| | Making a Wrap Skirt - Part 2Direct Link back to Part 1:
http://www.xanga.com/connimom/549154186/how-to-make-a-wrap-skirt---part-1-cutting.html
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Thanksgiving Day...
Well, since I didn't get a chance to sew the skirt in the past few days, and I had a few hours before the turkey was done, I thought I would quickly sew and document the process of the skirt-making!
Here are the instructions for putting together the skirt that we cut out in the previous entry....
(This post is photo-heavy. Please be patient while it all loads  )
Step 1
Take the skirt and lay it on your ironing board right side down. Along one side, you will fold the edge up and over 1/2 inch and press it in place, then fold it over again, press, and pin it.
After you have folded, pressed and pinned the first side, repeat this on the other side.
Once you have both sides ready, you will sew it in place, about 1/2 to 5/8 inch from the edge of the skirt.
When you have completed the sewing on both sides, you will repeat this process on the bottom edge of the skirt. (That is the largest side.) Once you are done with those three, only the top (shortest edge) will be unsewn.
Woops! My timer just went off....have to make the rolls!
Okay.... rolls are done...back to the sewing machine.
STEP 2 Okay...next the waistband/belt.
Take your long strip, and fold it in half, right-side IN, and press it into place.
Take the belt, matching the pointed ends and fold it in half. From the center, you are going to take your measuring ribbon and measure 25 inches from the folded center, and mark it with a pin. You will do this for both ends. Each will be pinned 25 inches from the center. (If you are making the larger sized skirt, you will first sew the two halves, right sides together. The sewn part will be the center of the waist/belt and you would measure about 45" from the center.)
Now you will sew from the tip, along the edges up to where you have marked with the pins. The middle will be left open. You will sew about 1/4 -3/8" from the edge.
 
Now you have a nice corner...but you will need to take your scissors and trim off the very tip, close to the beginning of the sewing, but without cutting off the sewn portion. Do this on both ends.
Step 3 attaching belt to skirt.
Now you will take both of the ends and hold them together, folding the belt in half to find the center. Mark it with a pin, but don't pin the belt together.
You will do the same with the top edge of the skirt. Mark the center with a pin.
Now, you will lay the skirt right side up. Open the unsewn portion of the belt/waistband and match the two center pins. You will lay the belt on the skirt right side down. Then line up the edges and pin them together, right sides together.
You will sew these together along the pinned edge, about 3/8" from the edge.
The belt will now be attached on one edge, and still open where the skirt is. Turn the ends of the belt right-side out. This is a pain in the hiney....would be easier if I had one of those handy turning tools...but for now is a lesson in patience.
Now that the belt is rightside out, press it smooth.
Now you will take the open edge of the belt and fold the edge under, and press into place all along the top of the skirt. You can pin it if you need to.
This will be sort of like sewing closed a pillow. Once it is pressed in place, stitch very close to the edge, from one end of the opening to the other.
Now the skirt itself is finished! All that is left, is to make the button holes to feed the tie through when wearing it.
Last step.
Take the skirt and hold it behind you, centered.
Wrap it around you, pulling one side close to your body.
Note where the edge of the skirt meets the other, outer side, and mark it with a pin. The side that is wrapped around the front of you will go to the inside of the other. Below you will see the lower/outer side is marked with a pin. The top/inner side will come through a button-hole at that pin.
This will be where you make the button hole.
To make the skirt a little adjustable, you will measure 3 inches on either side of that pin, and mark two other spots.
Using the button-hole feature on your sewing maching, make three 1 1/4" button holes, one at each pin mark.
YOU ARE DONE!!!!!!!
This particular skirt was made with a heavy, stiff denim, so it flares
out a little at the bottom. However a softer fabric will hang a little
easier. The blue skirt I am wearing above, where I demonstrate marking
the waist, is also one of these wrap skirts, and is made in a softer,
more light-weight fabric.
 
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Here are some comments I received from a lovely lady on the MIH list! I thought they might be helpful for those wishing to make this skirt!
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I just wanted to make a comment on this, ok, two comments - firstly - GREAT JOB, CJ!! Step by step instructions are great! You did a fabulous job!! I'm very appreciative!
Second, you can order extra wide fabrics, either online, or you can ask at your local fabric shop (JoAnn's has ordered it before for me) Simply adjust your measurments a bit, and make your outer cut longer and as well, make your inner, smaller cut (which will serve as the waist) longer as well. Oh, and the long fabric strip that serves as the waist wrap will need to be a bit longer. But this skirt is very flattering and slimming, no matter what size you are...I usually wear a 24 on the bottom and was able to easily adjust CJ's pattern to accomodate my larger waist (Thanks to having children!)!!
Blessings, Karen
PS...I don't usually jump into conversations very often, but I just had to comment on this. CJ did such a beautiful job putting together these instructions. I was very impressed and blessed! Thank you again, CJ!
Thanks Karen!!!!
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This is a great photo that was shared with me by a reader who used my instructions to make a couple of the skirts. I love this picture!
 Here is a photo that was sent to me of a 13 year old in her skirt that she made! 
"I think this pattern is perfect for a young seamstress because it is so easy
(practically instant!) and the end result is so nice looking. "
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