SEWING COMPANION LIBRARY

Easy Guide to
Sewing Skirts
Easy Guide to
Sewing Skirts
Marcy Tilton
Cover Photo: Boyd Hagan
Back Cover Photos: Robert Marsala

Designer: Jodie Delohery

Layout Artist: Catherine Cassidy
Illustrator: Steve Buchanan
Typeface: Bookman/Optima
Paper: 70 lb. Warren Patina Matte
Printer: Quebecor Printing Hawkins. New Canton. Tennessee

Taunton
BOOKS & VIDEOS
for fellow enthusiasts

1995 by The Taunton Press. Inc.

All rights reserved.

First printing: 1995

Second printing: 1996
Printed in the United States of America

A THREADS Book
THREADS@ is a trademark of The Taunton Press. Inc . .
registered i n the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The Taunton Press. 63 South Main Street. Box 5506.

Newtown. CT 06470-5506

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Tilton. Marcy.
Easy gUide to sewing skirts / Marcy Tilton.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 1-56158-088-0
1 . Skirts. 2. Sewing. 1. Title.
TT540.T55 1995
646.43504--dc20 95-6384
CIP
Introduction
I have sewn hundreds, maybe thousands, of garments during a 35-year

career that has been devoted to this pleasurable passion of mine. But

the garment that stands out most clearly in my mind is the very first

one I made.

1 was 16 years old, loved beautiful clothes, and haunted Frank

Murphy's, St. Paul, Minnesota's finest women's store, where I found

the garment that inspired me-a lemon-yellow Irish linen straight skirt.

Simple. Sophisticated. The $110 price tag was clearly beyond me, so I

found the fabric and sewed a copy of the skirt in a weekend. I was

amazed at how quickly things came together, elated at what fun this

was and how good it felt to create just what I wanted from a bit of
fabriC, a pattern, and some thread. I was hooked.

I had my first clothing class a few years later in college. Starting once

more with a skirt-a supple, moss-green, wide-wale-corduroy A-line,

cut on the bias-I learned about fitting, pressing, lining, making the

inside as beautiful as the outside. I wore that skirt out, shortening it

each year as the mini-skirt gradually emerged on the scene.

I learned to sew from nuns who taught with gentle kindness and good

humor (I wondered how they had learned all this-they wore the same

thing every day!) as well as from my beloved Aunt Mary who fixed my

mistakes, ripped when 1 was discouraged, and predicted: "You will

never be able to walk past a fabric store again."

Years later, I met Sandra Betzina, who had a school in San Francisco

devoted to fashion sewing, and I thought I had died and gone to

heaven. I taught classes for her and on my own throughout the Bay
Area. A few years after Sandra closed her school, my school, The

Sewing Workshop, the fulfillment of my dream, was born.

Since then, I have learned from my colleagues, from tailors and

dressmakers, from fabric artists, from students, from books and videos,

from classes, and from keeping a close eye on ready-to-wear. The

information in this book is the result of a lifetime of seeking knowledge,

trial and error, success and failure. I have learned to appreciate

"mistakes" because, through them, new techniques, ideas, and

improvements develop.

Through teaching and communicating about sewing, clothes, and

fashion, 1 continue to learn and grow. I hope that your creative journey
will bring you as much pleasure and satisfaction as it has brought me,

from the day I made that yellow skirt.

EASY GUIDE TO SEWING SKIRTS
6
Choosing the Best Style 8
Whi
ch Skirt What's Best for Me 8
Selecting the Pattern 14
to Make? Beyond the Pattern Envelope 14
Which Size to Buy? 15

16
A Glossary of Fashion Fabrics 18
Working Foolproof Fabrics
Challenging Fabrics
19
20
with Fabrics Prep aring the Fabric 22
Pres hrtnkin
g and Pressing 22
Straightening the Grain 23

24
The Basics 26
Getting Four Basic Steps
Tools
27
27
the Right Fit Comp arin
g Measurements 28
Measure Your Body 28
Measure Your Pattern 29
Proofing the Pattern 30
Lengthening a Pattern 30
Shortening a Pattern 31
Adjusting Width 31
Custo g the Pattern
mizin 34
Adding a Pocket 34
Adding Walking Ease 35
Adding a Lining 36
Changing the G rainlin
e of a Flared Skirt 37
Pin-Fitting Adjustments 40
Try on the Pattern 40
Adjusting for Swayback 40
Adjusting for Round Tumm y 42
Adjusting for Full-Hip Measurements 43

44
M aking Notes 46
Cutting and Marking
Construction Cutting
48
48
Marking 48
Guidelines Pressing 50
Tools 50
Techniques 50
Seams and Seam Finishes 52
Sewing Perfect Seams 53
Finishes for Side Seams 54
Finishes for Hems and Waistband Seams 55
Darts, Pleats, and Gathers 58
Darts 59
Pleats 61
Gathers 64
Side-Seam Pockets 66
Construction 66
Kick Pleats and French Vents 70
Kick Pleat 70
French Vent 72
Zippers 74
Some Tips 75
Lapped Zipper 76
Centered Zipper 78
Invisible Zipper 80
The Lining 82
Attaching the Lining 84
He mmin
g the Lining 85
Waistbands 86
Fitting the Waist 88
Pull-On Waistband 89
Classic Fitted Waistband 92
Three Interfacing Options for the Classic Waistband 93
Fitted Elasticized Waistband 96
Contoured Waistband 99
Raised Waistband 101
Hooks and Eyes 102
He mming the S kirt 104
Hem Width 104
Marking 104
Hemming by Hand 105
Hemming by Machine 106
Final Pressing 106
Test Your Skills: A Gored S kirt 108
Tips for a Lightly Fitted Gored Skirt 108
Tips for a Fitted Gored Skirt 109
Tips for a Full Gored Skirt 109

Index 110
 Which Skirt
1 to Make?

Anyone can sew a skirt, so if you're just learning, a skirt is the

perfect starting point. You can get the color, style, and fit you
want, and the length that's exactly right for you.

The number of choices in the pattern books may seem

overwhelming at first, but there are really only a few skirt styles
and silhouettes to choose from. In this chapter, you'll learn how to
determine which styles work best on your figure and which styles
and fabrics are best for your skill level.

A simple style and a beautiful fabric are the best combination for
fast, easy, and successful sewing Uust look at the skirts in any
Calvin Klein collection). When you want to make a skirt quickly,
stay at or just below your skill level and use the techniques and
details that you've mastered. If you want to stretch your limits,
choose skirts with some new element-a different zipper
application, a more fitted style, or a more challenging fabric.

The more difficult and time-consuming skirts to sew are those

that are fitted at the waist, high hip, and full hip, or that have
more pattern pieces and construction details, such as pleats
or pockets.
Choosing the Best Style

Begin in your closet. Try on your favorite skirts.

Make notes and take measurements.

Decide which styles and silhouettes look best on you. What are
the most flattering lengths? Which waistband styles, lengths, and
widths are most comfortable? What is the hip measurement of the
fitted skirt that looks best on you?

Next, take your tape measure to the stores. Try on a variety of

skirts to see what works for you and what doesn't. (I do this at
least twice a year-late August and March are when the stores
have the best seasonal selections.) Again, make notes of the most
flattering lengths, hem widths, waistbands, and so on. Check the
fabric types-this will help you learn which fabrics work best for
which styles. If you find a skirt in the stores that looks fabulous
on you, you'll probably be able to find something similar in the
pattern books.

Wh at's Best for Me?

Skirt styles fall into a few basic categories: straight, A-line or
flared, gored, pleated/tucked, gathered, wrap, and bias. But how
well a particular style will look on you depends on your figure
type. Some styles look good on almost anyone, while others seem
to suit a particular body shape. The so-called "average" or slim,
well-proportioned figure can wear almost any style of skirt. Four
of the other common figure types and the styles that most flatter
them are described on the facing page.

The chart on pp.lO-13 describes each of the basic skirt styles, the
figure type best suited to each, the range of sewing skills required,
and the recommended fabrics. For easy reference, each skirt style
is coded with the appropriate figure symbols. The page numbers
in parentheses direct you to more detailed discussion of the
suggested style variations and design details.

8 Which Skirt to Make?

F I G URE TYPES
[I]
x or Hourglass The hourglass figure looks balanced,
curvaceous, and wel l defi ned. The shou lders and h i ps
appear to be the same width, and the bust and h i ps
are about lOi n . to 12 i n . larger than the waist (an
hourglass figure m ight measure 38-27-38, for
example). A woman with th i s shape can wear both
straight and flared styles. If you're fu l l figured,
however, you ' l l look better with stra ight l i nes that
m i n i m ize your curves, such as those on a skirt with
vertical seams.
[l]
A or Pear On a pear-shaped figure, the shoulders
appear narrower than the h i ps or th ighs, the bust i s
small, a n d t h e waist is sma l l i n proportion t o the h i ps.
If you are pear shaped-most women are-avoid
b u l ky skirts and severe sl im-l i ne skirts. Flared, A-l i ne,
gored, and bias skirts are most flattering. To
camouflage fu l l h i ps, choose soft, flowing fabrics, soft
pleats, and long, gracefu l skirts.
Hourglass figure Pear figure
[j]
H or Rectangular The rectangular figure has few
curves and not m uch waist l i n e defi n ition. The
shou lders and the h i ps are s i m ilar i n width, which
makes the figure appear balanced. If you have a
rectangular shape, most l i kely your clothes usually
hang wel l . You can wear skirts that are sl i m-fitti ng, as
wel l as ones that are gracefu l and flowing.
[!]
Y or Wedge The wedge figure has shoulders that are
broader than the h i ps, and the upper arms may be
heavy. Some women develop a wedge shape as they
age; others are born with these proportions. If you
have a wedge shape, s l i m skirts are made for you .
Gored and bias skirts are also good choices.
Rectangular figure Wedge figure
Choosing the Best Style 9
STYLES, SKILLS, AND FABRICS

Skirt Style and Required Suggested

types figure notes skills faorics

STRAIGHT
[I][j][!]
A straight skirt is cut straight
(or tapers in slightly) from the
f u l l hip to the hem.
More than any other
style, straight skirts
reveal the figure. An
oversized top worn over
a straight skirt, however,
works wel l on figures
with proportional ly large
hips.
Short straight skirts
ending just above the
knee are the most
flatteri ng. Super-short
straight skirts, such as
the micro-mini, are best
on slim, long-l egged
figures.
Long straight skirts can
have an air of chic, but
look dowdy if they're
the wrong length.
They're best if they end
where the leg begins to
taper.
Some French designers
use patterns that are
slightly "pegged" at the
hem-cut about 1/2 in.
narrower than the f u l l
h i p at each side seam. A
pegged skirt tapers from
fu l l hip to hem, creating
a curvy, pleasing line for
al most any figure that
can wear a slim skirt.
Straight skirts fit closer to
the body than any other
style, so it's important to
have some experience
with fitting.
A traditional tailored
straight skirt might have
darts, soft pleats, curved
seams, a zipper, fitted
waistband, vent or kick
pleat, and a l i ning.
Easy: A slim skirt with a
pul l-on e lasticized
waistband (pp. 89-91 ) is
an ideal beginner's
project. A French vent
(p. 72) and lining
(pp. 82-85) are optional .
Average: Soft front pleats
(pp. 6 1-63); darts (p. 59),
gathers (pp. 64-65), or
elastic (pp. 96-98) in the
back; machine-stitched
zipper (pp. 78-79) at
center-back seam;
optional French vent
(p. 72) and lining
(pp. 82-85).
Advanced: Darts
(pp. 59-60) in front and
back; shaped darts for
better fit or pockets
(pp.66-69); hand-picked
zipper (p. 79); lining
(pp. 82-85).
For fitted, darted styles,
the best fabrics are
m idweight, sometimes
termed "bottom
weights" that is, for skirts
or pants.
The best choices in
wools are crepe,
lightweight gabardine,
fine tweeds, and twills.
Avoid wool flannel;
most kinds are too stiff
and heavy for any skirt.
Other fabrics that work
wel l are linens, sil k linen
or b lends, light tweeds,
brushed cottons, and
den i m-weight cottons.
For pul l-on straight
skirts, fabrics should be
soft and fl uid to avoid
excess bu l k at the waist
and high hip. Silks, wool
jersey, chal l is, and rayon
are good choices.

