This magazine is only available in French, but I'm thinking of offering a downloadable translation in English, so please let me know if you are interested. Here's a design that appeared in June 2008 (Issue No. 69) that I may make for this summer - instructions in English follow.
Mexican Inspiration - Flowered cotton skirt
Rating: Very easy to make
Size 38/40
(which is about a size 6/8, so you may want to adjust the measurements as required)
What you need
Cotton fabric, 54 or 60 inches wide:
1 yard of cotton fabric, printed with a small black and white floral design
1/2 yard of cotton fabric, printed with a black and white patchwork design
3 1/4" strip of black cotton fabric for the waistband
Interfacing for the waistband if desired
Black and white zigzag:
You need 28 yards of zigzag in different widths. Each piece should be 2 3/4 yards long.
Black thread
White thread
65 cm of flat elastic, 2.5 cm wide
How to make the skirt
Preshrink and press all the fabrics and zigzag.
Cut out the fabric pieces
Cut 2 strips of printed black and white floral measuring 50" x 13" (125 x 33 cm)
Cut 2 strips of printed black and white floral measuring 50" x 5"
Cut 4 strips of white fabric measuring 50" x 2"
Cut 2 strips of white fabric measuring 50" x 3 3/4"
Cut 2 strips of patchwork fabric measuring 50" x 3 1/2"
Sew the fabric pairs together
Sewing each pair together along the short edges, using a 3/8" seam allowance.
Sew the two 13" pieces of floral fabric together, matching the short edges.
Sew the two 5" pieces of floral fabric together, matching the short edges.
Sew two 2" pieces of white fabric to form one strip; sew the two other 2" pieces of white fabric together to form another strip.
Sew the two 3 3/4" pieces of white fabric together, matching the short edges.
Sew the two patchwork pieces together, matching the short edges.
Now cut and add the zigzag trim
Cut the zigzag into lengths, allowing a 3/8" seam allowance on each end.
Sew 5 lengths of black zigzag onto the the 2" white bands.
Sew 3 rows of white zigzag onto each 5" band of floral fabric
Sew 6 rows of white zigzag onto the bottom of the 13" band of floral fabric
Sew the bands together
Stack the bands and sew together, allowing a 3/8" seam allowance. Start with the wide flowered band at the top, then:
Attach a 2" white band under the big flowered band
Attach the patchwork band
Attach a 2" white band
Attach the second floral band
Hem and finish
Fold the last white band in half lengthwise to add some weight to the hem. Sew the last (folded) white band onto the bottom of the skirt.
Finish the seam allowances inside the skirt.
Sew 2 rows of black zigzag onto the white bottom band.
Now assemble the skirt by sewing the vertical/back seam. Work carefully to line up each strip.
Adding the waistband
Reduce the waist diameter to 90 cm by pining a lot of tiny pleats all around the upper edge of the skirt.
Cut out a 36" strip of black fabric to form the waistband. Sew the short ends together with a 3/8" seam allowance to form a loop. Sew the waistband to the skirt right sides together. Turn the long unsewn edge of the waistband under 3/8". Now fold the waistband in half lengthwise and sew it to the inside of the skirt, leaving an opening to insert the elastic. Insert the elastic into this casing and sew it closed into a loop. Slipstitch the casing closed.
