Spanish skirts

When someone talks about flamenco, the image of a beautiful young woman dressed in a long skirt of bright red color immediately appears in front of your eyes. A carnation gracefully perched in her hair, beads of a large stone on her neck, and hoop earrings in her ears.

In recent years, this passionate Spanish dance has been gaining more and more popularity in our country. Many people fall in love with flamenco rhythms and devote their whole lives to it. Along with the accuracy of movements in this dance, the correct costume is important. Why does it look like this? How to create this little masterpiece with your own hands? Find out further.

Fitting at the top, widening at the bottom, embroidered with many airy flounces. The Spanish skirt for flamenco performance does not look like this by chance. Fitted on top - for beauty, to emphasize the grace of the dancer's form.

Expands to the bottom - for convenience, so as not to hinder movement. Flounces and frills are the final chord of every sweep. They serve as additional expressive means for flamenco performers.

There are two main varieties of flamenco outfits - special dresses or skirts. The latter can also be classified into two styles. The first option is the so-called gypsy costume. This is a layered skirt that hugs the hips and flares just above the knee.

A dress is also called a gypsy costume, in which, in addition to the skirt described above, there is a fully-fitting top with a deep scoop neckline and tight-fitting sleeves, the cuffs of which are also decorated with several layers of flounces.

It is this version of the flamenco costume that can be found in a variety of color variations, often they are sewn from fabric in large peas.

This tradition of costume has continued throughout the existence of flamenco.Since the dance was invented by the Spanish gypsies, their style of dress has spread to this culture.

Another version of the attire for the Spanish dance is the bata. This is a skirt with a long train, or, as it is sometimes called, a ponytail. In this case, monochromatic fabrics of deep colors are more often chosen for sewing.

Although the color of the skirt does not depend on the style, but on what style of flamenco is to be performed in it. The style is chosen according to the same principle - not every dance can be performed in baht.

Flamenco dance carries a special energy. And its performers must not only move impeccably, they must create a vivid stage image for a good performance.

The main role here is played by a dress or skirt. But the details are also important. Each bailaor - a flamenco performer - adorns her hair with a flower. As a rule, it is a rose or a carnation. It is not necessary to choose a red flower, you can choose floristry in accordance with the general range of the costume.

Since the hands play an important role in Spanish dance, their appearance should also be taken care of. Bright manicure, rings with stones, large bracelets - all this will help add expressiveness to every wave of the hand.

This also applies to other parts of the body that are in the public eye. Bright beads will be appropriate on the neck, large earrings in the ears.

In the matter of choosing a flamenco costume, the skirt significantly outperforms the dress for one simple reason - it is more practical. By changing only the top, the dancer will have a lot of options for the stage image. It is easier and more profitable than sewing several dresses.

In fact, there are two categories of choice - the style of the top and its color. If we talk about the style, then here you have a wide scope for imagination. The only strict rule that I would like to outline is that the top, combined with a flamenco skirt, should be tight-fitting. Otherwise, it all depends on your personal preference.

As for the color of the top to be matched, it should be either tone-on-tone to the skirt, or in contrasting colors. If the skirt is in polka dots, then the top should be either absolutely identical to the fabric, or solid, its color should match either the color of the peas. Or with the main color on the skirt.

Delightful costumes for professional flamenco performers are made by renowned couturiers. Renowned bayolar from all over the world prefer to order their stage outfits in Spain itself.

However, for ordinary lovers of this dance, who are engaged in it simply as a hobby, this option seems impossible. Moreover, this hobby can become quite costly if you undertake the purchase of all the necessary elements of a flamenco costume in stores. But learning how to design and sew a skirt for this dance turns out to be very simple.

Consider the process of modeling and sewing a skirt-sun on a yoke with a flounce and an offset center. To create you need:

• 1.5 meters of dark burgundy fabric (for the base of the skirt);
• 2.5 meters of black fabric (for example, chiffon; for a shuttlecock);
• 25 meters of black bias tape (for finishing the flounce; you can also choose it to match the base of the skirt);
• 1 zipper (for fastening);
• 2 small hooks (for fastening);
• 1 m of braid 3 cm wide, black or dark burgundy (for a belt);
• graph paper and drawing supplies;
• threads to match the fabrics used;
• sewing machine, overlock, pins, scissors and other tools.

The process of sewing a Spanish flamenco skirt, one of the models of which we offer you, is quite simple. But it will take a long time, be prepared for it. The algorithm is as follows:

Cut out a circle with a diameter of 150 cm from the base fabric. To do this, fold the dark burgundy fabric in four and place on a large table. Next, you have to make an impromptu compass. They will serve as a lace 80 cm long and a remnant (or crayon). Attach one end of the lace to the corner of the folded fabric where the center falls. Pull the other end to the edge of the package and attach a remnant to it. Run a remnant from one edge of the folded fabric to the other. This will give you ¼ of the desired circle. Unfold the fabric gradually, completing the missing fragments using this technique. Cut out the drawn circle.

On the resulting workpiece, mark the inner circle, the diameter of which should be equal to the girth of your hips, divided by 6.3. You need to draw the inner circle using the technology described above.

Cut out its elements from the fabric for the shuttlecock. To do this, cut the matter into 15 squares 50 x 50 cm. Perform the following manipulations with each cut: draw with a cord and a remnant an outer circle with a diameter of 25 cm and an inner circle with a diameter of 5 cm; cut out the inner circle and make a side cut from center to edge in a straight line.

When all 15 pieces are ready, sew them together to make one ribbon. Process the finished shuttlecock with an inlay (it - in half, the edge of the shuttlecock - inward; baste, sew).

Measure the total length of the flounce and the resulting hem. If suddenly the hem turns out to be longer than the flounce, cut off the excess fabric around the entire perimeter of the base of the skirt. When the lengths are the same, you can apply and sew a flounce over the skirt.

Try on the blank for yourself. Determine the exact place on your waist or hips where this part of the skirt will be held. Measure the distance from the edge of the workpiece to the waist - get the width of the yoke. Add another 2 cm for the seams.

Cut a yoke out of scraps of base fabric. To do this, draw 4 rectangles (the width of the yoke - see above, the length of each element - divide the hip circumference by 4 and add 3 cm). Sew two parts together - this is in front of the yoke. Connect the remaining two elements, and between them fasten the zipper, this is the back with the fastener. Don't do the side seams yet.

Align the center of the front of the skirt with the seam of the yoke intended for it. Sweep from the center to the edges. Do the same with the back yoke. Baste the seams on the sides. Try on the product.

The final chord is the making of the belt. Fold in 50mm from the top of the skirt and baste. Prepare the tape for the belt, cutting it to the width of the waist plus 4 cm. Attach the top edge of the skirt to the middle of the tape, baste and immediately sew the seam. Fold the edges of the future belt inward twice and sew.

Sew the hooks on the back (above the zipper). Zigzag all seams on the overlock. That's all! Your flamenco skirt is ready!

You can also, taking our master class as a basis, model the author's styles of skirts for flamenco, experiment with lengths, a combination of colors and fabrics!

In conclusion, we bring to the attention of our readers a video, which tells about various ways of sewing a sun skirt - the most popular model of dancewear.