10 Which Skirt to Make?

Skirt Style and Required Suggested
type figure notes skills fabrics

A-LINE/FLARED
[IJ[j][I]
An A-line skirt is fu ller at
the hem than at the waist.
The A-line or flared skirt
is probably the best style
for most women. It
works well on figures
with a small waist in
proportion to the hips;
adds the i l l usion of a
waist on straight up-and to sew and fit.
down figures; and may
be the only style that
works on fu ll-hipped
figures.
Check the shapes of the
pattern pieces on the
instruction sheet. The
skirt should be flared, not
rectangu lar. If the
lengthwise grain is at
center back or front, you
may want to alter it for a
more flattering effect.
Also check the finished
skirt width at the hem to
be sure it's exactly what
you want, based on the
measurements you've
taken of garments in your
wardrobe or in stores.
A-line skirts may be Because A-line skirts are
fitted at the waist, high usual ly flowing, choose
hip, and fu l l hip, which
requires ski l l in fitting.
fabrics that drape and
move nicely.
They can also be fu l l
with a n el asticized For more fitted styles,
waistband-super-easy choose wool crepe,
double knits, light
gabardine, rayon and
Easy: Full skirt with pu ll silk tweed, brushed
on elasticized waistband denim, suede, sil k linen.
(pp. 89-91); gathers
(pp. 64-65) or soft pleats For full, gathered, or
(p. 61); machine-sewn softly pleated flared
hem (pp. 106-107). styles, pick sil k
broadcloth, crepe de
Average: Fitted or chine, rayon, challis,
partially elasticized tissue faille, cotton knits,
waistband (pp. 96-98); sil k noil, wool jersey.
zipper (pp. 74-8 1);
pocket detailing
(pp. 66-69); curved
seams (p. 53).
Advanced: Bias cut
(pp. 37-39); lining
(pp. 82-83); raised
waistband (p.l 0 1 ); more
fitted, but the more fitted
the skirt, the more ski l l s
are required t o make it.

Choosing the Best Style 11

 Skirt Style and Required Suggested
type figure notes skills fannes

CORED
[IJ[j][iJ[!]
This style consists of four, six,
eight, or more gores shaped
to flare from waist to hem.
A true classic, the gored
skirt is always in fashion.
It's also one of the most
flattering styles. The
vertical lines of a gored
skirt create an illusion of
height and slimness.
A gored skirt can be
either straight or A-line,
depending on the
contours of the gores. If
you look best in a slim
skirt, choose a gored
style that's fitted at the
waist and hips and that
flares near the hemline.
If an A-line is best for
you, choose a skirt with
gores that flare from
waist or high hip.
Shaped and curvy gores
emphasize the hips.
(See pp. 108-109 for tips
on constructing a fitted,
lightly fitted, and full
gored skirt.)
The more fitted the skirt, The best fabrics for this
the more important your style are fluid and
fitting ability. You' l l also drapey.
need accurate stitching
and pressing skills to Wool jersey, velour, and
achieve flat, nearly wool double knits are
invisible seams. Hems good for lightly fitted
can be sewn by hand or skirts; wool crepe, silk
machine. tweed, and fine worsted
wool for fitted skirts. Silk
Easy: Pul l-on elasticized crepe de chine and
waistband (pp. 89-91); rayon are also good
additional ease at waist choices.
and hips (p.108).
Avoid wool flannel and
Average: Lightly fitted gabardine.
skirt (p. 1 08); invisible
zipper (pp. 80-8 1 );
mach ine-topstitched
hem (p. 1 06)
Advanced: Fitted
(p. 109); hand-picked or
invisible zipper (p. 79
and pp. 80-8 1 ); hand
sewn hem (p. 105).

12 Which Skirt to Make?

Skirt Style and
R uired Suggested
type figure notes skil s faorics

PLEATED!TUCKED
[j][!]
You can vary the size,
n u m ber and placement
of the pleats to create
different effects.
0 0
Pleats create a subtle
vertical line while
softening the figure. A
skirt with all-arou nd
pleats, however, flatters
only s l i m, narrow-
hipped figures.
The position, direction,
and depth of the pleats
can be varied from those
on the pattern to achieve
the look that's best for
you . Experi ment.
Easy: Soft pleats (p. 61 ).
Average: Pressed-down
or stitched-down pleats
(pp. 62-63).
Advanced: A l l -around
pleats, which are
extremely difficu lt to fit.
Soft pleats require soft
fabrics, such as silk and
s i l kies, rayon, and jersey.
The best choices for
pressed- or stitched-
down pleats are crisp
fabrics, such as l ight
gabardine and
menswear worsteds, s i l k
twi ll, and broadcloth .

GATHERED Gathered skirts visually Beginners often choose To avoid an u nflattering

1Il111
Gathers emphasize the drape
and movement of soft, fluid
fabrics.
add weight and bulk to
any figu re, so choose
your pattern and fabric
carefu l l y.
Beware the rectangu lar
shaped "di rndl" skirt,
which is fine for
children but frumpy on
most women . Check the
pattern instruction sheet
to make sure the pattern
pieces are narrower at
the waist than at the
hem.
to make a gathered skirt
as a fi rst project, but
gathers take patience
and fussing to get just
right.
Easy: Gathers created by
an elasticized waistband
(p. 89); short spans of
gathers.
Average/Advanced:
Long spans of gathers; a
m u l ti-tiered, Santa Fe
style skirt.
puffy look, use soft, fluid
fabrics, such as silk,
polyester "si l kies,"
rayon, jersey, and
challis.
If you're u nsure whether
a fabric is too heavy for
a gathered skirt, it
probably is.

Carefu l l y position the

gathers (pp. 64-65) for
the most flattering effect.

Choosing the Best Style 13

Selecting the Pattern

Keep it simple. The key to success is to begin with a loose

fitting style and a beautifulfabnc.

As a rule, a garment with fewer pattern pieces requires less time

to fit and sew. Scrutinize the illustrations in the pattern books.
Keep in mind that each detail-yokes, pockets, pleats, raised
waistbands, and intricate seam treatments-adds time and
complexity to the project.

Build your skills gradually. With each new garment you make,
plan to add another technique or fitting skill to your repertOire.
For instance, once you've made a simple, slim skirt with an elastic
waistband and a machine-stitched hem, you may want to make
the same pattern again, this time adding pockets to the side
seams and hand-stitching the hem. Then you'll be ready for a
more challenging pattern, say, a darted skirt with a kick pleat and
a fitted waistband.

Beyond the Pattern Envelope

The pattern envelope contains a lot of useful information, but you
have to know how to interpret it. Pattern illustrations can be
somewhat misleading, because the artists' drawings are much
taller and slimmer than most real women actually are. So keep in
mind that you'll probably look very different in the skirt than the
figure in the sketch. Also, if there's a photograph of a designer
original, remember that the pattern company does not buy the
original pattern, but rather the right to copy the design, so the cut
of the garment won't be exactly the same.

Don't get distracted by details, such as a skirt pocket or the color

of the garment in the illustration. Look at the lines of the
drawings on the back of the pattern envelope. These will show you
the skirt's basic silhouette-that is, whether it is straight, flared,
or gathered.

14 Which Skirt to Make?

Open the envelope, if the retailer will allow you to, and check the
line drawing on the pattern instruction sheet. This is usually
larger than the one on the pattern envelope, and the details are
easier to see. Also check the shape and grainline position of the
pattern pieces.

Check the finished skirt length and width, and compare these to
your notes on what looks best on you. Your best lengths may vary,
too, depending on the style of the skirt. Length is simple to
change, but widths are more difficult to adjust, so you may need
to try another size.

Read through the pattern instructions. Be sure you understand or

can learn every step. Check the garment details to be sure you are
confident you can master them. If not, see if you can simplifY the
skirt, at least the first time you make it.

Which Size to Buy?

Choose a skirt pattern based on your full-hip measurement
W h i l e you're searc h ing the
(p. 28), not your waist measurement-the waistline is easier to
pattern books for a skirt, be
adjust than the hip. If your upper thighs are larger than your hips sure to a l so check the patterns
(as on a pear-shaped figure), substitute your upper-thigh that show ensembles. You just
measurement for the hip measurement when selecting the size. m ight find the perfect skirt, as
wel l as a matching jacket or
If the skirt is part of an ensemble pattern, select the pattern size coat.
you would normally take in a blouse or jacket. You don't have to
buy another pattern for the skirt-simply adjust the skirt pattern
to fit. It's much easier to alter a skirt than it is to alter a blouse or
a jacket.

Selecting the Pattern 15

Working with
Fabrics

It's impossible to select fabric without touching it. When you find
a fabric that appeals to you, open it out to the length of the
garment to examine its drape and overall effect. Crush it in your
hand to see if it wrinkles and if the creases disappear easily. Take
the bolt to a full-length mirror and hold the fabric up against you,
draping it like a skirt. Stand back and squint to get a different
perspective-sometimes a fabric that's appealing at close range
isn't when you see it from a distance.

If your skirt will have pleats, fold the fabric to duplicate them. If
you want to make a skirt with gathers, scrunch up the fabric to
imitate a gathered effect. From these tests, you'll discover whether
the fabric drapes smoothly and gracefully (which will flatter the
figure without adding bulk) or is stiff and three-dimensional.

