DIY Frill Tube Top & Maxi Skirt Set

Blessed Love Sistren

This tutorial is another skirt set but with a frill tube top and a maxi skirt. The maxi method I use is the same as the one with the pockets which is here, but in this tutorial there is a video on how to make it without pockets.

Now I don't usually wear tube tops out in public without a jacket, wrap or shrug anymore, so you can pair this skirt set with either the shrug tutorial or the Ises wrap tutorial if you care to cover up your shoulders.

Materials

2 yards of fabric 58 " or wider

yard rule

chalk

thread

scissors

pins

measuring tape

sewing machine
how to sew the tube top:

1.The tube shirt is cut on the fold so it has one seam at the back.

It is the same width as the maxi skirt so it is the hip measurement divided by 2 plus 1". So i marked 18" on the fold.

The length of the tube top is from under the arms down to the middle of the buttocks, plus 1.25". The 1/4" is for the seam at the top  and the 1" is for the hem of the top. Mine is 19.25"

so the rectangle for the tube is almost a circle. 19.25x18".

Next cut the frill which is the same width on the fold as the tube top 18". It is 8" tall - this includes the same 1.25" seam allowance for top seam and hemline of frill.

**Of course if you use jersey this hemming of both tube top and frill won't be a problem, just add 1/4" seam allowance to both lengths if not making hems.

2. Zig Zag all rough edges together except the part of the rectangle that would be the hem.

3. Put right sides together on both frill and tube top, and pin in place.

 Make a straight stitch 1/2" from the open edge side of the frill and tube, to make the one back seamline.

4. Iron out seam lines. Make two 1/4" folds at the bottom of the frill and at the bottom of the tube top, to make the hem. Pin in place and sew using a straight stitch.

5. Keep the tube top right side in, and the frill right side in, but insert the tube into the frill, matching up the zigzag edges at the top. Pin.

Sew a 1/4" seam all around the top to join the frill and tube together.

this is what the seam looks like under the frill

6. Flip the tube inside out on the right side and iron the seam down. 

Mark downwards a little over 3/4" and use a rule to mark a striaght line all around the tube.  sew an elastic casing all around the top of the tube. Leave an opening under the frill to insert the elastic.

7. Cut elastic at right size and insertwith a safety pin. Close the casing.

Finished!

The complete Set

Learn to make the skirt by watching this video:

Wear it with a belt and give it a slight buff.

 Cover up with an Ises Wrap

How to Sew a Modest High Low Dress

Blessed Love

So I decided to combine two separate styles into one dress for this tutorial, a high low skirt (well sorta hehe) and a drawstring top which is modest but cool. And what I love is that this dress can be casual for shopping or any day activity, or worn on date night with the King-Man *wink wink*
I making multifunctional pieces because I choose to dress very nicely wherever I go - being a homebody and all lol. This High-low style is a special conservative style for the Sistren - not above the knees or showing too much leg that would deemed inappropriate.  I found this really nice retro knit print fabric to match the high-low style.

So check it out Sistren!
I will be posting quite a few sewing tutorials this strong coming, and also to create some vlogs dealing with Virtuous Wombman principles, including the covering and wraping viedo 3. So stay tuned to the blog and youtube... the videos will be in youtube before being posted here.

Ila

How to Sew a Tank Top/Camisole

Greetings!

I finally was able to finish another tutorial for making your own clothes. This one is a simple tank top, or camisole that can be worn under jackets and vests, or by itself. THe bag in this picture is one of my latest creations. Ive been veyr busy working on new designs and havent had much time to really think about my posts - sorry about that but I know there is plenty info here already to process.

Materials:

enough fabric for your measurements

chalk

ruler

pin

iron

sewin machine 

thread

I wanted to note that if you wanted to make a maxi dress with no sleeves this tutorial would be the one to use BUT instead of the length for a shirt it would be the length from shoulder to desired length, plus 1-2 inches (if you have to hem). The desired width or hip measurement would not be cut however, you need as much fabric as possible for a wide skirt. Also, when marking in the lines to cut on the fold using the tee shirt as an outline - the line from under the armpits will extend outward  to the end of the fabric at a slant. Make sure that your hip measurement will fit within this line plus 2 inches seam allowance. I hope this diagram helps:

See the tutorial below:

I hope you like it sistren!
blessed love
Ila

How to Sew a Jersey Shirt - the Ila Royal Tee

Greetings and Blessed Love!

So I had leftovers from the kaftan gown tutorial and I decided to show the Sistren how to make your own tops - it's a tee shirt but a little more stylish - and it requires only two seamlines if you cut it perfect enough! It also requires little fabric. You should need no more than 1 yard of fabric, half a yard if a size medium or small. The method is basically the same as making the dress, just shorter.

I call it the Ila RoyalTee. As I am basically self-taught, this is my version of a baby tee that is not form fitting as I was trying to move away from such tight clothing which are not conducive to modesty or hot weather lol. I prefer comfort, and I prefer to be elegant or lovely over sexy and I find this design gives me what I want from a tee. All in all this is a design I decided to try using a Tshirt as the outline to start with in the beginning, but this tutorial shows how to make it with just measurements like with the gown. This is a basic design that does not even need to follow the measurement formula as you can just use a large Tshirt. To make it fitted don't add the seam allowance to the traced outline of the shirt.

Materials:

jersey or knit fabric

scissors

pins

sewing machine

thread

yard rule/measuring tape

1. Fold your material in half so the fold is at the top, right sides together. Line up your pattern properly if necessary.

2. Get the Tee shirt you want to use and turn it on the wrong side. pin it to the fabric, outline it:
(umm my shirt got these marks from my hands digging into the fabric - not very attractive in the photo but what can I say I can't undo it!)

