How're your bodices coming along? Now we're going to make a start on Betty's full circle skirt.
If you're not quite caught up yet you can find our previous sewalong posts here:
- Announcement
- Measuring and Cutting
- Assembling the Bodice
A circle skirt is one of the simplest skirts to construct. There are no darts, gathers or pleats which means once you've sewn up those side seams and finished the (admittedly, miles of) hem, it's pretty much done. Easy!
First we're going to finish the side edges of the skirt. We're using an overlocker for this, but just a simple zigzag stitch on your sewing machine will do the trick.
Then, with right sides together, pin and sew the front skirt piece to the back pieces along the side seams.
Remember the seam allowance is 1.5cm. Backstitch at the beginning and end of each line of stitching.
Press these seams open.
Pressing seams open helps to reduce bulk - which most of us can agree, we don't need in the hip area!
Now, we're going to do things here a little differently from the pattern instructions. The instructions say at this point to sew up the centre back seam, but we're going to leave it unsewn and open, as it will be easier to attach it to the bodice at the next stage.
So ignore Step 6, we'll sew up that seam once we've put the zip in.
So that means that's it for now. You should have one huge circle of fabric with a tiny circlular hole in the middle. Hold it up to yourself and have a good twirl.
Next we'll be joining the bodice to the skirt. See you back here then!