DIY African Print Maxi Skirt

Hi guys!

SO here is my first try in a tutorial ! I love to sew and when I seen this fabric at Joann's, i just knew i will be perfect for a maxi skirt with pleats. So without further ado, let get SEWING.

First here is what you will need:
1.  3 yards of african print fabric
2.  Fabric scissors
3.  A zipper ( I used a a 7in black one)
4.  Fabric chalk
5.  measuring tape
6.  a ruler (not shown)
7. and of course a sewing machine

Measurements: 

Measure how long you want to maxi to be. I wanted mines to be pretty long that it would completely cover my feet when walking. You will also need your waist measurement. I messed his part up and took my tummy measurement and had to take in the skirt a bit. Save yourself the trouble! Bend your torso from side to side; measure where the crease is. 

STEP 1: Fold your fabric in half. Take your length measurement and cut off any excess. Save the excess for your waist band.

STEP 2:

 Open your fabric. Measure out your waist size adding in 1 in seam allowance and inches for your pleats. For each pleats, I added 4 inches (2 inches for each side of the pleat). I added a total of 5 pleats. So here is my math: waist size in inches +1 inch seam allowance + 20 inches for pleats= total width. Cut any excess. 

STEP 3:

I like to add my pleats to the right side of the fabric. You can add yours to the wrong side of the fabric it just gives off a different look. Take 2 inches of fabric and fold it over (see below). Pin in place. Continue until you have the total number of pleats folded (in my case 5 pleats). 

Once you are completed with your pleats, your total length should equal your waist size + seam allowance. 

STEP 4: 

Press your pleats down and use a base stitch along the top to hold the pleats in place. Your sewing machine will be different but here is the settings on my machine for a base stitch: 

A base stitch is just meant to hold something ( in this case our pleats) in place.  It is a long sitching and sure not be used to sew your garment together. Here is how you bace stitch should look:

STEP 5:

To sew on you waist band, place waist band to the top of your skirt right sides facing and sew. Be sure to change your stitch setting to normal on your machine! Sew over the base stitch.

STEP 6: 

Zipper time! On one side of the open end of your skirt, place the zipper face down on the wrong side of the fabric. Pin in place and sew. I do not use a zipper foot because it just takes too much time to swap the foots on my machine. I just take my time and zip/unzip the zipper when need to get the zipper attached. Zipper foot will make the process easier but do what works for you. Repeat process on the other open end.

(Zipper attached to one of the open ends of the skirt) 

STEP 7: Pin the rest of the skirt down and sew close.

(Skirt Pinned)

(Sewing the skirt down)

STEP 8:

Press the pleats and hem the bottom.  Now your skirt is completed! Try it on and take some photos! If you try the skirt share it with me using #vertigoDIY on IG and Twitter.

Until next time. 

-VS