3. This is the method for freehand:

Know your width which is your hips + 1 inch seam allowance
(for me a size small/med its 18.5 inches)

Know your length - from shoulder to where you want it to stop - I go to just under the buttocks/hips so I can have a buff over. But in this particular case, I just went to the end of the fabric.

Know your armpit length = 9 inches

Neckline make it 6 inches wide and 3 1/2 inches deep. The neckline will be able to stretch in different ways.


 4. Measure 9 inches down from the top fold and put two pins where the 8 inches stops on either side of the fabric.

5. Measure and mark out the width and draw two side lines down in line with the 9 inches markers.

6. Draw the lines coming to the side for the sleeve - 3 inches wide is enough. Go up to meet the fold. to get a ruffled pointed look which is nice also, make the line slanted outward

Draw a little curve under the angles of the armpit.

7. After outlining the tee or making freehand measurements (remove tee)  pin together inside of the lines and cut out the tee.

8. Fold the Tee in half, mark out 3 inches from the side fold, and 3 1/2 inches down and draw a curve. Pin and cut out the neckline.

9. Sew up the two sides, making sure to keep the ends straight and together so that no hemline is needed.

Finished!

There you have a perfectly Royal Tee, appropriate, stylish and comfortable!

I hope that this tutorial helps you to create something great for yourself - if you want to do a crop top version then make it 3 inches wide and shorter!

Blessed love!
Ila

How to Sew a Kaftan Dress or Gown

Greetings!

I have finally been able to complete a tutorial for the Sistren - something very simple yet elegant that suits all occassions.

 Materials

2 yards 58 inch Jersey/heavy knit fabric

Polyester thread in matching colour

90/14 or equivalent ball point machine needle

Sewing machine

Pins

Scissors

Chalk

Yard stick

If you have a overlocking machine or serger, even better, because I certainly find it a bit rough to sew with jersey! As you can see my lines arent so perfect but hey! Wear what you sew and be proud! :)


To make a kaftan is very simple – the easiest, most conservative yet most versatile style you can begin to sew with. It was the first dress I taught myself how to make, before I discovered the many tutorials and sewing blogs online(which inspired me to start this blog for RasTa Sistren). This kaftan can even shorten to make a shirt or a shorter dress. It can have a high split or two, it can have the side flaps or not. This tutorial is for one without the side flaps,which is more of a long tee shirt – I call it a gown.

This size I am making is a small- medium. It will fit a Sistren with hips up to 41 inches. This will give a loose fit, but the width can also be 2 inches smaller if a closer more body-hugging fit is desired. This method can be used on a dress of another material, but if it does not stretch like jersey sure to keep the 4 inches seam allowance for the hips and to also zigzag edges and make all the hems.


Measurements and formula:

***NEW Measurements for neckline!!***
Neckline = 6 inches wide by 6 inches deep (you can make it a higher or lower but this is just perfect)

Armhole length =8 inches

Length of Dress = desired length (from shoulder down)+ 1 inch

Or use the entire 58 inches if you are 5 ft 7 or taller or want to make a dress that buffs.

Width of Dress = Hip divided by 2 plus 4 (36/2 = 18 + 4 = 22)


Rectangle to cut is 58 inches long by 22 inches wide.


1. Fold the fabric right sides together, flat down and cut out at width and length. Pin in place.



2. From the top mark down ½ inch and draw a line straight across the top of the rectangle at ½ inch. This is the shoulder seam.

3. From the ½ inch line mark 8 inches down on either side, Then draw a line ½ inch in from the side edge of the rectangle to mark where the armhole and side seams of the dress will be. Draw these side lines down. Make a little curve under the up-sided down L shape at the armpit.

4. To mark the neckline, fold the dress in half side to side, chalk lines facing up. Measure 4 inches across the ½ inch shoulder seam line. Make a cut on the edge of the fabric where the 4 inches stops.

Unfold and make two dashes on the line under the cut.

From the shoulder seam line measure down the neckline depth and draw a short line across to mark the depth of the scoop.

5. Make sure your pins are where they need to be, and that the pattern is matched up if it has stripes or a border. Time to sew up the kaftan.
Using a wide straight stitch sew the ½ inch shoulder seam line first, making sure to reverse stitch over the two dashes where the neckline will be cut.

6. Sew up the sides seams next, making sure to reverse stitch at both ends. Don’t try to start at the very tip of the fabric, start a ¼ inch in, reverse stitch first, then go a little way until the curve starts. When the curve starts, leave the needle in the fabric, lift the presser foot and shift the fabric to the left so that the needle can continue following the curve on the line. I usually repeat this step when I am about to start sewing straight down the sides.

Note: Because you will be sewing on the curved line for the armpit, you have the choice to either start sewing from the hem and go up to the armpit, or start at the armpit which is what I did in the picture. It is just a matter of stopping and lifting the presser foot.

7. Next fold the dress in half again, with the chalk lines facing up and connect the neckline width to the depth line in the curve desired. Remember this method cuts both back and front the same, hence why it is important to decide how deep you want your neckline to be from the start.
(I made mine too deep in my dress.)

remember my neckline was too deep. the 6 inches will not look like this which more 8 inches

 

8. Fold and pin ½ inch hems on the neckline, armholes and hem.Using a wide straight stitch again, sew them in place. 

 

 

 

 You have the option to leave the heams undone, as it is knit. But if so, make sure to reinforce the neckline, and to also clip away the excess seam allowance from the edges of the neckline, sleeve and hemline.

 Finished!

 

A thin belt, a wide belt, no belt! A vest, a jacket, a beautiful bag! The possibilities are endless.

no belt as a gown (my personal preference since I cant find my wide belt)

 thin belt with high waist and slight buff:

with a bigger buff:

Blessed love!

Here it is in all black!

Be royal Sistren! Love thyself

Ila