Faux Cathedral Skirt Part 3

You should have the skirt assembled, now we get to add some color!

If you haven't already, you need to decide what color or colors you are going to use. I like color. I REALLY like color, so I choose a different fabric for each of the patches on my skirt. I have 30 different fabrics. You can use all pink fabrics, all blue, you can use one fabric for the whole skirt. You can use solids, prints, batiks. Maybe all your fabrics will have different sizes of polka dots. It really depends on what kind of look you want.

At this point I also lined up my fabrics in a 10 by 3 grid to decide where I wanted each fabric to go. I didn't want one spot to be all my pinks and another all blues. I wanted every color in every area of my skirt. This is where you need to decide how the fabrics will be arranged because you have 3 different sizes of squares to cut out. And if you cut a 4 inch square but decide you really wanted it in your bottom row you'll have to cut out a new one to fit the 5 inch square.

My assortment of fabrics because I couldn't decide on a single color so I went with them all!

For the squares you can use your quilting ruler and rotary cutter to simply cut out your 4 inch squares and your 5 inch squares. Keep them in the order you decided on and set them aside. For the trapezoids I traced each one individually and cut them out on the line. If you have a fabric that has medallion type patterns like this purple batik, you can center it in one of your squares to create a special square. I found though, I should have used this one in the 5 inch squares to better show off the design. 

Cutting out a trapezoid around a medallion in this batik fabric.

Once you have all your patches cut out, line them up and decide which area you like the most. I used those in the front of my skirt, and started pinning from there. With them lined up like this I decided I liked the third and fourth ones in each row and put them to either side of center on my skirt. Also remember that the first and last one in each row will be next to each other in the skirt, you don't want to end with the same color you started with.

Now you get to start pinning. Each square or trapezoid patch will be fit into the center of the squares of denim. The circle edges will get folded in and pinned down on top of the edges of the fabric patches. I used more pins in this step than I ever have before in any other project. I had to find an extra box of pins just to finish. I did the whole skirt at once because I wanted to make sure I liked the fabric layout before I started sewing.

You can see how many pins I put in each section. I tried to get everything to fit as closely as possible and with as few ripples as possible. I found due to some sewing misalignments that I had to trim some edges on my fabric to get them to fit. I never took off more than a sliver of fabric, but just enough to get it to lay flat.

Here is my skirt fully pinned. Be careful of all the pins, I've been poked so many times just handling the skirt I'm starting to feel like a pin cushion. Now is the last time you'll be able to change your mind about the layout of the fabrics. So make sure you like where everything is, because now you'll start sewing!

Choose the color thread you like. It can match your fabrics, accent them, blend in, you can use rainbow thread, or change colors for each row. You can use the same color in your bobbin thread as your top thread, but it really isn't that important since you won't see the underside of your skirt. You'll need at least two spools of thread. I started with a partial and ran out and had to go to the store to get enough to finish and ended up using another whole spool and part of a third.

I know I'm most likely to wear a blue or green shirt, so I debated between these two.

Start on the top row, and sew around the curves with a tight zigzag stitch. Just like doing applique. You want to catch all the raw edges under the stitching to keep it from fraying. I started each time on a side seam because I didn't want any extra bulk to be showing on the front or on my butt.

I went with blue thread.

Sew around each row, you'll end up sewing around the skirt six times, twice for each row of squares. With the middle rows where two seams are right next to each other you can sew around one, then without cutting the thread sew the other, you'll start and stop at the same place, but you'll be sewing the arches up and then the arches down.

Really watch out for the pins. I had several stabs that required stopping, one got a band aid. It's hard to be aware of where each pin is and the direction it is facing. I'd recommend wearing chain mail or a Kevlar jacket, just to be safe.

After sewing the horizontal seams, you'll sew the vertical. Just start at the top and work your way down each seam following the arches.

You can really see the circles in the stitching now. How fun would it be to do each circle in a different color thread?

With all the end threads, I worked them back into the seams with a sewing needle. I wanted to make sure the zigzags wouldn't let loose in the laundry. You can finish the ends how you feel is best.

If you didn't quite catch all the raw edges and some threads escaped from the seams, go around and carefully trim them with your scissors. You can see all the fabrics in my skirt and how bright that makes it. So if you want a skirt that is a bit calmer, I'd suggest a single color, or a single fabric.

With all the layers and stitching, the skirt is a little stiff, but I imagine with a little wear and washing it should loosen up and hang better. Maybe next time I'll start the flair of the skirt from the first row, or do the whole thing in quilting cottons instead of the denim as the base circles.

There are so many options and possibilities, I'd love to see what you come up with! Share with me here in the comments or on my Facebook page: Katlyn Koester Designs Facebook page