Tulip wrap maxi skirt pattern hack for New Look 6456

I wanted a wrap skirt for the beach this summer that I could put on over my bathing suit that’s also a little dressy, as I’m taking it on a honeymoon trip to Mexico with my husband for our twenty-fourth anniversary this month. Woah! where did the time go?!

I saw a tulip shaped maxi skirt online that would make a cute beach skirt. But I didn’t have a pattern like it.

 

I already had a pattern in my stash that would be perfect to hack, New Look 5456. I also had several pieces of silk charmeuse bought over the years. I’ve been sewing more solids lately, so my bold prints have just been languishing in my sewing room. After sewing lots of dark colored solid pieces this past winter and spring, now was a perfect time to go a little crazy with print! I chose to use a poly charmeuse I bought on one of my downtown LA fabric district shopping trips. It was bit too shiny for me, for a blouse, so I never used it.I have several pieces of big bold printed fabric. They seemed like a great idea at the time when I bought them, but I never could figure out what to do with them. This maxi skirt is a bit of a fabric hog, and I had five yards of this print, so why not cut into it? I ended up using about three and a half yards of this 54 inch wide fabric for this skirt.My pattern had a straight edge and I would have to curve the hem and center front to create the tulip shape. I traced the skirt front onto two pieces of tracing paper taped together and redrew the center front.

The pattern has a center front line which I traced, and measured up ten inches on that line, then measured up twenty inches on the side wrap extension edge. I drew the front edge curve by hand. I drew two curved hems, as can be seen above, then decided to use the shorter one.

I followed the pattern instructions for making the dress, which are very good.I sewed a narrow hem. First I serged the edge, then I flipped it over 1/4 inch and toptsitched. I flipped it over one more time to enclose the serged edge and topstitched again.

The fit is also good and true to the measurements stated. I could have made a size up, as I could use a bit more room on the extensions. I cut a size 12.

 

I cut the back on the fold instead of cutting two pieces. My fabric was wide, the skirt fit on the fold. I wanted to avoid a seamline in the center back with this print because, well, who likes pattern matching at seams?

I really like the waistband and tie on this pattern. It was quick to make, too.

Well, that’s all I have for today! But I do have a few more projects planned for this pattern. I like the knee length version with pockets, and I may add a ruffle to another version. I hope you may feel inspired to get out some of those crazy prints you may have bought on a whim. They may be perfect for a summer maxi skirt!