Tatters and Rags Skirt
This is one of the easiest skirts you can make. It does take patience, however, it can easily be done without a sewing machine (I made my first one by hand while watching TV one night!). It is fairly full, open in front, longer in back and just too much fun to dance in. You get the benefits of a long skirt, but also can wear thigh high boots which look super sexy peeking out as you walk. It's very flattering on almost any figure, and especially if you are curvy...
like I am.
What you need is one large triangle of velvet, or some other fairly sturdy fabric for the yoke of the skirt. To this you attach a bib of lace or jacquard, anything that hang well yet be fairly sturdy that will be the base for attaching the 'tatters' {fig.1}.
The longest points of the velvet yoke should measure half again your hip measurement from end to end, that way you ensure you have enough fabric to tie it together in front. Stitch the bib of lace fabric to the velvet yoke with small strong stitches. Once you have that attached, the real fun begins.
Take scrapes of velvet, lace, light jacquard, mesh, sequin fabric, pretty much anything and trim them to elongated pentagons or triangles like {fig.2}. I sometimes do a more rounded version of the pentagon shape with a point at the end.
Then one at a time fold each scrap in and hold the pleat {fig. 3} as you sew them in rows to the lace part of the skirt {fig.4) being sure to stagger your rows so that the base fabric is completely covered. You may find it helpful to pin a scrap on, sew it down, pin another one on, etc.
Work your way from the hem up to the seam where it meets the velvet. Stop there. You can put a nice lace border to cover where the top row is sewn. Just topstitch to the velvet edge then just below the velvet edge. This also reinforces the seam. I used the same lace bordering this page for my first one but any trim that is finished on boith the top and bottom edges will do. Finish off the remaining edges of the velvet by doing a very small hem. Just fold the fabric over and stitch along the edge neatly. This will keep the velvet from fraying which is especially important for the ends which you will tie together to put fasten the skirt on.
Depending on your figure you might be able to just tie it in front and go, but I find it most comfortable and flattering to tie the skirt where it rests up on my hips but the knot is a few inches below my waist. I then pull the fabric up in front and fasten with a hook and eye, {a discreet safety pin will work as well}, so it is snug around or just below my waist. {fig. 5}
Now there you have it. A skirt which is simple to make, yet looks quite impressive on. Remember, the more rows you add the floofier the skirt gets. You can add in scraps of lamé or dot sequin fabric to give it a bit of sparkle. You can also do bead work along the seam where you put the lace trim...
or instead of the lace trim. As always, use your imagination!