How to Make Hawaiian Sarongs
Hawaiian sarongs are simple to make and easy to wear for a warm-weather casual look. Sarongs are traditional garments on the Hawaiian Islands where they are worn as long skirts by both men and women and as dresses by women. They are also popular elsewhere in the United States as beachwear and cover-ups for bathing suits. Sarongs consist of one piece of fabric that is tied around the waist for a skirt or under the armpits for a dress.
Things You'll Need
- Hawaiian print cotton fabric
- Yardstick
- Iron
- Fabric scissors
- Thread
- Hand sewing needle
- Sewing machine
Instructions
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1
Select a cotton Hawaiian print fabric. Hawaiian print fabrics have a distinctive, bold aesthetic featuring flora and fauna motifs that are native to the Hawaiian islands, such as hibiscus flowers, turtles, fish, pineapples, palm trees and tropical plants.
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2
Decide on the sarong's measurements. For a sarong to be used as a dress by an adult woman, plan on an average of 45 inches long by 65 inches wide. For a sarong to be used as a skirt by an adult woman, plan on an average of 22 inches long by 62 inches wide.
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Wash, dry and iron the fabric. Lay it on a clean, flat work surface like a table or the floor. Measure the fabric to the sarong's measurements and cut out. Fold the edges of the sarong under and sew down.
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Tips & Warnings
The same sarong can fit people of different sizes; however, for a more custom sarong, you can adjust the measurements. Subtract a few inches from the sarong's width measurement if you are particularly skinny; add a few inches in width if you are particularly heavy. Subtract a few inches in the sarong's length if you are particularly short; add a few inches in length if you are particularly tall.
Cotton is a natural warm-weather fabric and most appropriate for Hawaiian sarongs. However, Hawaiian prints are also commonly available in rayon and polyester blends, which are not as traditional, but they are adequate as well.
Women can accessorize using fresh flowers in their hair.
For a nicer finish, you can use a hand-rolled hem stitch on the sarong edges. Sew 1/4 inch along all the edges of the fabric with a sewing machine or by hand. Cut off half of the excess fabric. Gently roll the fabric in your hand towards you until the seam disappears. Slipstitch sew by hand along the edge of the rolled edge.
References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