When you begin shopping, the fabrics recommended on the back

of the pattern envelope are a good starting point. These are the
fabrics the pattern designer believes will work best for that
garment. Often these recommendations are too generic, however,
and make no allowances for the sewer's abilities. The
recommendations also fail to take into account that the
characteristics of a specific fabric type (such as wool gabardine)
can vary greatly. Consult the chart on pp. 10-13 for other
suggested fabrics for your skirt style.
A Glossary of Fashion Fabrics

Allow yourself time to seZect just the rightJabric-one that

you will eryoy sewing and wearing.

The most common mistake that sewers make is to pair a pattern

with an incompatible fabric. If a fabric seems too heavy, too
slippery, too wrinkly, too unstable, prone to fraying, or not quite
the right color, keep looking. Most sewers have a "little voice"
inside that instinctively recognizes when a fabric isn't acceptable.
Better to find out before the garment is made than during the
project or, worse yet, after the skirt is finished. When you're not
sure how a fabric will handle, buy 118 yd. to experiment with.

18 Working with Fabrics

Foolproof Fabrics
Certain fabrics are like dependable old friends. They are a
pleasure to touch, gratifying to sew and press, and they wear,
move, and flow beautifully. Natural fibers head the list of foolproof
fabrics for skirts.

Cotton: Denim, brushed cotton, chambray, fine poplin, lawn. Look

for long-fiber cottons (the best quality), which can be identified by
their beautiful sheen and resistance to wrinkles. A pleasure to sew
and press, these cottons last and last.

Wool: Wool crepe, double knits, wooljersey (though notJor rank

beginners), wool challis. The weight and drape of wool makes it a
perfect skirt fabric. Wool crepe is excellent, as the texture does not
add bulk to the figure. It's also easy to press and sew. Avoid wool
flannel entirely-it's thick and bulky and doesn't press well.

Linen: Linen blends. Linen blends well with other fibers. With
linen/rayon, for example, you get the best of both fabrics-the
drape of rayon and the stability of linen. Moygashel, a brand
name Irish linen, doesn't wrinkle as much as other pure linens.
For slim and fitted flared skirts, choose heavy weights. Consider
lining your linen skirt, depending on the style.

Silk: Silk linen, silk noil, silk tweed, silk broadcloth. Silk can be
smooth and slippery or have the look and feel of cotton or linen.
Until you have more experience, avoid the slippery silks, such as
charmeuse, crepe de chine, georgette, and chiffon.

N E E DLES, THREADS, AN D STITCH ES

For most skirt fabrics ( lightweight to midweight
wovens and some knits), a #12/80 universal-point
needle is best. With these fabrics, use a good-quality
long-staple polyester thread and a 2 m m to 2 . 5 m m
stitch length (about 8 to 1 0 stitches per inch).
For very lightweight fabric, such as crepe de chine, use
a smaller needle (#10/70) and finer thread-machine
embroidery thread, for example.
With heavy, dense, thick, or textured fabrics, use a
longer stitch and larger needle. With denim, for
example, use a #14/90 needle. Even if you r fabric isn't
heavy, because you are stitching through so many
thicknesses, you may want to topstitch with a size
#14/90 or special topstitching needle.
I baste with silk thread to avoid making indentations in
the fabric when I press it before the final stitching.

A Glossary of Fashion Fabrics 19

 The feel, weight, and drape of the
fabric are essential to the success of
your finished garment.

Challenging Fabrics
Some fabrics are more challenging to work with because they
require expertise in cutting, handling, sewing, pressing, and
hand-stitching. To gain some experience gradually, combine a
challenging fabric with a simple-to-construct design. For example,
try making a simple four-gore pull-on skirt in rayon or silk crepe
de chine.

Rayon: A man-made fiber composed oj natural materials. Rayon's

soft and drapey characteristics, which give the fabric its appeal,
are also what can make it hard to handle. Sand-washed rayons,
especially, shift and move easily while they are being cut and
sewn. Imported, cottonlike rayons are often more stable and easier
to handle than inexpensive, domestic versions. Try the wrinkle
test: If the wrinkles fall out after you crumple the fabriC, the rayon
is probably of good quality and will be easier to sew.

Polyester: A man-made fiber that can look andJeel like silk or

rayon. Polyester is difficult to cut, sew, press, and shape. The fiber
is so strong that topstitching often puckers. Avoid polyester
"silkies" until you're a seasoned sewer, and even then, test the
fabriC first.

Wool gabardine: Can be firm and crisp or soft and drapey.

Although suitable for a variety of skirt styles, gabardine is a
difficult fabric for a beginner to work with because it eases poorly,
frays readily, and shows stitching errors. Gabardine also requires
expert pressing and topstitching to look its best.

20 Working with Fabrics

FABR ICS FOR POCK ETS, INTER FACINGS, AN D L ININGS
Once you've found your skirt fabric, select the fabrics
for the other items you'll include in the skirt.
Pockets: If the skirt fabric is l ightweight, doesn't show
through from the right side, and won't stick to itself,
make the pockets from the same fabric. You can also
use the l i ning fabric to make the pockets.
Pockets may also be made of any strong, slippery
fabric or pl ain-weave cotton in a color close to that of
the skirt. Plain broadcloth or cotton twill are also good
to use.
If the skirt fabric is a pale color or white, make the
pockets of a lightweight lining fabric of nude- or flesh
toned silk or nylon organza.
Interfacing: You have a number of choices for
waistband interfacing. You don't have to use what the
pattern says. Although designed for shirt collars and
cuffs, woven fusible is perfect for waistbands. It creates
a crisp finish that holds the waistband's shape. Sew-in
interfacing doesn't work as wel l . There are also
waistband styles for which you don't need interfacing
(pp. 89-91) .
Lining: A lining fabric should be thin, strong, and
smooth . It should also be compatible with the weight,
drape, and care requirements of the skirt fabric. The
color should not be visible through the skirt fabric .
If your skirt pattern doesn't include a l i n i ng, you need
to calculate how much fabric you should buy. The
general rule is: double the skirt length . However, it's
safer to lay out your pattern pieces on the lining fabric
(except for the waistband, which is un l i ned). For future
reference, note on the pattern envelope how much
l i n i ng fabric you need for the skirt.
Rayon linings are ideal. Not only are they inexpensive,
they "breathe" and have excel lent draping qualities.
They can be difficult to find, however. (polyester,
though less expensive and more available, doesn't
breathe wel l and has only fair draping qualities.)

Sil k is the ultimate in l uxury. It's expensive, feels

marvelous, and can add warmth to the garment.
Crepe de chine is an excellent and sumptuous
companion to wool crepe or light gabard ine. China
silk is an excellent traditional l i n i ng fabric, but beware
/ ./ of the thin, cheap varieties-with any stress at all (as in
- -- / a fitted skirt), the seams may pull out.

Fusible interfacing creates a stable, crisp waistband.

Pockets Waistband Interfacings Linings

Plain-weave cotton Fusible nonwoven, precut Rayon

Plain broadcloth Fusible woven yardage Silk

Cotton twill Sew-in woven, by the roll Crepe de chine

Lining fabrics of sil k or

nylon organza Elastic and flat-ribbed elastic China silk

A Glossary of Fashion Fabrics 21

Prep g the Fabric
arin

Prepare the fabric before you sew to ensure that the

finished garment will look, hang, and wear well.

Most fabric will shrink the first time it's laundered, so you should
wash or dry-clean it before you cut out the pattern pieces.
Preshrink using the same method you plan to use to launder your
finished skirt. For example, if you'll be washing and drying the
skirt by machine, pretreat the fabric by machine. After pre
shrinking, straighten the grain of the fabric by pulling or pressing
to ensure that the finished garment will look its best.

Pres hrinkin
g and Pressing
Washing by hand is often the best way to launder hand-sewn
garments. To preshrink the fabric, either wash and dry it by
machine this first time only, or wash it by hand. To preshrink by
hand, fold the fabric and submerge it in warm to hot water and a
little detergent. (The detergent removes the excess dye or finishing
substance.) Then rinse and air-dry the fabric.

Undyed white and off-white wools tend to shrink at alarming rates

and should always be preshrunk. Lay the fabric on a large terry
towel that has just been washed in the machine (the towel should
be damp, not sodden). Roll the fabric and damp towel together like
a jelly roll, leave them overnight, and, the next day, press the
fabric smooth to remove the moisture.

Some fabrics, such as wool crepe, must be dry cleaned. To pre

shrink the fabric, have the dry cleaner process the piece of fabric
just as if it were a garment.

Not all fabrics need preshrinking. Many wools and silks are
"needle-ready," and need nothing more than a touch-up with the
iron before you lay out and cut the pattern pieces.

Press the preshrunk fabric before you cut out the pattern pieces
and hang it on a hanger so it won't wrinkle. Press and hang your
pattern pieces, too. They'll be easier to work with.

22 Working with Fabrics

Straightening the Grain
Even though fabric is woven straight (with the lengthwise and
crosswise threads at right angles to each other), it is often pulled
off-grain during the finishing process or as it is wound onto the
bolt. If you cut and sew a garment off-grain, it may never hang the
way you expect it to.

So, before you lay out your pattern pieces, check that the fabric is
on the "straight of the grain," that is, with all edges, selvage, and
cross grain straight and at right angles. Make a snip through the
selvage about 1 in. to 2 in. from one of the raw edges. Tear the
fabric if it tears easily and without distortion, or pull one thread
out and cut along the area it was pulled from. (Some fabric stores
will do this when you buy the fabric.)

Now fold the fabric in half, with selvages together. Press the fabric
and place it on a flat surface. The selvage and cross grain should
be straight and at right angles to each other; cross-grain threads
should lie on top of one another.

If the fabric is off-grain, pull the fabric firmly from the corners
along the bias to straighten it. If you have a lot of yardage, work
down the length of the fabric, pulling every 12 in. from corner to
corner. This task is easily accomplished with two people, but if
you're working alone, you can press the fabric, stretching it along
the bias as you work, as shown in the photo on the facing page.

To find the "straight of the grain, "

tear the fabric or pull a thread and
cut along the crosswise grain.
Check that the selvage and cross
grain are straight and at right angles.

Preparing the Fabric 23

Getting the
Right Fit

Part of the fun of sewing for yourself is to get the best fit possible.
Fitting is the process ?f adjusting or altering a commercial pattern
so that it will exactly fit the person who will wear the garment. It
is rare for anyone to have precisely the same measurements as a
commercial pattern, and seldom can a pattern be used straight
out of the envelope without changes. Altering and customizing the
pattern are as much a part of creating clothes as sewing and
pressing are.

Fitting has an undeserved reputation for being difficult. It's not,

but it can be time-consuming-up to one-third of the time it takes
to construct an entire garment is spent preparing and adjusting
the pattern. Once you know how your body differs from the
pattern, you can adjust all your patterns for your specific hip or
waist measurements, preferred length, or other variations. With
all the time you'll invest in perfecting a pattern, it certainly pays
to have a collection of favorites that you can use again and again.

Because fitting is a trial-and-error process, it helps to take a

fitting class or to have a friend who sews or a professional
dressmaker assist you in measuring and basic fitting. Reference
books help too.

