Looking for an interesting yet simple route to designing a beautiful twist dress on your own? Or just want to hone your creativity for some rehearsal dinner occasion? Whatever the reason may be, designing a wrap dress at home is no more as difficult as nailing jelly to a tree. We are penning down the instructions for you to follow and save upon a rehearsal dinner dress by making one at home. Not only will the process be simple and prove light on your pocket, but will also win you pats on the back for that gorgeous dress of the evening.
Complexity level: Moderate
Time required: 1 hour to 1:30 hour
Estimated cost: $12 to $14
Resources required:
1. Newsprint
2. Pencil
3. Compass (or string)
4. Scissors
5. Pins
6. Fabric
7. Meter Stick (Yard stick)
8. Pattern weights
9. Thread
10. Square (right angled ruler)
11. 1-inch elastic
12. Serger (or sewing machine)
13. Bodkin (or safety
14. Large open space (floor or table)
Instructions:
Step one
1: Open the newsprint and roll it out on the floor or table. Depending upon how lengthy you need the skirt to be, cut the sheet into two pieces and twine them together using the tape. This will make them wider.
2: Measure your waist and decide the length of your skirt. Next find the corresponding measurement in the waist/2-panel/3-panel table or visit Shira’s website for the same. To notify, this one is a two panel skirt.
3: Bringing your compass into usage, illustrate the first half circle at the top center of the pattern. This will sketch out and design the waist of your skirt. Add that number now, the skirt’s length and an additional half inch to get the length you will be requiring for the compass for the bottom part of your skirt. Sketch another half circle while keeping the compass’s sharp point in same spot from where you drew the waist.
4: After this, you’ll need two measurements for the wrap panels with the first one deciding on the fabric’s width. Using the tape, measure over the chest’s full part to the edge of your arm – where it gets over at the side of the body. Next measurements for the panels’ length – take your height and convert it into inches, then multiple by 1.5. That will be the final length of your panels.
5: Take the square ruler and ensure that the width line is straight and draw the length of the lines with the meter stick. Cut away the extra paper then.
Step two
1: Lay your fabric out. If the pattern is tiny, position it horizontally of the fabric and if its huge, you can place it down vertically.
2: Position the pattern down. Using the pattern weights, now weight them down. You need to cut out two of the half circles.
3: Set out your panel pattern and then incise two of those. Like previous, weight down this one as well for the skirt.
4: Now, cut out a waist band. This calls for 3-inches width-wise and longer than the skirt’s waist.
Step three
1: To stitch the dress together, first stitch the waist band together, wrong sides jointly and merely with the bottom part. You need to keep both ends open for the elastic – coming in later.
2: After which, stitch together the two sides of your skirt, right sides collectively again.
3: Find out the skirt’s center front and center back now. To do this, simply match the side seams together and fold the skirts in half. That will be your center.
4: Now pin the waist band to the skirt, right sides together with the two edges starting and ending at the center front.
5: Also, pin the panels to the fabric, again right sides together. Here, you will require overlapping the panels around 3-inches at the center front (this will be for later coverage). Stitch together all the pieces then.
Step four
1: To see those panels covering the waist band, now turn the skirt right side out.
2: Using the bodkin, slot in the elastic.
3: You can try the skirt on and bring adjustments in elastic, if needed. To make an X, simply extend beyond the elastic together and pin. After which, you’ll be required to stitch on two sides of the elastic and then from top to bottom across the diagonal.
4: After following every step carefully, you will now need to ensure that the hem is even. If you have used a jersey fabric, you can leave the hem unstitched or you can do a rolled hem on the serger.
Frequently asked questions
1. Will the outlining and designing appear professional while designing a wrap dress at home?
Answer. If you maintain the neatness right from the first step during the process and follow instructions properly with no haste, the dress should appear nattily designed with clean edges.
2. Is it necessary to separately purchase a serger for designing the wrap/twist dress on your own?
Answer. Its not that the absence of a serger will make it impossible to create it. The process would be easier though. If you have time on your plate, you can take some more time and stitch it with efficiency.
Quick tips
For your final appearance to look perfect, you can simply wrap it up according to your preferences.
You can also take some advise from the salesmen on which fabric to opt for while designing your wrap/twist dress.