Feeling Skirty

I am "feeling skirty" most days. I live in a tropical environment and most days I am trying to stay as comfortable and cool as possible. Shorts can sometimes be...less than flattering...although I am liking bermudas these days and have already made one pair of white cropped pants into bermudas. BUT, skirts are always comfy, most always flattering (if you find the right style that works for you), can be dressed up or down, and always fun! Oh, and they are so easy to make, too!

This is my latest:

I found this fabulous fabric at our local fabric warehouse. So many fun fabrics, so cheap...so many ideas in my head...oh mercy. Well, here is a close up of the fabric.

Now, let me tell you a little story about this skirt. I cut a pattern from my all-time favorite A-line-Gap-sale-rack-skirt. I have made it three times already and will most definately make more in the future. All I did was fold the skirt in half and lay it on a big piece of paper. I traced around the skirt leaving a little bit all around to accomodate the seams and hem. I marked where the fold would be (since you actually have a quarter of the skirt that you are tracing). I then cut out two of the pattern in my fabric, making sure to be aware of alignment with the design of the fabric and to lay it on the fold. (If your fabric is a lighter weight you will want to make the same exact skirt pattern in a lightweight lining fabric-see note below). For this skirt I made it a couple of inches longer than the original skirt.

If your skirt has a zipper and you are not making a lining you will want to cut a yoke out of the same fabric for the waistline. I have found the best way to do this is to cut a 6-inch long version of the skirt. You just follow the curve of the waistband and only make it 6-inches long (this is kind of hard to explain, but you want to have a little more fabric weight at the waistband so that it lays flat). Yours might have elastic which doesn't require a yoke. Also, a skirt with a lining doesn't require a yoke either.

The rest of my directions are for a skirt that includes a zipper.

Ok, so you zig-zap stitch or hem the bottom of your yoke, pin it to your waistband right sides together (RST) and stitch. Press the seam open with an iron, turn right side out and press the seam so it lays flat.

Next, you need to mark how long your zipper is and sew up the side of your skirt RST only until that point. Sew up the entire other side of the skirt.

For installing the zipper, I will let you follow the instructions in the package of the zipper or in the instruction manual of your sewing machine. I find that using an invisible zipper is nicer looking and actually easier to sew in.

All you have to do now is try it on and pin your hem length. Turn the bottom under twice and hem.

There you go! So easy! This is my first time to explain something like this, so excuse me if it's not so clear. You can always leave a question in the comments.

Note about lining the skirt: To make a lining, cut two pattern pieces from your lining fabric. Start by sewing your sides together, remembering to leave room for the zipper. Then, pin your lining to the skirt fabric RST at the waistband and sew together. Press the seam open and then turn the lining inside of the skirt and press the waistband flat. You might want to topstitch the waistband to make it lay a little more flat. I don't remember what I did with the skirt I made lining for, but I don't think I did this step. You should have all of the unfinished seams from the skirt and the lining facing each other inside of each other. Next, when you sew in the zipper, you will need to sew it into two layers, both the skirt and the lining. Lastly, you will want to hem the skirt and the lining separately and it helps to hem the lining a bit shorter so it doesn't show at the bottom.