How to draft , cut and sew a pencil skirt

Take the following measurements

Waist- measure around the waist

Hip- measure around the fullest part of your butt.

Waist to hip -putting the tape rule on your waist line, measure to hips.

Waist to knee -putting the tape rule on your waist line, measure to knee.

*Measurements taken*

Skirt waist 25 inches

Skirt Hips 39 inches

Skirt waist to knee 20 inches

Skirt waist to hips 7.5 inches

Note- skirt waist to hip measurements is usually between 6 to 8 inches.

This depends on the height of the of the person and difference between hip and waist measurements.

*Terminology*

Center fold CF -center point of a folded piece of fabric or paper.

Center front- center for the pattern is or fabric at the front.

Center back- center for the pattern is or fabric at the back.

Sloper - A pattern that doesn't have seam allowance and it is strictly based on a particular measurement .

Seam /sewing allowance -is the area between the fabric edge and the stitching line on two pieces of material being sewn together.

Waist line-the horizontal line where the waist is marked

.

Hip line-The horizontal line where the hip is marked.

*Calculations*

For this skirt, we will divide the whole skirt by 2.

1. Front piece

2. Back piece.

This means that the waist and hips measurements will be divided by 2.

25/2=12 1/2

39/2= 19 1/2

The front piece and back piece waist=12 1/2

The front piece and back piece hip=19 1/2

It is important to cut on fold so that the sides can be the same. So we divide front piece by 2 again and as well the back piece.

Waist 12 1/2 divided by 2= 6 1/4

Hip 19 1/2 divide by 2=9 3/4

*Step by step procedure*

*Front piece*

1. Fold you brown paper and into two. Mark the fold line (center fold) as CF .

2. Measure 1 inch downward from the top of the paper at the center front label it A and draw a straight line horizontally . This is the waist line. Label it WL

3. From WL at the CF measure 1/2inch downward . Label it B(note this done by to make the skirt lie flat at the tummy.)

4. From WL measure 7.5 inches(waist to hip measurements ). Draw a horizontal line straight line this is your hip line. Label it HL.

5. From WL measure 20 inches downward (waist to knee measurements). Draw an horizontal line at this point. This is your knee line which is also the desired skirt length .

6. On the waist line and WL mark 6 1/4 inches label it C.

7. On the hip line HL line mark 9 3/4 inches label it D .

These figures were gotten from the calculations above.

8. Subtract 1 inch from the hip measurement used above.

9 3/4 -1=8 3/4

*Note if it is knee length skirt subtract 1 inch. For an ankle length skirt subtract 1 1/2inch*

9. Mark 8 3/4 at the knee line . Label it E.

10. Join B to C with a slight curve C to D with a slight curve and D to E with a straight line.

BCDE is your pencil skirt front piece.

*Back piece*

11. Join A to C with a straight line C to D with a slight change of curve and D to E with a straight line

ACDE is your pencil skirt back piece.

12. Cut the back piece out first. Place on another folded paper and replicate the back piece on it.

13. Now cut out the front piece from the first back piece .

*Fabric cutting*

1.To transfer to fabric, fold your fabric on the wrong side at the center

2. For the front piece , Mark 2 inches from the top. Ensure the top edge is straight and and draw an horizontal line on the 2 inch marking. 3. Place your front piece sloper at this horizontal line. So the 2 inches is at the top. (this is for the waist fold)

4. From this horizontal line mark 1/2 inch at CF. 4. Pin down the sloper on the fabric 5. Mark our 2 inches on the fabric from the lower edge of the sloper. This is for the fold at the hem. 6. Add 2 inches seam allowance at CDE and join together . 7. Cut out the fabric following the new marking not forgetting the 1/2inch at the waist fold, the seam allowance and hem allowance . 8. For the Back piece. Measure the 2 inches from CF of fabric and draw a vertical straight line . This is the zipper allowance 9. mark like front piece except the 1/2inch at waist fold 10. Cut out accordingly with the zipper allowance., hem allowance and waist fold allowance . 11. Notch the zipper allowance is a at the top and lower edge and cut at the center fold CF to have 2 back pieces . *Sewing* 1. Place the back pieces together with the right sides facing each other and their shape corresponding to each other . 2. Hand stitch with a back stitch the two back pieces at the zipper line on the wrong side of the fabric and this gives you 1 piece of the back piece. 3. Place the front piece and back piece togerher with the right sides facing each other and their shape corresponding to each other . 4. Hand stitch with a back stitch, the front and back piece at the seam allowance at both sides and your skirt is complete

5. Fold the top of the skirt at 2 inches which was your waist fold allowance and iron out. 6. Fold the lower edge of the skirt at 2 inches which was your hem fold allowance and iron out. 7. Take your needle and with a hem stitch , hem the waist and the lower edge. 8. At the waist, do not hem all the waist . Leave 2 inches Un-hemmed and pass the in your elastic at the casing formed by the fold with a safety pin. The elastic used was 2/3 of skirt waist length .= 16 3/4 inches 9. Run this through the waist and ensure the two edges off the elastic are out. 10 back stitch the two edges of the elastic and carefully return into the casing at the waist . 11. Finish up your hemming at the waist and wow your skirt is ready to be worn.

*Note-I used a stretchy fabric for this project because I added no vent or slit at the lower part of skirt back piece for movement*

I hope you will stop by often for more tutorials like this. Bye. Stay safe