One of the secrets to success in sewing is the process of "proofing"

the pattern. When you proof a pattern, you make certain that the
skirt will fit around your body and that it will be the right length.
Once that's accomplished, pin the tissue pieces together and try
on the pattern to check the style, details, and silhouette. When
you have a pattern that's exactly customized to the shape of your
body, you're ready to cut out the fabric and begin sewing a
garment you can be sure you'll enjoy wearing.

Make it your goal to add pattern adjustment and fitting to your

repertoire of sewing skills, expanding your knowledge bit by bit
with each project.
\
The Basics

For many people, fitting is a mystery-but it needn't be.

There arefour basic steps. Take them one at a time.
It also helps to have a few tools handy.

26 Getting the Right Fit

Four Basic Steps
If you fol low these four s i mple
steps before you cut your fabric,
any fitting you do during
construction wi l l be fi ne-tuni ng,
not a major overhaul .
1. Compare your body
measurements to those of the
flat pattern (pp. 28-29) .
2. Proof the pattern to ensure that
the skirt w i l l be the right length
and wil l fit around your body
(pp . 30-33) .
3 . Pin the pattern pieces together
as they wi l l be sewn and try on the
pattern (p. 40). Adjust for
swayback (pp. 40-41), round
tum my (p. 42) or large h i ps (p. 43).
4. Make any desi red changes to
the pattern for pockets (p. 34),
wal ki ng ease (p. 35), linings
(p. 36) or changes in grainl ine
(pp. 37-39). Pin-fit aga i n if
necessa ry, and transfer any further
adjustments to the pattern.
Tools
Adjusting patterns is much si mpler
and the results are more
professional if you use the right
tools. Each tool has its own
specific uses for the various
patternmaking tasks; none
substitutes for another. As you
grow more fam i l iar with them,
they ' l l become l i ke extensions of
your hands.
Acquire the fol lowi ng, arranged
here i n order of necessity:
Of course, you' l l need a measuring
tape and 6-i n . gauge.
A 2-i n . by 18- i n . C-Thru ruler is
i nvaluable for creating straight
l i nes, finding right angles,
lengthening, shorte n i ng, and more.
A metal h i p curve is just right for
curving and shaping the h i ps,
waist, and legs. (This professional
pattern maker's tool is ava i l able at
stores that sel l patternmaking
suppl ies or from m a i l -order
sources.)
Once you use a metal yardstick
you' l l never aga in use a wooden
one. It's great for making clean,
long straight l i nes and edges.
There are severa l additional tools
you' l l fi nd useful when adjusting
your pattern-glue, tape, strips of
elastic, traci ng paper and pattern
ti ssue, penc i l s and pens, chalk,
Clo-ch al k, d ressmaker's penc i l s,
right-angle ruler, ful l-length m i rror,
hand m i rror, embroidery floss and
chen i l le need le, scissors, and
appl ique scissors. The l ist wi l l
conti nue to grow as you find your
own way of worki ng.
The Basics 27
Comparing Measurements
1 Measure waistline.
3 Measure full hip, and from waist
to full hip.
28 Getting the Right Fit
The first step in altering your pattern is to compare your
body measurements with the pattern's.
Measure
Your Body
The four critical measurements are
the waist, h igh h ip/tummy, ful l h ip,
and finished lengt h. Make a note
of these. They're essential for
alteri ng and fitting your pattern.
When measuring, wear the
underclothing and shoes you m ight
wear with the skirt.
Waist: Pin a length of wide elastic
around your body where you'd
l i ke the skirt waistl i ne to be.
Measure over the elastic, hold ing a
2 Measure high hip or tummy.
finger underneath the tape
measure to a l low an adequate
amount of ease (1).
High hip/tummy: Check your side
view in a ful l-length m i rror and
measure your high h i p/tummy
wherever your figure is largest
between 1 1/2 in. and 4 in. below
the waist (2) . Be sure the tape
measure doesn't rise up slightly at
center front. Also measure from
waist to high h ip.
Full hip: Check your side view
agai n and measure around your
h ips at their ful lest point (th i s is the
ful l-hip measurement) . Also
measure from your waist to your
4 Measure finished length.
ful l h i p (3).
Finished length: Measure from the
waistl ine at the side seam or front
to the desi red finished length (4).
(Or measure the length of you r
favorite ski rt o f s i m i lar style.)

_ 'll

Measure
Your Pattern
To make it easier to measure the
pattern, take it out of the envelope
and spread it out on a flat,
1 Measure the waistline, excluding the darts, tucks, pleats, and seam
uncl uttered work table.
allowances.

Waist: Hold the tape measure on

its edge (to make it easier to fol low
the pattern's cu rves) and measure
the waist along the stitch ing l i ne,
exc l u d ing seam a l l owances, tucks,
pleats, or darts ( 1 ) . Pin these in
position or simply skip over them
when measuring-th is wi l l give
you the actual measu rements of
the finished ski rt. (Because of the
ease b u i l t i nto the pattern, this
measu rement shou ld be larger than
the waist size l isted on the pattern
envelope.)

High hip/tummy: If you have a

2 Measure the pattern at full hip with the pleats pinned in position.
rounded tummy or high round
h i ps, take an additional
measu rement 1 '/2 to 4 in. below
the waistl ine of your pattern. The Four Essential Measurements
Full hip: The fu l l- h i p measu rement -r - - - - - - - - Waist
r
on the pattern w i l l be the same
d i stance from the waist as the I \ - - - - - - - - High hip/tummy (1'/2 in. to 4 in. below waist)
measu rement on you r body. If you r - - - - - - - - Full hip (9 in. below waist)
ski rt has tucks or p leats, p i n them
into position fi rst to get a true
Before altering and fitting a
measu rement of the finished
pattern, record these four
garment (2). essential measurements of
your ixxJy and your pattern.
Finished length: Along the ski rt's
center front or side sea m l ine,
measure from the waistl ine to the - - - - - - - - Length (from waist according to preference)
bottom edge of the desi red hem.

Comparing Measurments 29
Proofing the Pattern
Adjust the length and width of the fiat pattern before.
you try it on to reduce the amount of fitting you'll need
to do later.
It's more efficient to lengthen or
shorten your pattern before you
add width so that you' l l be
work i n g only with the necessary
length. You' l l also be able to blend
the side seam lines easi ly and
accurately as you smooth the jog
that often occurs when you change
the length of the garment.
If you need to lengthen or shorten
your skirt 2 in. or less, sim ply add
or subtract length at the hem. If
you need to adjust it more than
2 i n . , a l ter the body of the skirt at
the lengthen/shorten l i ne.
If your pattern doesn't have a
lengthen/shorten line, add one so
you wil l be able to realign the top
and bottom halves of the skirt. To
do this, extend the gra i n line; then
d raw a line at a right angle to it at
the point where you want to
lengthen or shorten your skirt.
If your skirt is shaped at the hem,
as in a gored, flared, or pegged
ski rt, or if it has a kick pleat,
French vent, or hem detail ,
lengthen o r shorten below the ful l
h i p so as not to i nterfere with the
design deta i l .
You may need more fabric if you
lengthen or widen the skirt
significantly. To find out for sure,
do a trial layout of your pattern
pieces on paper or on a gridded
cutting board.
30 Getting the Right Fit
Lengthening
a Pattern
Cut a long the lengthen/shorten line
and tape or glue a piece of tissue
paper a long one cut edge,
overlapping the pattern and tissue
edges about 1/2 i n . (You can use
scrap pattern tissue, as long as it's
as wide as the pattern piece and at
least 1 i n . longer than he amount
you're adding to the skirt.)
On the scrap tissue, para l lel to the
lengthen/shorten line, mark the
amount you want to add to the
skirt. Extend the grainline th rough
the scrap tissue. Line it up with the
gra i n l ine on the other half of the
skirt pattern and glue or tape the
scrap tissue in place.
If you're not also changing the
width of the skirt, simply draw the
side seam l i nes on the scrap tissue
and blend the seam l i nes of the
skirt halves.
If you are changing the skirt width,
make these adjustments (p. 31) and
blend all the seam lines in one
operation .
 To Lengthen To Shorten
Scrap tissue Cut pattern Center back
apart on
lengtherv' Fold the pattern
shorten line. piece along the
lengtherv'shorten
Overlap line. Bring the fold
pattern and to meet the drawn
scrap edges line. Tape or glue
Lengthen/shorten
about 'h in. the fold in place.
line

grainline
Draw a line
through the
parallel to the
scrap tissue.
-_--+
Align it with
lengtherv'shorten
line to mark the
the other
amount you wish
half of the
to shorten the
grainline Pleat will measure one-half
pattern.
Blend searnlines on and tape it amount to be shortened.
scrap tissue. in place.

Shortening Adj usting

a Pattern
Mark the amount you want
to shorten you r pattern by
d rawing a l ine paral lel to the
lengthen/shorten l ine.
Fold the pattern piece a long the
lenthen/shorten l ine and then l ift
the fold to meet the drawn l ine.
G lue or tape the pattern piece in
position. The pleat that forms
should be half the total amount to
be shortened (for example, if
you' re shortening the skirt 1 1/2 in.,
the pleat w i l l be % in. wide).
Make width adjustments, if
needed, at the hip or waist.
Connect and blend the seaml ines.
Width
Adjusting width is the most
common pattern alteration, and it
pays to master it from the start.
Increase or decrease skirt width at
the side seams only. If you add
width at center front or back, the
darts/tucks w i l l be positioned too
far apart.
Although you ' l l decrease width
less frequently, the same principles
apply for both increasing and
decreasing. Adjust the side seams
on the pattern tissue, drawing in
new cutting l ines. This w i l l a l low
you to pin the tissue together along
the stitching l ines and try on the
paper pattern to test the fit.

The tota l amount of adjusted width

should be divided evenly among
the quarters of the skirt-if an extra
2 in. is needed, for example, add
1/2 in. at each side sea m .

