Stockport's Vintage Village for £1.





I used french seams throughout for comfort.



I'm very pleased with the results for a first draft. I think I will make a few minor adjustments to the pyjama top pattern next time. I think I'd prefer the top looser fitting, though not by much. 

I asked India to model the pyjamas for me, and they fit her nicely so I've said she can keep them. The next pair I make will be for me, doubt I'll find such fab fabric again though!

I don't usually make the same dress twice in a row, infact I rarely make the same dress twice, excluding toiles of course.
I was so pleased though with my Fall For Cotton dress that I had to make another straight away.



The pattern goes together so neatly and quickly with no alterations needed, but it's also so easy to wear. I love the practical three quarter length sleeves and the length and shape of the dress make it comfortable and fuss free. I can just chuck it over some tights add some boots and maybe a cardy, and of course there are pockets. I love a dress with pockets!



The fabric I've used for this dress is 100% cotton, and has a woven floral stripe design. I had to do a bit of careful cutting to make sure the pattern worked.
I cut the main stripe design down the centre front and back panels, and ensured each side front and back were cut to match each other.





I also made sure that once the pockets were complete the stripe pattern matched up on each side front panel.



The trim is a grossgrain ribbon from stash. The fabric is quite lightweight and ideally I think I should have lined it, but the ribbon along the hem helps to weigh down the cotton. (And I just pop a full slip underneath to stop some of the cling.)



I'm almost completely happy with the concealed side zip, just seems to be a teeny bit uneven at the top. I was certain it wasn't, but this photo says otherwise.



Of course one problem with 100% cotton is the creases! I promise you this dress was pressed, but we drove to Hare Hill to take these photos and by the time we got there I was a crinkly mess, despite being super careful trying not to move too much. Maybe I should have just worn my undies in the car and put the dress on when we arrived! That might've given the National trust employee on the gate something to look at!

Hare Hill is such a lovely peaceful place to visit. We hadn't been there for a long time. I'm not sure why, it is such a pretty place.
The drive in was interesting as a herd of cows were blocking the path, many of them only calves, and so so pretty.
Wish I'd managed to get some photos of them, but I didn't want to spook them.



Woody was mostly in charge of the camera anyway, so I was snapping away with my phone. I managed to get this lucky shot of the sun coming through the autumn leaves.
And when I did get hold of the camera managed to grab a few shots of the flowers in the walled garden.



Sadly, we only had a brief walk. Angus and Sid were reluctant to even come along, and had already been bribed with cake, but their patience (and mine!) was running low, so we left before everyone got cross with everyone else.
Woody and I have made plans to head back there soon though, this time with a flask of hot chocolate and without the grumpy children!