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1. 

   

   The first step is drafting a pattern for your skirt. A message to amateur sewers - this isn't as difficult as it sounds. For this simple high-waist skirt, the pattern is basically just a wide rectangle. To make the pattern, stick two pieces of newspaper together with sticky tape, maybe more if you're a larger size. Wrap this around your body to ensure it fits properly. The paper should overlap a fair amount, not too much though.

   
   

2. 

   

   The pattern may be a bit short for your liking. If so, you can stick another two newspaper together, and stick this to the original pattern. This will make the skirt quite long. To shorten the pattern piece in length, fold it in half/quarters to make sure that the pattern edge isn't crooked. Remember that 2cm is required for seam allowance.

   
   

3. 

   

   You now need a the pattern for a strip to encase the elastic we'll put in later. This strip needs to be as long as the pattern you've just created, with an additional 1cm. Its width should be the width of your elastic, plus 2.5cm. If you added extra to the bottom of your pattern, I'd recommend using that excess paper to make the strip.
   Now, you need to make a strip as long as the pattern you have made, plus an extra 1cm. It needs to be the width of your elastic, and an additional 2.5cm. If you added extra length to the bottom of your pattern, I'd suggest using the leftover pieces of paper that you didn't use.

   
   



4. 

   

   Pin the pattern pieces you've made to the material. Cut them out.

   
   

5. 

   

   Grab your strip of fabric, and hem it 1cm from each long side. Trim any excess fabric from hemming.

   
   

6. 

   

   Proceed to hem short sides of the strip by .5cm.

   
   



7. 

   

   Now, get the big rectangle that you cut out, and over lock both of the long sides. Then, hem the top + the bottom by 1cm.

   
   

8. 

   

   Lay the rectangle flat, with the wrong side of the fabric facing towards you. Pin down the strip of material on to the fabric 1.5 inches from the very top of your skirt. Sew both sides of the strip down, but make sure to leave about 2.5cm unsewn at the very ends of the strip.

   
   

9. 

   Pin the unsewn edges back, and pin the ends of the material together. Sew about 1cm in, and over lock.

   
   

10. 

    

    Now, wrap the elastic around where you want it to sit on your body. Tighten the elastic until it feels comfortably tight, and cut it to this length.

    Pin a safety pin to one end of the elastic. Push the elastic through the strip of material, making sure the pin the elastic to the skirt when theres only a small amount of it poking out at the end of the strip.

    Keep pulling until you make it out of the other end. Pin the elastic down so that it meets the other end of the elastic. Sew down the two ends of the elastic.

    Be sure to sew down the ends of the strip that you left unsewn down, so they aren't poking up.

    
    

11. 

    

    Finished! Well Done! Feel free to head over to my website, http://www.vintage-threads.com

    
    

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