Proofing the Pattern 31

 You can add a total of u p to 8 in.
CALCULATI NG PATIER N EASE (2 i n . at each side seam) to the
waist and/or hip before the shape
Two types of ease are built into the pattern: wearing ease and design becomes distorted. If you need to
ease. Wearing ease is the amount of extra fabric you need to move add more width than this, you
comfortably in a garment. Design ease is the amount of extra fabric the sho u l d use a l arger-size pattern.
designer or patternmaker adds to give the garment a certain style and
look. The total amount of ease is the difference between the size It's a l so possib l e to make vary i n g
measurements on the pattern envelope and the actual measurements of adj ustments t o t h e hip, high hip,
the pattern. and waist. Figures with a rounded
t u m m y or high rou nd hip, for
For example, the size chart on the pattern envelope or in the pattern
exam ple, may need extra w i dth
book may indicate that a size 1 0 pattern has a waist of 26 in . and hips of
at the waist as well as at the high
34 in. The skirt's flat pattern, however, measures 2 7112 in. at the waist
and 38 in. at the hip. This means there is 1112 in. of ease in the waist and h i p to achieve a smooth l i ne
4 in. in the hip, which is standard for a straight skirt. (pp. 42-43). This is especial l y true
for small-waisted figures (an
Flat-pattern measurement - Envelope measurement = Amount of ease e lasticized fitted waistband, p. 96,
To determine the amount of ease in your pattern, measure the flat works very well on these shapes) .
pattern (p. 29) and compare these figures to the body measurements on
the pattern envelope. Write down the amount of ease your pattern After you' ve made all necessary
a l l ows in the waist, h igh hip, and fu ll h i p. When you adjust your pattern adj ustments, u se l -i n . side seams
for your body measurements, you want to maintain this amount of to b u i l d in extra fitting insurance.
pattern ease (as shown in the chart below). This will a l low you enough extra
fabric to alter the skirt w h ile you ' re

CALC U LATING T H E W IDTH ADJ U STM ENT

Make a copy of this chart and record your body measurements, the flat-pattern's measurements, and the
pattern ease. The chart wil l help you determine how much to adjust your pattern at each seam for the best fit,
while retaining the right amount of wearing and design ease.

High hip/
Waist Full hip
tummy

Body Measurement 29

Plus Ease (as calcu lated above) 1%

Total 30Y2

Minus Flat-Pattern Measurement 27112

Adj ustment to Pattern

(distributed evenly at side-seam a l lowances)
3

32 Getting the Right Fit

sewing; the extra seam width can
always be trimmed or evened
afterward .

Make dots on the tissue with a

penc i l to mark the amount you
need to adjust the side seams at
waist, h ig h h i p, and fu l l h i p. If
needed, attach scrap tissue paper
to the side seams to add enough
width (1 ) . Make sure you maintai n
the h i p ease a t you r fu l l-hip
measurement.

1 Add extra width to the side seams of the pattern pieces with tissue paper.
Use a h i p c u rve to connect the
dots, add i n g the same amount you
added to the fu l l h i p a l l the way
down the seam to the hem, i n
order to retai n the orig i n a l
s i l houette o f t h e ski rt.

Remember to adjust the waistband

pattern piece if you make any
changes in the skirt width at the
waistl ine. If you add 112 i n . to each
of the ski rt's side seams, for
example, you ' l l also need to add
2 i n . to the waistband by add i ng
1 i n . to each waistband side seam.

As you become more adept at

2 Mark additions directly onto fabric.
making and fitting ski rts, you may
prefer simply to chalk-mark the
amount that you need to add or
subtract d i rectly onto the fabric (2), To Add Width to the Waistband
and cut.

Ce te b k
,
Cent r firont
Grainline Underlap

A hip c u rve w i l l help you

redraw the new s i l houette of
the skirt perfectly.
....j,,-...,- ______ r.L'r-
_ r--J.oI ,Ir--
-- ....)",AAr--'LJ
Side seam Side seam
Scrap tissue

7. At each side seam, spread the pattern one-halfthe amount you wish to add to the
waist. Clue or tape scrap tissue underneath, maintaining the alignment of the grainline.
2. Draw new cutting lines on the pattern tissue. Mark new side seams in the center of the
added tissue.

Proofing the Pattern 33

CustO ing the Pattern
miz

Afew simple, optional alterations to thejlat pattern might

make your garment more attractive and comfortable.
Consider pockets, linings, and additional walking ease.

Adding
a Pocket
If you r pattern does not have a
pocket, borrow one from another
pattern . When you fi nd a pocket
that works wel l, copy it and save
it for future use.
Position the pocket pattern so it
extends i nto the waistband and
mark the open ing. If necessary,
shape the side seam so it is the
same as the side seam on you r
skirt. (Some skirts are cu rved to
the shape of the h i p, others are
straight.) Position the pocket
pattern on the skirt pattern,
a l i g n i ng them at the waist l ine, and
trace the ski rt's side seam onto the
pocket.
Transfer the marki ngs for the
pocket open ing with t i ny snips or
chalk marks on the wrong side of
the fabric.

Adding a Pocket

Align the pocket and skirt

---+---=-1::::=--
patterns at the waistline and
trace the skirt's side seam
onto the pocket.

34 Getting the Right Fit

Adding Adding Walking Ease Adding Walking
W alkin
g Ease to a Pleat, Vent, or Slit Ease to a Wrap Skirt
Wal ki ng ease, a secret of fine
scrap Center front

d ressmakers and never calculated \ tissue

of skirt half

i n commercial patterns, is a si mple I I

alteration that makes kick pleats,
French vents, sl its, front open i ngs,
button-front and wrap skirts hang
perfectly stra ight. In fact, the
straightness i s an optical i l l usion.

When a garment is cut stra ight,

there's a natural tendency for it to Vent

hang open at the hem. If you add

wal k i ng ease, however, skirts
appear to hang arrow-stra ight.

When you add wal king ease, you

do not change the origi nal
gra i n l i ne of the garment. Make th i s
pattern change after a l l other
adj ustments are com pleted .
Scrap tissue

7. Cut along the seamlinc/vent fold line 7. Cut along the center front from hem
The amount of ease is based on the from the hem to the waist. to waist, on both the right and left sides
length of the garment and weight 2. Add walking ease at the bottom of of the skirt.

of the fabric.
Kick Pleats, French Vents,
Slits Add wa l ki ng ease at the
front or back sea m l i ne, depe n d i n g
on the p l acement o f the kick
p leat, F rench vent, or s l it. Add
112 i n . for a knee- length ( 1 9-i n . to
24- i n .) skirt, 1 i n . for a m id-calf
( 3 2 - i n . to 3 6- i n . ) skirt. Add s l ightly
more Cia in. to 1/4 i n .) for heavy or
thick fabrics. Adj ust the l i n i ng
pattern too (p. 3 6 ) .
the hem by spreading the pattem and 2. Add walking ease at the hem,
adding scrap tissue. Taper the slit in the tapering the pattern slit to nothing at
pattem to nothing at the waistline. the waistline. Add ease to a button
front skirt in the same way.
Other Skirt Styles For wrap or
button-front styles, add 112 i n . of
ease for knee- l ength s k i rts, 1 i n .
for m id-calf- l ength skirts. Add the
wa l k i ng ease at the center front,
from hem to wai st, on both the left
and the right s ides of the skirt.

On t h e ski rt-pattern piece, c u t If you r fabric i s a plaid or stripe, or

along t h e seam l i ne/vent fold l i ne
from the hem to the waist. Tape or
g l ue a scrap of tissue along one
edge. Position the other edge so
that the wal king ease is added at
the bottom of the hem and tapers
to noth ing at the waist end of the
seam.
if it has a strong vertical des ign,
add wal k i n g ease at the side
seams.
For ski rts with side buttons, add
wa l k i ng ease at the front and back
side seams.

Customizing the Pattern 35

 C UTTING
C HECKLIST
1 . Choose the l i n i ng fabric
for your ski rt (p. 2 1 ).
2 . Decide on the finished length
of the l i n i ng. Pick the hem
treatment you want to use
(pp. 84-85) and shorten the
l i n i ng accord i ngly, or simply cut
it 1 i n . shorter than the skirt.
3. Mark all the darts and tucks
with snips.
4 . Mark the center front and
back with sn ips.
5. Mark the zipper end with
a snip.
Adding a L inin g
L i n i n g a skirt has m u ltiple benefits :
It gives a fi n ished look to the inside
of you r garment, makes the s k i rt
easy to s l i de on and off, and helps
it stay wri n k le-free. I n add ition, a
l i n ing keeps the skirt fabric from
c l i ng i n g and makes a l ightweight
fabric opaque.
Even if the s k i rt pattern i nc l udes a
l i n i ng, I p refer to cut one from the
skirt pattern p ieces. (For a l ist of
suggested l i n i n g fabrics, see p. 2 1 .)
L i n i ng fabrics are firm l y woven
and usua l l y have much less give
than the s k i rt fabric, so don't make
the l i n ing smal ler than the skirt.
Cutting and constructing a l i n ing i s
s i mple and fast. L i n i ngs for skirts
with special deta i l s such as a
French vent, however, may req u i re
add itional adjustments, as shown
in the drawing below. When you
sew, stitch the l i n ing's side seams
sl ightly narrower (1/8 i n . ) to a l low
for sitting room and to keep the
seams from p u l l ing out.
Cut the l i n ing so the hem w i l l be at
least 1 i n . shorter than the ski rt,
wh i le covering the raw edge of the
s k i rt hem. Different l i n i ng-hem
fi n ishes may req u i re that you cut
the l i n i ng to sl ightly d i fferent
lengths (pp. 84-85). If you ' re not
sure how you're goi ng to fi n ish the
l i n i ng hem, s i mply cut the l i n i ng
1 i n . shorter than you r skirt. Tri m as
needed.

LINING A SKIRT WITH A FRENCH VENT

1. To adj ust the skirt pattern to be
used for the l i n i ng, fold the pattern
piece back along the seaml i ne and l % in.
Skirt pattem
vent fold l i ne. Trace the cut edge
of the vent onto the pattern. cutting
line
2. Add seam allowances by Traced
drawing a new cutting l i ne 1 % i n . line

from the traced l i ne, as shown i n

1 1/4 in.
the drawing. T h i s allows for the
skirt's %-i n . seam allowance plus For lining pattern, mark new vent
the l i n i ng's %-i n . seam al lowance. cutting line 7 in. from skirt's vent line.
The skirt and the fi n ished l i n i ng
Mark
will be flush at the vent open i ng.

3. Now draw the %-i n . seam

.., ..1-l/i
_ seamline
at comer.

allowance of the l ining vent, Skirt pattern II

III
Seamline
i ncluding the corner, as shown. for %-in.
Don't skip this step. You ' l l be
reinforci ng the seam l i nes at the
,I al lowance

corner, so you' l l want them to be

II
I
clearly marked.
,I
Draw in seam allowances for the lining
vent % in. from new vent cutting line.

