Sewing Hack: Staycation Two Piece Set

By Sarah LewisDec 23, 2021

Hello all, Ilse from @sewsewilse here.

I tackled the beautiful Staycation Dress and discuss the following items in my blog post:

Separate pattern pieces t-shirt in jersey and woven skirt.

Herewith the way I make the waistband.

And I show how I draw and make an underskirt in it.

So there is plenty to tell.

Let’s start with the upper part.

You will see that the top of the Staycation dress is drawn as a separate part. I slipped paper under it and lengthened the top by 16 cm or 6.2”, seam value included. Since my hip width is 106 cm or 41.7”, I drew this off on that line.

Then I took my drawing ruler and drew a wavy line from my waist to my hemline. My pattern piece for my t-shirt was ready to be cut.

Woven skirt with waistband and underskirt.

I didn't change anything about the skirt part in itself. I sewed and hemmed the skirt to the point that it needed a waist band.

I measured the top width of the skirt (single) and it was 72 cm or 28.3" for me. For the height, I chose 5 cm or 2". So my new pattern piece for my waistband is (length) 72 cm or 28.3" (cut on the fold) at 5 cm (width).
I interfaced my waistband.
Sewed the short sides together.
And pinned the band to the skirt.
When you sew the band to the skirt, leave a 5 cm or 2" gap for the elastic to pass through.
Measure the desired length of your elastic that will go through your waistband plus extra for the overlap.
After you bring the elastic through the tunnel with a safety pin, secure it with a zigzag stitch.
Close your waistband completely.

Actually, your skirt is ready now. But since my woven fabric wasn't very thick, I made an underskirt. A knit one.

Below I tell you how I did it.

I drew one pattern piece which I cut on the fold.
My high hip measures 94 cm or 37” so the top width of my pattern piece is 47 cm or 18.5”. (half)
Measured from here down, my hip height is 23 cm or 9”. I indicated this line on my pattern piece with a dotted line.
Since my hip circumference is 106 cm or 41.7” I drew a mark at 53 cm or 20.8”. *Then I connected these two points with a curved line with my drawing ruler.
I wanted a total length of 60 cm or 23.6” for my underskirt; this way it would hit just where the bottom ruffle starts. Then I connected the line that stopped at hip height perpendicularly down to the bottom line.

Connecting the main skirt to the underskirt.

As this pattern piece is cut on the fold, I only need one piece.
I sewed the side seams and hemmed my skirt.
NOTE! You need to attach the underskirt, wrong sides together with the main skirt!
So with the wrong sides of skirts together I stitched my two skirts together at the waistband. Raw sides together.
Finish your waistband with your serger and you’re ready!