Gorgeous Smocked Skirt and Top Set Tutorial
I’m Nigerian and from the Yoruba tribe in West Africa. I took my native traditional Iro and Buba outfit and transformed it into a simple Reformation style smock skirt and top set.
I had my outfit for a while and wanted to change into something on-trend and more modern with DIY puff sleeves, square neck, shirred bodice top and a shirred waistband skirt with a slit.
While this isn’t a true tutorial, I hope my transformation helps you change up some of the clothes sitting in your cupboard into something you’ll wear more often.
Tools and materials:
- Fabric (here I’m using my traditional Yoruba clothes)
- Seam ripper
- Scissors
- Pins
- Tailor’s chalk
- Elastic thread
- Elastic
- Safety pin
- Ruler
- Measuring tape
- Sewing machine
1. Cut the sleeves
I’m using the scarf and the wrapper from my traditional outfit to make the sleeves. I measured the width and the length and then cut out both sleeves from these fabric pieces.
I turned my old top inside out. I used the seam ripper to remove the existing sleeves, keeping the seam allowance intact.
2. Make the new bodice
I took the top and laid it against me to determine where I wanted the neckline and waist. I used the measuring tape for the exact measurement.
I then used the ruler to mark my measurements on the fabric.
After cutting the new neckline, making this into a tube top, I reinforced the side seams by sewing them again. I secured the raw edges of the seam allowance with a zigzag stitch.
I hemmed the top by folding it in twice by ½ inch. After pinning, I sewed it across.
I threaded my sewing machine with the elastic thread. After backstitching, I sewed the elastic thread to the bodice across the top hem.
I sewed several more rows around the center. I was very happy with the way this made a sweet little peplum.
I added more shirring with the elastic thread across the bodice. Then I folded and sewed a double hem at the bottom of the peplum.
3. Make the sleeves
I took my sleeve pieces and folded the top and bottom parts to make channels for the elastic. I cut the elastics for the shoulder and cuffs.
I inserted them into the channels using a safety pin to pull them through.
After securing the elastics together, I placed the sleeve seam along the bodice seam, right sides together.
I pinned at the seams and sewed 3 inches on either side. I repeated this technique for the other sleeve.
4. Make the skirt
I made the skirt off camera by sewing up the side seam, leaving a slit at the bottom. I shirred the top for an easy waistband.
Smocked skirt and top set
There you have it. I made a smocked top and skirt set from an outfit I had sitting in my cupboard for years into this on-trend smock blouse and smocked skirt.
I can wear them separately or together. I can tuck the top into the skirt to make it look like a dress. I’m thrilled with the way it came out. Please let me know in the comments what you think!
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Beautiful blouse and skirt combo by a beautiful girl! Thanks.