36 Getting the Right Fit

Changing
the Gr e ofainlin
a Flared S kirt
The d rape and fl attering effect of To a lter t h e pattern, s i mply fold the
an A-l i ne or gored flared skirt can skirt panel in h alf, center seam. to
be changed sign ificantly by side seam. The waist shape w i l l
reposition i ng the gra i n l i ne on the not match, but that's okay. Draw i n
pattern pieces. a new gra i n l i ne down the center of
each panel . (Add seam a l l owances
Lengthwise gra i n i s often placed at at center front and back if the
center front and center back of the original pattern was one piece cut
pattern, on the lengthwise fold, on the fold.)
which makes the front and back
Lengthwise Grain Parallel to
one pattern piece. This l ayout is
Side Seam I f the straight of the
common on commercial patterns
gra i n i s para l lel to the side seam ,
because less fabric is req u i red than
t h e s k i rt's fu l l ness hangs a t the
with other l ayouts. It's the least
center. The center seam i s on the
flatteri ng, however, as it resu l ts in a
bias and may tend to stretch . Th i s
wide s i l houette that broadens any
styl i ng c reates a strong vertical
figure and exaggerates a tummy.
l i ne, which i s espec i a l ly effective
In addition, the b i as at the side
w ith stri ped fabrics.
seam may stretch , creating an
u neven hem. This layout broadens the figure and
emphasizes a protruding tummy or
Two alternate lengthwise-grai n derriere, but i s a good choice for a
positions a n d one b i as-gra i n figure with roundness at the side of
position for the same skirt panels the h ips-the straight of the gra i n
are shown on p. 38. Treat both fl attens out t h e c u rve.
front and back pattern pieces i n
Bias Grain The 45 d i agona l
t h e same way. Remember that you
l i ne through t h e lengthwise and
may need add itional fabric if you
c rossw i se gra i n of the fabric i s the
change the gra i n l i ne. To figure out
bias. A bias-cut s k i rt req u i res more
the yardage you ' l l need, do a trial
fabric than any of the other
layout on paper that i s the width of
l ayouts, but noth i ng else has such
you r fabric or on a gridded cutti ng
a beautifu l , flow i ng d rape.
board. You can reposition the
gra i n l ine for any type of fabric. The b i as cut w i l l reveal cu rves and
bulges, however, and garment
Lengthwise Grain in Center
construction and hemm i ng take a
of Front and Back Panels
bit of special care. If you are
Often used by Ralph Lauren, t h i s
adapting a pattern with a one
cut i s very fl attering and s l i m m i ng,
piece front or back to a bias
espec i a l l y for the pear-shaped
layout, add seam a l lowances to the
figu re. Becau se the fu l l ness h angs
center front and back. This way,
even ly arou nd the s k i rt, an u neven
the garment w i l l hang without
hem is less l i ke l y. T h i s l ayout is a
twisting to one side.
perfect choice for rayons, kn its, o r
other fabrics t h a t m a y stretch a t
the h e m .

Customizing the Pattern 37

 Different Grainlines - Different Effects

How it's laid out How it looks How it drapes

Center Side seam

./
\ Lengthwise grain in center of
front and back (typical in Fullness tends to hang at the sides.
commercial pattems).

Side seam
Cffi( Ii ../

Lengthwise grain in center of

front and back panels. Fullness hangs evenly around
the skirt.

Side seam
/

Lengthwise grain parallel to side Fullness hangs at the center of the skirt;
seam. sides hang straighter.

Center
l Side seam
/

Bias grain. Requires more fabric, but has

flowing drape.
Original grainline
New grainline - - - - - - - - - - -

38 Getting the Right Fit

The simplest way to a lter a pattern
for the b i as cut is to use a right
angle ruler that has a 45 angle
marked on it. An alternative i s to
mark l engthwise and crosswise
gra i ns with a C-Thru ru ler. Then
fold the fabric at a right angle
through the intersection of the
gra i n l i nes so the l i nes are
superimposed on each other. Draw
a l i ne along the fold to mark the
b i as gra i n l i ne. Mark a second bias
gra i n l i ne at 90 to the fi rst. This
way, when you turn over the
pattern piece to cut out the second
half, you can eas i l y position it.
Place bias-cut pattern pieces on a
s i ngle l ayer of fabric, keeping the
pattern in a one-way l ayout, that is,
with the nap of the fabric always i n
o n e d i rection. A l l the hems w i l l be
facing the same way.
When cutti ng two front or back
pieces in one l ayer of c loth, be
sure to fl i p the pattern piece over
to cut the second half so that they
w i l l be m i rror i mages.

Finding the Bias Grainline

I ,
I , I
I, "

I, , I
"

I
I, ,I
. ,I

.
. . I ,, "

".'.'
. . , I
' . . , I,

"I
'" . I, , I
. , I. ,I

I r
" .'
f

*
" , ,''':1
, ,
, ,

/./ "

2. Fold the fabric at the intersection of the

grainlines 50 the halves of the lines align.

7. With a C-Thru ruler, mark 3. Draw the bias grainline

the crosswise grain and on the fold. Draw another bias
lengthwise grain. grainline at 900 to the first.

Customizing the Pattern 39

Pin-Fitting Adjustments
There's no substitute for pin-:fitting your pattern and
altering it as carefully as you can before you cut the fabric.
Once the two-d i mensional flat
pattern has been adj usted, it's t i me
to have a look at you r pattern i n
three d i mensions.
Pi n-fitt i ng the pattern on you r
body, j u st a s if it were t h e fi n ished
skirt, al lows you to adjust for
aspects of you r body profi l e that
are not accounted for by
measurements a lone. A swayback,
a protrud i ng tummy, and a fu l ler
than average derriere, for example,
may prevent you r skirt pattern from
fitting wel l . These very common
adj u stments are best made on the
pattern tissue, now, before you cut
out the garment.
Try on the
Pattern
Pin the pattern together and try it
on as if it were the fi n ished skirt.
Place p i ns para l lel to the stitc h i ng
l i nes a long the seams. Pin any
darts, tucks, or p leats i n position .
Hold the pattern in p lace at the
waistl i ne with a 1 -i n .-wide length
of e lastic. Position the center fronts
and backs and check the fit,
length, and overa l l sty l i ng in a fu l l
length m irror. It takes o n l y a b i t of
practice to develop an eye for the
way the fin ished garment w i l l look.
40 Getting the Right Fit
U se a large hand m i rror to see the
back view. A knowledgeable friend
i s a l so a great hel p !
After you check the fit a n d length,
and have made the necessary
adju stments, see if the skirt needs
an adjustment for swayback or a
protrud ing tummy.
Adj usting
for Swayback
If the skirt needs some adjustment
for swayback, you ' l l fi nd
horizontal wrinkles at the center
back of the p i n-fitted skirt pattern,
j u st below the waistband. Here's
how to estimate the amount you ' l l
need to remove a t center back for
the skirt to l i e smooth l y.
Wh i l e pin-fitting, lower the
waistl ine at center back by s l i pp i ng
the pattern sl ightly u nder the
e lastic unti l the wri n kles are
e l i m i nated. Mark the pattern tissue
with a pen or pen c i l right u nder
the e l astic at center back. The
amount you ' l l need to remove
usually ranges from 1/4 i n . to 1 112 i n .
Pin a l l darts, pleats, o r tucks i n
p l ace. Then draw a new l i ne to
e l i m i nate the desi red amount of
pattern tissue, starti ng at center
back and gradually meeting the
waistl ine at the side seams. The
h i p c u rve i s the perfect tool for
drawing th i s new waistl i ne. If you r
ski rt h a s gathers, t h e l i ne i s less
critical, so s i mply d raw, freehand,
an even, s l ightly cu rved l i n e from
center back to side seam .

Overlap the pattern pieces for the

amount of the adjustment at the
center-back seam l i ne, taperi ng to
noth ing at the side seams. Redraw
the l i nes for darts, tucks, and the
center-back seam. Make
correspond i ng adjustments to the
back faci ng. Avoid the pins and cut
along the redrawn waist l i ne. To adjust for swayback, lower the waistline at center back until the
horizontal wrinkles are eliminated. You may need to remove from 1/4 in. to
If you're working without a partner, 1 1/2 in. of excess pattern tissue.
it may be d ifficult to determ i ne the
exact amount you ' l l need to
remove. That's okay. Esti mate now To Adjust for Swayback
and fine-tune the fit l ater wh i l e
you're constructing t h e garment.
Draw a new
You can make this swayback _ _ _

waistline.
alteration j u st before you apply the
waistband to the skirt, but you may
need to shorten the z i pper, too. It's Center back
easiest to make pattern adjustments
before cutting, then double-check
them d u r i ng the garment's
/
construction .

If you r skirt has a rai sed

waistband (p. 1 01 ), make the
swayback adjustment by
cutt i ng the pattern back along Pin darts, pleats, or tucks in place. Draw a new waistline,
eliminating the desired amount at center back. Taper the line
the waistl i n e, from the center
to meet the waistline at the side seams.
back to VB i n . from the side
seam.

Pin Fitting Adjustments 41

 Adj usting for a
Round Tummy
To adjust for a round tummy, you
usual l y need to add not only extra
width to you r pattern (pp. 3 1 -33),
but a l so extra l ength at center
front. When pin-fitting, check that
the skirt pattern sits correctly at the

SiSIze;"" E
waistl ine. If it doesn't, you ' l l need
to correct it by add ing length to the
pattern with scrap tissue. This l ittle
,"A
iAIUEg& adjustment can actu a l l y m i n i m ize

5KIR
40

B..0NT the c u rve visual ly.

Add enough length so that the

pattern meets the waist l i ne
correctly and hangs over the
If the pattern piece you're pin-fitting sits below the waistline because of a
tummy smooth l y. Exactly how
protruding tummy, you need to add extra length at center front.
much to add i s hard to estimate,
but it's best to al low a l ittle extra.
Average amounts range from 3fa i n .
To Adjust for a Round Tummy (wh ich doesn't sound l ike much,
but can make a sma l l tummy
nearly van ish) to about 21/2 i n .
Scrap tissue
Before you begin, p i n a n y pleats,
tucks, and darts in p lace. Draw a
l ine on the scrap tissue to i n d icate
the add itional pattern length at
center front and taper to noth ing at
Center front
the side seams. C u rve the cutt i ng
l i ne s l ightly outward over the
tummy using the hip c u rve. Tri m
1. Pin darts, pleats, or
tucks in place. the tissue with the pleats, tucks,
and darts in position.
2. Draw a line on the
scrap tissue to add the
desired amount at
center fron tapering
A figure with a round tummy
the line to nothing at
the side seams.
rare l y i s flattered by a darted
front skirt. E l i m i nate the darts
and ease the entire amou nt
across the front u s i ng the
technique known as staystitch
p l u s (p. 60).

42 Getting the Right Fit

Adj usting for
Full-Hip To Adjust for Rounded Full Hips

Measurements ___ ---

Back darts

The straight darts on a pattern are

Center back
designed for an "average" fu l l- h i p
measurement, b u t you c a n c u rve
the back darts to the exact shape of
/
you r figure. The darts should poi nt
toward and end 1 i n . to 1 1/2 i n . Scoop in darts Y8 in. from
original stitching line.
away from the fu l lest part of the
This allows '4 in. of extra
figure. Shorten or lengthen them as fabric in the garment per
needed. dart.

Worki ng from the m i d point of the

dart, add or subtract 1/8 i n . from
each of the original dart l i nes. U se
the h i p c u rve to re-mark the To Adjust for Flat Full Hips
stitc h i ng l i ne, beg i n n i n g and
end i ng at the top and bottom of __ ,....-
_ -- ---::::o Back darts
the dart.

