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How to Layer Skirts

Info about the This method gives you a wide variety of choices. You have the choice of lengths and colors. The lengths could be three staggered lengths, two different lengths or all one length. The color choices give you similar choices. It all depends on the look you are trying to achieve.

Supplies:

Three skirts
Long, large eye needle
Thread to match top layer
Scissors

Directions:

Choosing materials

Pick three separate skirts that are either full skirts or circle skirts. These skirts could either be the same color, two different colors or three different colors and could be the same length or different lengths. To make it easier for you to see the differences as we show you how to do this, we have chosen three circle skirts of three different colors - a black skirt, a pink skirt and a white skirt. The pink and white skirts are the same length and the black Irish dance skirt. An Irish dance skirt is a circle skirt that is a couple of inches longer than the normal circle dance skirt.

Assembling the skirts

If you are using three different lengths, then just stagger the skirts by length with the longest on the bottom and the shortest on the top. In our sample, the black skirt is the longest, so we will put it on the bottom and the other two skirts on top. So, we are putting the pink on top of the black and then white on top of the black. If you only have two lengths like we have in our sample but want to have the appearance of three separate lengths, there is a very easy way to fix that. Just drop the second skirt (our pink skirt) down a little on top of the bottom skirt (our black skirt) so that the waistband of the second skirt (our pink skirt) is a little lower than the waistband on the bottom skirt, and then add the top skirt (our white skirt) so the waistband is at the same place as the bottom skirt. The waistband of the top skirt would cover up the fact that second skirt is dropped down a little. If you to choose that method, it would be wise to tack the second skirt to the bottom (the pink to the black) and then add the top skirt (the white skirt) and tack it down just as described below.

To sew the skirt as originally shown, we first put the pink skirt over the black. Make sure that the waistbands match and that the center backs are on top of each other. Once the waistbands are aligned, pin them together at several locations. Next, put the top skirt, which in this case is the white skirt, on top of the other two skirts.. Again, you need to make sure that the center back of the white skirt matches up with the center back on the black skirt and the pink skirt and the waistbands match up all around the skirts. Make sure, however, that the other waistbands do not peek out from under the top waistband. Then, pin the white skirt in several locations around the waist much like you did with the pink skirt and the black skirt.

It is not necessary to sew the three layers together, but it is wise to do so. It would be too easy for the skirts to slip out of place, especially when the dancer is dancing, if the skirts are not at least tacked together in several places.

Sewing the Skirts Together

Once the three skirts are pinned together with all three waistbands lined up, flip the top skirt (in this case the white skirt) up so that the two bottom skirts are available for sewing. Making sure that the waistbands are still lined up and that the bottom and middle waistbands do not show above the top waistband, sew through the bands of the two bottom skirts and catching the bottom of the waistband of the top skirt. Tack the waistbands together in several times in one location and then tie that tack off on the inside of the waistband. Then, repeat that several times around the waist of the skirts. Make sure that the waistbands do not move and remain hidden under the top waistband. An alternate step in this method would be to double the thread fed through the eye of the needle so that you actually have four strands of thread on the needle with which to sew. That makes each stitch stronger because there are actually four threads instead of two threads to attach the waistbands together. After a couple of stitches, tie a knot on the inside of the skirt. Repeat tacking the skirts together like that all around the waist. It is easiest to use a long needle with a large eye to accommodate the extra strands of thread at one time.

Even though you want to strive to make sure that the thread does not go through the top skirt and show on the front, it is important to use thread that matches the top skirt just in case of a mishap.

Whether you choose to use skirts three different colors, two colors or one color, that is your choice. Also, if you choose to use one length or a variety of lengths, that is also your choice. All of this is a matter of preference. Play with it and see what you like best. Most importantly, have fun with it.