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!

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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)