SECRET BEHIND PIECE SKIRTS

SECRET BEHIND PIECES SKIRT
When you mention pieces skirts the first thing that comes to one’s mind in Nigeria is 6 pieces. But at the end of this post, I am very sure that impression would change for many.
Since most are familiar with 6 pieces let’s start from there. See the explanations and pictures below
Click Here https://youtu.be/4tQkm-G4f48 to understand fully for those who want to make a career in fashion designing!
The principles behind cutting pieces skirts is as follows
1) Divide your Hip measurement into the number of pieces you want e.g 40 ÷ 6 = 6.6
Now what ever you get, add 1 inch for seam allowance. 6.6 + 1 = 7.6
2) Divide your circumference into the available fabric for the style eg I have 3 yards for this project. 3 yards = 36 x 3 = 108
108 ÷ 6 = 18
Add 1 inch for seam allowance to the 18 = 19
Your panel would look like this. On your panel mark the waist, hip, knee, and circumference
So from the waist to the knee, I cut
7.6 . From the knee, I shape to 19
At the waist, you make each panel smaller to fit your waist measurement.
You repeat this process for all the panels,6 or more. Depending on where you want your zip to be, you might need to divide the center back panel into 2 for the zip. If your zip will be on the side you wouldn’t need to.
Pieced skirts can be cut in several ways. Today I want us to study 3 different ways of cutting Pieced skirt.
1) Vertical method
2) Horizontal method
3) Diagonal method
Vertical Method
The 6 pieces vertical method of cutting is the most common type seen in Nigeria for a lot of reasons.
1) Fabric available. If it’s a lace fabric it would likely be 5 yards. If it’s Ankara Fabric it will be 6 yards. Many times a creative designer is forced to manage whatever fabric available. That can make the designer always go for 6 pieces designs each time they sew.
2) Request from clients because they only know about six pieces skirt. A client is likely to always request for 6 pieces because that’s all they know of or see from pages of magazines. It’s your job as a designer to show her more options so she doesn’t always go for 6pieces skirt
3) The go-to style for a designer who is not too creative. Some designers are too comfortable with the regular that they never create a trend. They are content with copying a style other designers made from A-Z.
Now you can have many variations of this vertical pieces skirt. The cuts can be less than 6 or more than 6. It can have a division on one or more of the panels. The waist to the knee will be pieces while you add other methods of sewing at the down part like Gathers, Flare, Pleats, Godets. The bottom part can be in pieces too if you want.
The back can be extended to create a design
You can make it as 12 pieces
Using the principles above. If my hip is 44. That means 44 ÷ 12 = 3.6
3.6 + 1 for seam allowance on each panel. = 4.6
For the fabric let say I have 4 yards for it.that means 36 × 4 = 144
144 ÷ 12 = 12 (plus 1 inch.for seam =13)
On the vertical type of cutting you can go more than 6pieces. Just make sure you add adequate seam allowance for sewing.
Horizontal Method
This method of cutting Pieced skirts simply means that instead of your cuts to come from waist down as the vertical,it’s from side to side.
It can be flared or fitted from the waist to the knee,then full from the knee down
The principle of cutting this type of skirts is also very simple. First cut your pattern to your exact measurement (eg waist hip knee length  full length ) then divide your pattern to the number of pieces you want.Now place your Pieced pattern on your main fabric and cut each out with 1inch extra for seam allowance to join it .It means your main fabric will be longer than your patten when you factor in the seam allowances. For further reading see https://youtu.be/4tQkm-G4f48
Diagonal Method
Just like the Horizontal method is cut with pattern so also is the Diagonal method cut with pattern.
The Horizontal method is cut from side to side but the Diagonal method is cut in a slanted form.you can slant it from the left side down or the right side down.you can also have several cuts on it. Just make sure you add adequate seam allowance to it so you can sew each piece together without disturbing the actual length of the style.
I hope with this write up you can now see that you don’t have to always make 6pieces skirt for yourself or your clients.
You can get creative when you cut your desired skirt.
Thank you