As the most popular fabric in Nigeria right now, Ankara made its way into the wardrobes of nearly every Nigerian lady. You probably own several gorgeous Ankara styles. Now it’s time for another fashionable addition to your look – a DIY Ankara jacket.
If you’ve ever looked for cute Ankara styles online, you’ve probably seen that many of them feature a jacket. Finally, you can have your own Ankara jacket that you made yourself! Find out how to sew Ankara jacket even if you’re a beginner.
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1. Female Ankara jacket designs
There are dozens of ways to rock an Ankara jacket. It looks equally great with skirts, trousers, jeans, or even on top of dresses. Get some inspiration on how to wear your new Ankara jacket from these awesome looks.
2. How to sew a jacket: step by step
Before you can proudly wear the jacket you made from Ankara fabric on your own, you need to know how to cut Ankara jacket. The ways of cutting the jacket differ by complexity. If you don’t have any sewing experience at all, you can start with a long jacket that is much easier to tailor. If you want to try something more complex, go for a gorgeous Ankara peplum jacket.
Today we will focus on creating an Ankara long jacket since it can be the perfect thing to sew on your own for the first time. You’ll need two yards of Ankara fabric and 1/2 yard for decoration. Follow these steps to get your own trendy garment.
- Take your measurements: bust, hips, neck, back, and length.
- Spread the fabric on the table and get ready for cutting. For this jacket, you will need one back block and two pieces of the front block.
- Cut out the back in a straight shape using your hip measurement. Add 4 inches for better fit and 1 inch for facing.
- Cut the front block by adding 1 inch to the width of the back and then cutting the block in two.
- Add the cuts for armholes and neckline in the fabric. Note that the neckline on the front should be about 1.5-inch deeper than on the back. This is what your front and back pieces should look like.
- Cut out the collar.
- To sew the outfit together: add the decoration fabric on the back of the collar, sew the sides and the shoulders, and finally add the collar. Iron the jacket to place the collar the right way.
- Now your Ankara jacket is ready to be worn!
3. How to wear a long Ankara jacket
This kind of an Ankara jacket can be worn by anyone, as it’s one one of the most flattering jacket styles in today’s fashion. There are numerous combinations you can create with your new Ankara jacket, but some stand out as the trendiest ones.
Long freeform Ankara jacket looks best with a simple top and tight trousers or jeans. You can complete this look with a pair of heels if you’re headed to a special occasion, or with a pair of cute Oxford shoes or brogues if you want to create a casual look.
Read about: how to cut pencil trousers
It’s also possible to wear a long Ankara jacket with dresses or skirts, but the skirts and dresses, in this case, should be rather short, so that the jacket covers them from the back completely.
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