Pick a favourite fabric and sew Tendai's showstopping self-draft dress pattern that can be worn in a multitude of ways!
YOU WILL NEED
■ Fabric: 3mx140m
■ Interfacing: 30x90cm
■ Zip
■ Tailor’s chalk
■ Matching thread
■ Basic sewing kit
NOTES
■ Seam allowance is 1.5cm
■ Interfacing can help to stiffen your waistband but is optional
FABRICS USED
■ African print 100% cotton fabric
MEASUREMENTS NEEDED
■ Woven fabrics such as polyester or knit fabric
TAKING YOUR MEASUREMENTS
Step one Measure around your waist, placing the tape measure where it would feel most comfortable for the skirt waistband to sit (we placed our tape measure at the narrowest point of our waist but this is up to you). Step two Your waistband length will be the measurement you have just taken + seam allowance of 5cm. The waistband height is up to you, this time add seam allowance of 1.5cm.
CUTTING OUT
Step one From the main fabric, cut: Wrap: 25cmx2m Skirt: 2mx140cm Front: 1mx140cm Back: Two 50x140cm Step two Create a pattern piece for the Pocket by tracing around your hand, leaving approx. 3-5cm outside of your hand (leave more for deeper pockets). Trace a smooth curve with your hand against the edge of the piece of paper (the straight edge will be the pocket opening). 01
Step three Use the Pocket template you've just created to cut two pairs of Pocket pieces (four in total). If you don't have enough of your fabric to cut these pieces, they can be cut in a plain or contrasting cotton fabric. 02
MAKING THE SKIRT
Step one On both sides, make a mark 5cm from top of skirt on the right side (RS) of the fabric.
Step two Place the top of two Pockets pieces at these points and sew along the straight edge. Open out the Pocket pieces and press then topstitch along the straight edge. 03
Step three Gather the skirt to the measurements of your waist. Sew two rows of long length stitches, leaving long thread tails at either end. 04
ATTACHING THE WAISTBAND & WRAP
Step one Press the interfacing to one piece of your Waistband (optional). Step two With RS facing, pin the bottom edge of the Waistband to the gathered waist edge of the Skirt and sew.
Step three Take your Wrap pieces and hem all around, leaving the bottom side unfinished. You can either overlock the edges or sew a narrow hem all around. 04
Step four Pin an
