Open Front Ankara Print Skirt | Sew Sharifa Sew-Along

After going through my closet early this year, I came to the conclusion that I’m a fabric hoarder.

Yep, I said it! A. Fabric. HOARDER.

My closet is filled with fabric that I have accumulated over the years. When I go to the fabric store, I impulsively buy pretty fabric without knowing what to make with it. 

I’m starting a new series on the blog that will combat this habit. I present to you Sew Sharifa: A Series of Sew-Along Blogs! At least twice a month, I’ll sew a new creation. This sew-along is not intended to be a tutorial, only a behind the scenes look at my creative process. Sewing regularly will help me cut down on my fabric supply!

Design

Today’s sew-along is for an open front Ankara print skirt with a bow. I purchased this spiral purple and pink fabric in November 2018 as an early Christmas present to myself. Originally, it was supposed to be a maxi skirt. After seeing a similar design on Instagram, I opted to make an open front skirt .

Measure

I drafted a quick sketch of the skirt and created a pattern. The original pattern consisted of two pieces: the skirt’s base and a waistband bow. Here are my initial measurements:

Skirt’s base 

Length: Waist measurement x 2

Width: Waist to ankle measurement

Waistband bow 

Length: Waist measurement x 2

Width: 4”

Sew

I cut the pattern from the fabric and began sewing. I gathered the top of the skirt’s base to match my waist measurement and hemmed the skirt’s opening using stitch witchery.

At this point I was ready to add the waistband bow. After pinning the waistband bow to the skirt, I realized the fabric I cut was not long enough to tie a complete bow. I also realized that the waistband and bow needed to be two separate pieces to keep the waist from becoming bulky. Thankfully, I had enough fabric to make adjustments! Here are the new measurements:

Waistband

Length: Waist measurement

Width: 4”

Bow (2 pieces)

Length: Waist measurement + 5”

Width: 4”

I reinforced the waistband with interfacing and attached it to the gathered portion of the skirt. Then, I created the two pieces for the bows and inserted them into the waistband. I folded the waistband in half and stitched it down, securing the bow attachments.

By hemming the bottom of the skirt and pressing it, my open front skirt was complete! I first wore this skirt to church for a Black History Month celebration. I’m still looking for the best way to style it, drop some suggestions in the comments below!

Take 15 minutes today to read, write down, and meditate on this scripture: 
“I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” - Revelation 21:2 (NIV)