You will need:
Fabric – I am using cotton denim 1179
Scissors
Zip
Lots of pins!
Something to measure with (I used a measuring tape)
Something to mark fabric (I used tailors chalk)
Sewing machine
Thread
Steps
1. Measure
I am working in inches but you can use centimeters if you like. Measure you waist and then divide this by 3.14; this is your waist radius. My waist is 30” so I used 9.5” as my waist radius.
Now decide how long you want your skirt to be, I wanted mine to be just above my knees so I chose 20”. Add this to you waist radius, plus 1” of hem allowance, to get your hem radius. Mine was 9.5 + 1 + 20 = 30.5”.
Now we need to do our waist band. Decide how wide you want your waist band to be, double this and add 1” for seam allowance. I made my skirt with a 3” wide waist band so my width was 7”. The length will be you waist measurement plus 1” for seam allowance divided by 2 (since we will be cutting on the fold). My waist band measurement was 16” in length.
2. Draw your pattern
Fold the fabric in half and from a folded corner, measure and mark out the waist radius moving round in an arc to create a curve. Do this again for the hem radius and then your fabric should look like this.
After you have drawn out both arcs your fabric should look like this.
Now draw out your waist band. The waistband is simply a rectangle with the width of the wasitband on the fabric fold.
3. Cut out your skirt and waist band
4. Pin and sew the waist band. Pin one of the waist band’s raw edges to the skirt waist raw edge with the right sides of the fabric facing each other. Sew the edges together 1/2” away from the raw edge.
Pin the remaining raw edge of the waist under and sew to the inside of the skirt waist band. To do this fold the raw edge over 1/2” and pin this to the inside of the skirt using the stitching you have just done as a guide and your waist band should then be at you desired width. Sew using a straight stitch.
5. Hemming
Sew a straight stitch ½” away from the raw edge of the skirt, this will be a guide for our hem. Fold the edge over to the line and then fold it over again and pin in place. You should then have a hem which is ½” inches wide.
Do this around the entire bottom of the skirt. As the bias of the skirt will vary some parts of the hem will be easier than others. I find it easier to space the pins wide and then work into the sections, eventually you can get the hem to lie flat but it does take a lot of pins! Once you are happy with it you can sew this with a straight stitch.
6. Pick your zip and sew the open edge
Fold skirt so the open edges are inline and the right sides of the fabric are facing each other. Measure how long the zip against the skirt opening as we will want to sew up to this length. Use pins to secure the fabric and the mark where to stop sewing. Sew along the edge. The seam edges can be finished with an over locker or ironed flat if you want, I left mine raw for this tutorial.
7. Sew in the zip
Zips can be fiddly but they are not as scary as they seem. To insert a zip I place the top of my zip in line with the top of my skirt waist band with the right sides facing each other. I then roll them over and open them so that the right sides are facing out and pin in place. Do this around the whole of the zip and then sew around the zip with a straight stitch (a zip foot makes this process a lot easier!).
Trim of any excess fabric from the zip.
Ta-da... your skirt is complete!
Tutorial by Sheridan Smith for the Craft Cotton Co 2017