How to Cut & Sew a Poodle Skirt
Poodle skirts are a common costume for a 1950s themed party. Along with ankle socks and saddle shoes, a poodle skirt makes the perfect outfit for someone from that era. A poodle skirt is a simple circle skirt with a poodle appliqué sewn on. You can purchase poodle appliqués at craft stores or make your own. In order to make a poodle skirt to fit, you will need a waist measurement of the person for whom the poodle skirt is intended.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Ruler
- Felt fabric
- Poodle appliqué
- Thread to match appliqué
- Sewing machine
- Thread to match felt
- Zipper
- Sewing needle
- Iron
- Pins
- Chalk or fabric pen
Instructions
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Measure your waist and add 2 inches for seam allowances. Divide this number by 3.14, then divide that number by two. The final number is the radius of the poodle skirt. Measure from your waist down to your shins. This is how long the poodle skirt should be.
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Fold your fabric in half horizontally, then fold it in half vertically. Lay the folded fabric out. Measure out from the folded corner according to the radius number figured earlier. Measure from the corner straight down each folded side and from the corner into the middle of the fabric. Make a mark with chalk or a fabric pen. Draw a quarter circle connecting all the dots along your radius line.
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Measure out the length of the skirt from the radius marking, adding 1 inch for seam allowances. Draw a quarter circle along the fabric at the desired length.
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Cut the fabric along the quarter circle marks.
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Cut out a waistband 4 inches wide and 2 inches longer than your waist measurement. Fold the waistband in half and press it with an iron.
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Make a cut down one side of the poodle skirt from the waist area in the location you plan to place the zipper. Make the cut 3 inches shorter than the zipper. Pin the waistband to the waist area of the poodle skirt. Line up the open side of the waistband with the zipper cut. Pin the skirt into the inside of the waistband, leaving the outside of the waistband unpinned.
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Sew the skirt to the inner part of the waistband using a normal stitch length and tension setting on your sewing machine. Top stitch the skirt to the outside of the waistband using the same sewing machine settings. The skirt’s top should be sandwiched between the waistband when you are done.
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Place the zipper on the inside of the poodle skirt, aligning the top to the waistband and the bottom to the cut in the skirt. Pin it in place. Sew the zipper into the skirt as close to the zipper teeth as possible on both sides of the zipper. Make a ¼-inch straight stitch at the bottom of the zipper.
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Sew the poodle appliqué onto the poodle skirt in the lower right or left hand side of the front of the skirt. Pin the appliqué to the skirt and sew around the appliqué’s perimeter using a thread the same color as the poodle appliqué.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
