Improvised Piecing Reversible Wrap Skirt!

I had a lot of fun getting my scraps out last month and throwing them together, inspired by Jennifer from Ellison Lane Quilts and her improvised piecing tutorial last month. I could have kept going, I found it so fun and quick, the fabric growing before my eyes, but, I had a plan: to make a reversible wrap skirt for my sister in law for Christmas, and I thought that having big blocks of different patterns over the whole skirt might be too much.

And then the block just sat there, co-ordinating fabrics chosen, while I quickly got everyone else's ready. I think I was a little worried it wasn't going to turn out like I had envisaged and kept putting it off. (Do you have projects like that?) I missed the Christmas deadline, and today finally made the risky cuts into my fabric.

I used Make it Perfect's pattern, "The Versatile Wrap" for the pattern pieces (because I'm a bit of a chicken when it comes to doing these things from scratch!), made two skirt bases according to her instructions and then bound them together. Here's how:

I trimmed the improv block to the right length, then added some of Anna Maria Horner's Loulouthi to the side and cut it to the right shape.

Then I added the other skirt panels to it and made the second skirt.

I sewed the binding strips to the bottom of the first skirt, right sides facing.

Then sewed the other edge of the biding to the bottom of the second skirt.

I then did the same to the top, this time with extra long strips to make the ties aswell. I left a gap at both ends to bring the skirt the right way around and to let the ties through easily.

I then turned the skirt the right way around, folded and pressed the binding top and bottom. I pinned the skirt together at the top (basting probably would have worked even better but I was on the home stretch and Evie was due to wake soon!), checking the seams sat together on both sides, and top stitched the binding and ties, closing the holes up as I went.

And here it is! I love how different the sides are! I love the loud, clashing lines and prints of the first side, and the beautiful soft "Secret Garden" print for the reverse by Sandy Henderson. Pretty good for a nap-time's work, wouldn't you say? (Even if it is a bit late!) Happy Christmas Emily! I hope you like it!