Purple Dancesport Gown: Adding the Skirt

1) Follow the directions under Making a Circle Skirt Pattern to cut a muslin pattern. Be sure to read the last part of the instructions before you cut anything

Original skirt before I destroyed it

2) Cut 2 pieces of fabric from the pattern. NOTE: The first attempt at this skirt was 3 layers of chiffon and one layer of lining fabric. Then I tried steaming out some wrinkles and the entire thing puckered up. Yikes! So these instructions show the do-over with a single layer of satin. This also explains why the bodysuit is pink.

3) With the right sides together, stitch along the side seams, going from the waist to the hem on both sides - this allows the seams to hang evenly.

4) Put the overdress right-side-to onto the dress form, and pin the skirt to the inside just above the tops of the points as shown here:

5) Baste the skirt to each point along the point edges. Machine zig-zag stitch over the basting. Since this will show I use clear nylon thread.

6) Trim the skirt on the inside between the points

NOTE: I actually don't do the hem until after I have attached the bodysuit & sleeves, but it makes more sense to explain it here

7) Try on the dress over the bodysuit and mark the hemline with pins. The hem will make it about another inch shorter, so keep that in mind.

8) I usually put the dress back on the dress form and adjust the height so that the pins graze the floor, then trim the excess fabric from there. You could also do it by measuring how much needs to be cut off.

7) Baste in 1/2" horsehair braid to the wrong side of the hem, then zig-zag stitch it being very careful not to stretch the braid

8) Turn up the hem twice and pin it. If some of the braid got stretched this can be a challenge, and you may need to snip a slice into the braid to get this to work.

9) Stitch in the hem with a zig-zag stitch using nylon thread. NOTE: The last time I did this I stitched from the underside so that I could easily see the edge of the hem. *Big mistake*. I didn't realize that that skirt fabric on the right side was bunching up, so I should have stitched from the right side. Oh well, live and learn.