For rounded fu l l h i ps, scoop in the

Center back
legs of the darts, a l lowing 1/4 in. of
extra fabric i n the garment per dart.
/
For flat or low derrieres and Curve out darts ',1, in.
from original stitching
narrow fu l l h i ps, cu rve the darts
line. This eliminates
out, e l i m i nating 1/4 i n . of fabric
'14 in. of fabric from the
from the garment per dart. garment per dart.

Mark the position of the new end

of the dart, and redraw the legs to
recon nect them to thei r original
positions at the waist.

Pin Fitting Adjustments 43

Construction
Guidelines

Once you've made all your pattern adjustments, you're probably

eager to start sewing. But before you begin, take some time to
think through the sewing sequence and plan for any style
modifications, details, and finishes you've chosen. Just as an
architect needs to understand the whole process of constructing a
building, a sewer needs to understand the progression of steps in
a garment's construction and how each step leads to the next.

The pattern instruction sheet is your starting point. Read the

instructions through and think about the construction sequence.
Decide which techniques you want to use and which ones you
want to change or modity. For example, you may decide to try a
waistband style different from the one provided in the pattern or
to change the way you put in the zipper. Also think about
topstitching details, seam finishes, and the hem width and finish.
If you decide to make any changes in construction techniques or
the sewing sequence, write notes to yourself right on the pattern
instruction sheet. For easy reference, also note the pages of this
book where the techniques you'd like to try are explained in detail.

Before you begin to work on the garment, experiment with scraps

of your skirt and lining fabrics. Make sample seams and try
different seam and hem finishes. With the thread and needle size
recommended for your fabric, test for the best stitch length. Press
these samples to determine the best heat setting for your iron. If
you're planning to use a fusible interfacing, fuse a scrap of it to
your fabric to test their compatibility. Be sure to try any new or
difficult technique you'd like to use on your garment ahead of
time, and save all your samples for future reference.
Construction Chronology

This sequence illustrates the construction steps for a

straight or .flared skirt with darts or tucks, pockets in the
side seam, a center back zipper, and a lining. It is
intended as a guide for developing your own order of
constructionfor sewing your skirt. Following a "generic"
sequence such as this is helpful when you addfeatures (a
lining, for instance) to a pattern that doesn't have them.

Steps in 8. Pin side seams, wrong sides

M akin
gaS kirt
Before you begin, read the
gu idesheet and mark up a l l
pattern, cutting, a n d construction
c hanges.
1 . Adjust the pattern for fit and
design.
2. Cut out a l l the pattern pieces.
Transfer marki ngs to fabric.
3. Apply i nterfac i ng, as needed, at
pocket, waistband, or zipper
ope n i ngs.
together, vertical l y along the
sea m l i nes. Try on, a ltering as
needed. Stitch s ide seams. Press.
Try on agai n , fine-tu n i ng for
swayback, tum my, and waistl ine
measurements.
9. Construct l i n i ng: Stitch center
back seam, a l lowi ng room for
zipper and vent open i ng. Stitch
side seams.
1 0. I n sert l i n i ng. Mac h ine baste at
waist, form ing tucks at darts.
Handsew around z i pper.
1 1 . Apply waistband.

4. Staystitch interfaci ng. 1 2. Apply c losures.

5. Overlock edges if using serger to 1 3. Hem : Mark, press, trim, pin,

fi n ish seams. Apply pockets w h i l e and try on. F i n ish edge, stitch.
serging t h e s i d e seams. Press.

6. Stitch darts or tucks. Appl y 1 4. Hem l i n i ng, attach at vent.

pockets.
1 5. Final pressi ng to fi n ish you r
7. Stitch center-back seam, form ing ski rt.
French vent if there i s one. I n sert
z ipper.

46 Construction Guidelines
 SEWING G U I DE FOR SKIRT

Note: Shading

Note: Shading
0CJ denotes right side of fabric.

denotes right side of interfacing.

Remember to sew a
Step One: Preliminary construction
Replace front darts
with staystitch plus
---+'Yr-i
J
h 1 . Stitch dar1s on SKIRT FRONT
and SKIRT BACK K as follows:
1 -in. seam allowance.

dot.
Fold right side in on center line.
Stitch on dart stitching line, First fitting: Adjust side
tying of{ stitching at Press
darts toward center front or
cenlerback.
seams, if necessary.
Reinforce zipper opening
with fusible interfacing.
.........,. .... - 3.Center closed zipper face 4. Slash center oock seam altowance
Reinforce top of vent
If.
down ovefpJessed-open of wearer's right side above
seam allowance on wrong extcnsion losquare

with fusible interfacing.

side, with lop of zipper in.
0118 51 offarnie, align
below seamline. Pin and
wearer's right extension over
hand-baste zipper in place.
Baste centered zipper ---t
betwce
carer's Icft exlension. Basle
exte together along upper

W
edge and II dot.
from right side. Add two rows of

0
5. Pin cxtension toSKIRT

K
BACK. On the outside of - '

,,'_
r
; ::: ;
l ' i
n
( ;:;::;::
h

,
I
a
topstitching on right side,
.

; :::::: :
from square to smaU dot, ' J '
t fI n t.
K
oc g f "itc h i ng ' ' .." "'
Of
;

1- ,. .

; .
,
.
t
a s
l
g," : :

:::
"
. m i
' " " "'

+_-- : n

1' 2.
_
_ _
_ ___
______ ______ _____
_ .::
:: :::
::::::
_
_ _
__ ___
Step Two: Waistband insert a lining.
1 . Pin interfaced side of Slipstitch pressed-undef edge of

Apply elasticized,
Sew hook.
WAISTBAND 10 SKIRT, right WAISTBAND over previously

K .
___ sides together, matching . stitched seam on wrong side of skirt.
center fronts, stars on and eye on WAISTBAND.
fitted waistband. WAISTBAND to side seams of
SKIRT. "'" do". E,";,,h "
.

waistline as necessary to fit

on WAISTBAND. Stitch along
seamline. Trim seam
allowances and press toward
WAISTBAND.
Step Three: Hem
Turn hem back and
catchstitch in place
halfway into hem
---- --4f--- waistband
Secure
by stitching in the ditch
from right side.
Press up hem along hemline. Finish raw edge
of hem with seam tape or overcasting.
Slipstitich binding to skirt.
Press wearer's left back extension into place
and slipstitch edges of extension to skir1 back,
covering hem.

allowance.

Make sure you understand the instructions on your guidesheet. Remember it's just a beginning. There are many ways
to enhance your pattern to get the fit and look you want. Mark your guidesheets with additional steps, reminders for
fitting, and techniques to replace the pattern's suggestions.

Construction Chronology 47
Cutting and Marking
Now you're ready to cut out the pattern pieces and
transfer the markings to thefabric. Don't rush this step.
Take time and care when cutti ng
and marki ng. An error of 1/4 i n .
m ight not seem l i ke m u c h on a
pattern piece, but as you cut and
mark, you r 1f4 in. cou ld q u ickly
become an i n c h .
Cutting
You ' l l save time and make fewer
m i stakes if you cut everyth ing at
1 Check that the grainline and
one time, i nc l u d i ng the l in i ng and
selvage are parallel and the pattern
i nterfac i ng.
pieces are on the grain.
Be precise and fastidious about
placing the pattern pieces on the
straight of the gra i n . U se a ru ler to
check that the gra i n l i ne and
selvage of the fabric are para l lel to
each other (1 ).
Sharp scissors are fine, but a rotary
cutter and a mat w i l l save you
some time. Consider using
weights, instead of pi ns, to hold
you r pattern i n place.
2 Mark notches, darts, tucks, and
centers with 7i4-in. scissors snips.
48 Construction Guidelines
Marking
Mark notches, centers, darts, tucks,
etc., with 1/4 - i n . scissors snips
whenever possible. They're easy to
find, fast to make, and permanent
(2). Use the tip of you r scissors, not
the rotary cutter-it's very easy to
cut too deep.
Chalk, tracing paper, and penc i l s
are a l l designed to mark t h e wrong
side of the fabric. Don't use them
on the right side of you r garment.
(An exception to this rule i s Clo
c h a l k, a wh ite powdery c h a l k that
d i sappears with i n 24 hou rs or as
soon as you r garment i s pressed or
lau ndered.)
You can also use simple tai lor's
tacks to transfer marki ngs from the
pattern to you r fabric. These tacks
are eas i l y identifiable from either
side of the fabric and su itable for
any type of marking. They work
especi a l l y wel l for position ing
darts, pleats, and tucks.
MAK I N G TAILOR'S TACKS

Multistrand embroidery floss works wel l for making

tai lor's tacks because it's thick and won't pull out Don't machi ne-stitch over tai lor's tacks; they
read i ly. I also use a chen i l l e need le, which is sharp can get caught in the stitches and be tricky to
p u l l out. I nstead, baste or mark the area
and has a large, easy-to-thread eye.
carefu l l y, remove the tacks, then stitch by
Make one small stitch through both layers of fabric on mac h i ne.
each pattern mark, leaving at least liz-i n . tails at each
end (1 ). Slowly peel the pattern tissue from the tacks
without tearing it. Carefu lly pull open the fabric layers
so that there is enough thread between them to clip
the tacks and leave tai l s (2). These tacks on the i nside
(right side) of the cloth will be more uniform lengths,
so you w i l l be able to tel l the right side of the fabric
from the wrong side at a glance.

To mark any pleats or tucks, try using two d ifferent

colors of embroidery floss to mark each set. Later,
you ' l l be able to match the sets easily. (See p. 61.)

To mark a dart, make snip marks to mark the tops of

the legs. Use tai lor's tacks to mark the midpoi nts and
tip of the dart. Then sculpt the dart by connecting the
tacks with a h i p cu rve and a fine-l i ne chalk marker (3),
and you ' l l have an easy-to-fol low stitching guide. 2 Pull the fabric apart and clip the tacks.

1 Mark darts with tailor's tacks, leaving 1l2- in. tails. 3 Use chalk and a hip curve to mark dart lines on the
wrong side of the fabric.

Cutting and Marking 49

Pressing

Pressing seams and darts is the secret to making

clothes that look professional.

