Laser Cutting: Cherry Blossom Shaped Pattern Skirt

Hello all,
This skirt was made for a class project. It’s a cherry blossom patterned skirt with an optional top. The theme of my project came from the annual Sakura Matsuri Festival; which everyone gets dressed up in Japanese animation characters or floral summer dresses. To get the perfect shape of cherry blossoms, I used the laser cut printer to print my pattern.
* I used 100% silk fabric for my pattern because my school printer is only able to print organic fabrics.

Step 1: Sketch the Skirt

Create a quick sketch of the skirt you plan to make.

Step 2: Create the Skirt

I used a simple gathering skirt pattern. I used this type of skirt because it’s easier to attach the laser cutouts. There are two layers for this skirt.

Here's a very good tutorial from Ruffles And Stuff on actually making the skirt. http://www.rufflesandstuff.com/2010/04/20-minute-skirt.html

Step 3: Design the Pattern for Skirt

Below is the pattern that I created. You can use the same eps for laser printing, too.

Step 4: Setting Fabric Up for Laser Cutting

Make sure to iron flat your fabric (so that the print design will come out even). I tape my fabrics onto five 19” X 24” Bristol paper. See below for how I set my fabrics up for printing:

Step 5: To the Laser Printer

Step 6: Stitch the Cutouts to Skirt

This was the longest process of my project. I had to stitch each tiny piece onto the skirt separately. But it was worth it!

Step 7: Optional Top

I bought a plain white tank top from Old Navy and stitch a few patterns on the top right corner the tank.

Step 8: Final Result

The skirt is now complete with an optional tank top.

Step 9: Wear It to the Festival or the Park

Comments

[dr15]

Interesting. but why not laser cut the white layer and then put it atop the red one, connecting them only at the waist line?

[Lemonsea]

On my first trial, I did laser-cut the white layer so that the red fabric would show through. However, when I washed the white layer the laser cut corners ripe apart.

I used 100% silk fabric, so that could also be the reason it was so easy for the fabric to break. But, I also tried laser cut and wash with cotton fabric but the same result came out.

So, to be on the same side, I use the cutout instead of the white layer.

[Lemonsea]

Thanks. I'll try that the next I experiment with laser cutting again

[scoochmaroo]

I would suggest fusing wonder under to the colored layer before laser cutting. Then you can just peel off the backing and iron the shapes directly onto thewhite fabric!