From sultry snakeskin to low-key leopard prints, the world of fashion has been embracing its animal instinct on the runway – and for us dressmakers, it’s the perfect reason to practise our pattern matching, too! Here our dressmaker Amanda Walker has merged soft ruffles with a practical waist tie to create a look that’s bound to turn heads, while boosting your skill set.
1 Download the pattern, then follow the cutting guide. Stitch the darts into the back and front skirt, and press towards the centre back and front of each piece. Neaten the back and front side seams. Match the front and back skirt together, then pin, stitch and press the seams allowances open.
2 Lay the front ruffles together, right sides facing, then match the side seams and stitch in place. Neaten the seam edges together and press towards the back ruffle. Make a roll hem across the top of each front ruffle and around the base ruffle. Position onto the skirt base, matching the side seams and the left side to the notch marked on the pattern.
3 Position the right-hand side of the ruffle,