Tools Test you r fabric to see if it can be

The best i ron gets hot and stays hot
and gives off a good shot of steam .
Always test a scrap of you r fabric
to determ i ne the best setting to use.
You ' l l a l so need a c l apper/pointer,
a hardwood tool for flattening
1 Press the seam flat on the wrong
seams and pressi ng points; a
side, holding the seam halves open
pressing ham, a contou red device
as you work.
that looks l i ke its namesake and is
used to shape darts and c u rved
seams; and a press c loth .
Press cloths protect the su rface of
the garment fabric, and
professionals rel y on them. U se a
cotton, see-through press c loth for
cottons, s i l ks, and l inens; a
spec i a l l y treated, heavy d ri l l
(cotton twi l l ) press cloth and a
scrap of wool for pressing wools.
The heavy cotton protects the wool
fabric, particu larly if you are
i ro n i ng the right s ide of the fabric,
and al lows you to press with the
2 Press again from the right side,
i ron set at a h igh temperature.
using a press cloth if necessary.
Wool pressed agai n st wool
prevents the fabric from flatte n i ng
and becoming s h i ny. (Professional
tai lors often sew a square of wool
to one area of the heavy-cotton
press c loth in order to have both at
hand.)
pressed on the right s ide. If right
side pressing changes the
appearance of the fabric, always
use a press c l oth. You r fingers are
a l so i m portant pressing tool s,
espec i a l l y for fabrics that are
s l i ppery or don't hold shape easi ly.
F i nger-press a l l seams before using
the i ron .
Tec hniques
After sewi ng each seam and dart,
press it flat, as it was sewn, to
blend the stitches, smooth the
fabric, and erase puckers.
Then press the seams open on the
wrong side of the fabric. U se your
fingers and the poi nt of the i ron to
open the seam halves to l ie flat as
you work (1 ). Press the seam or
dart agai n on the right side of the
fabric, using the press cloth if
necessary (2).
U n l i ke i roni ng, which i s a
s l id i ng motion, pressing is a
l i fting and lowering motion.

50 Construction Guidelines
 3 Shape curved darts and seams by
pressing them over a ham.

As you work, use the clapper to

flatten and cool the pressed area. PRESS I N G THE STRETCH OUT OF B IAS
The hardwood absorbs heat and
moistu re, and the weight of the Before hand l i ng any piece of fabric that's been cut on the bias, press the
tool and the pou nding flattens the stretch out. This technique is straight from the workrooms of French
stitched seam or dart. For some couture. After pressing, the seams of bias-cut skirt panels can be sewn
fabrics, such as cottons, rayons, with minimum distortion. After the garment is fi nished, the hem will not
and s i l ks, j ust the weight of the sag, and the skirt will be less l i kely to stretch in length and decrease in
c l apper i s enough to do the job; for width .
wools, you may need to apply
Position the bias-cut skirt panel on a pressing su rface that is long enough
extra pressure.
for the entire length . Steam-press, and as you do, gently stretch the
fabric in the lengthwise direction of the skirt. Begin at one seam and
Also press back darts and cu rved
work in rad iating parallel l i nes across the panel to the other seam. Al low
seams over the ham to b u i l d
the fabric to cool before reposition ing it. Repeat the process with a l l of
c u rves a n d shape t h e garment (3).
the skirt panels. The hem may become uneven, but after you've
Press front darts over the ham's
measured it and hemmed it even ly, it wi l l stay even.
flattest part to avoid rou n d i ng
them . Press a l l vertical darts
toward the center of the garment.

After press i ng, seams and darts

shou l d be so flat they al most
d i sappear. Let the pressed area
cool before readjusting the fabric
on the i ro n i ng board.

Steam-press while gently stretching the fabric lengthwise to ensure that

the finished garment will hold its shape.

Pressing 51
Seams and Seam Finishes

Stitching seams is one of the basic components of sewing.

With a little practice, you'll be able to sew peTject straight
or curved seams and a variety of professionalfinishes.

Before you begin sewing, a lways

test for the best stitch length,
need l e size, and type of th read for
you r fabric. Test the stitch length
for appearance and strength as
wel l as for ease in ripping. A too
long stitch length uses less th read,
but creates a puckered seam .

Keep a supply of d ifferent need les

on hand and use only the best
q u a l ity-th i s is not a place to
skimp. Change the need le before
you begin each new garment and
any t i me the need l e h its a p i n
( I isten for t h e sound o f a b l u nt or
bent need l e p ierc i ng the c loth ) .

If you notice skipped stitches, or if

the th read keeps breaking or
frayi ng, try a d ifferent-size need le.
If that doesn't help, try another
brand of need le.

A Hong Kong seam finish, made with China silk, rayon, or silk bias strips, is a
flat and elegant binding for hems and waistbands.

52 Construction Guidelines
Se win
g
Perfect Seams R I PP I N G OUT SEAMS
For smooth seams, a lways cut, Ripping out seams is an essential part of sewing. Use the narrow point of
stitch, and press seams in the same the seam ri pper to break a few stitches on one side of the seam. This
d i rection. For skirts, this usua l l y frees the thread on the other side so that it can be pul led. Working from
means working along t h e length of one end of the seam to the other, rip j ust a few stitches, grasp the thread
the garment, from hem to with you r fi ngers, and give it a good pu l l , disposing of the loose threads
waist l i ne. as you go.

Another way to rip stitches is to use the point of the ripper to break
To sew long side seams, pl ace pins
threads on one side of the fabric every 1f2 i n . to 1 in. along the seam and
verti ca l l y on the stitc h i ng l i ne,
then pu l l the long freed-up th read on the other side. (The disadvantage is
positioned so that you can pu l l
that on the first side you're left with broken th reads all along the seam
them out a s you sew. This saves
that need to be removed .)
time and-because you're not
sewing over pins-it also saves Never work the cu rved portion of the seam ripper between the two
wear and tear on the m ac h i ne. layers of the seam un less the fabric is heavy and very firmly woven.
Otherwise, you're l iable to rip the fabric as well as the threads.
Pi n the top and bottom of the seam
fi rst. Next match the notches, then
match or ease the fabric i n
between. A fabric with "tooth"
grabs or sticks to itself and thus
requ i res fewer pins than a s l ippery
fabric that moves and s l ides. You
may need to hand-baste some
hard-to-handle fabrics, such as
velvet, before stitc h i ng.

Most seams are sewn with right

sides together, using a sis-i n . seam
a l lowance. Some mach i nes have
this Sis-in. width marked on the Break stitches along one side of the seam with the narrow point of the
th roat p l ate. A magnetic seam seam ripper.
gu ide, which acts as a "fence"
a long which you can gu ide the
fabric, is a l so a very helpfu l tool
(see photo 3 on p. 65).

A lways press a seam after stitc h i ng

and before crossing it with another
seam or deta i l .

Remember, stitc h i ng and pressing

go hand i n hand.

Seams and Seam Finishes 53

 Finishes for
Side Seams
A i m for s i mple, l ight, unobtrusive
seam fin i shes. Test fabric scraps to
see which seam fi n ish is most
compatible with you r fabric. The
seam finish should keep the seam
edges from fraying a nd shou ldn't
show from the right side. If you r
fabric doesn't ravel, t h e best seam
fi n ish i s none at a l l .

Pinked Seams Tri m m i ng with

p i n k i n g shears i s a c l assic, honest
way to fi n i s h a seam (see photo,
One easy way to finish a seam is with pinking shears. Pink the edges, l eft) . The u lt i m ate i n s i m p l i c ity, it
trimming a small slice of fabric away from the seam allowance. adds no bu l k and won't show
from the right side. After you sew
the seam , trim away the smal lest
amount of fabric possible.
SEAMS FOR BIAS-CUT S KIRTS
Test the p i n king shears on fabric
Cut, making 1 1/2-i n . seams to allow the fabric to relax. Mark the seamline scraps fi rst. On some fabrics, you
with basting. Press the pieces. can trim both layers of the seam
a l l owance at one time. With other
Pin along the marked seam l i ne and try on the garment. Adj ust where
fabrics, to get a c lean edge, you
necessary. You may need to make smal ler seam allowances to
m u st open the seam a l lowance
compensate for the pieces' having stretched sl ightly in length and
and trim s i ngle layers. Test both
contracted in width.
methods and compare the res u lts.
Sew with a sl ightly shorter stitch length than usual, stretchi ng the fabric
as you sew. Because bias does not ravel, you won't need to fi n ish the Some p i n k i ng shears have a
seams. notched tip that w i l l cut a l l the
way to the end of the cut. Other
brands work best if you don't fu l l y
open the shears a n d if you don't
cut a l l the way to the poi nts. Test
to see how deep a cut you need to
make to work smoothly.

There's a l so a rotary cutter with a

wavy blade that works wel l as a
p i n k i ng tool .

A p i n ked-and-stitched edge i s
espec i a l l y flat and ravel-resistant:
Sew a l i n e of stitc h i ng 1 /4 i n . from
the edge before the seam is sewn .
P i n k the edges after seam i ng,
without cutting the l i ne of
stitc h i ng.

54 Construction Guidelines
Zigzag Seams Zigzag edges are
q u i c k and s i m ple fi n i shes. Both
are m ade after the seam is sewn
and pressed .

Both fin i shes have two

disadvantages, however. F i rst, the
extra stitc h i ng and th read can add
bu l k to th i n fabrics, which wi l l
keep them from lying flat. Second,
these fi n i shes, which aren't found
in ready-to-wear, shout
"homemade." I general ly don't use
them, but you m ight want to
experi ment with them yourself.

For a zigzag fi n ish, u se a stitch of

med i u m width and length . Stitch
near the edge, but not along it, and
trim c lose to the stitch i ng. If you r
m ac h i ne h a s th i s option, try a
m ac h i ne-overcast stitc h . Stitch
c lose to the edge so the points of
the stitches fal l a l most at the edge
of the fabric.
Serged Seams The serger, or
overloc k m ac h i ne, h as
transformed home sewing.
A l though it doesn't repl ace a
conventional m ac h i ne, a serger i s
very u sefu l for q u i ck l y cutti ng and
fi n i sh i ng seam edges in one fast
and easy operation (above right).
Fuse i n terfaci ngs to pockets and
z i pper areas before sergi ng. If you r
fabric frays eas i l y, serge a l l around
the s k i rt, but on more stable
fabrics, serge only the seams that
w i l l be pressed open . Serge the
hem after you mark the length and
tri m to des i red width.
A serger cuts and overcasts the edges of the seam allowance in one quick
and easy operation.
you normal ly wou ld. The cutting
edge of the serger trims j u st the
rave l l y edges before overcast i ng.
Use fi ne, soft thread, mach i ne
embroidery thread, or texturized
nylon to m i n i m ize the amount of
th read impression "stri k i ng
through" on the right side of the
fabric. A 3-thread edge, u s i ng long
staple polyester or coned "serger"
thread, is the most versat i l e of the
serged fin ishes. Or, if you r
mac h i ne has a 2-thread fi n i sh, try
that for a flatter edge.
Serge a wide edge on fabrics that
are heavy or b u l ky, and a narrow
edge on flat fabrics that are
l ightweight to m idweight.

When u s i ng a serger, it's not

necessary to cut wider seams than

Seams and Seam Finishes 55

 Finishes for
Hems and
Waistband Seams
For a flat and professional-looking
finish, you can bind hems and
waistband seams with a Hong
Kong fin ish or with a rayon seam
b i nd i ng.
Hong Kong Finish The Hong
Kong fi n i s h i s a s i m ple and
elegant touch for m ed i u m to
heavy fabrics. This flat, narrow
b i n d i ng makes a fine fi n i s h for
hems or an i nside waistband seam
on a s k i rt (see photo on p . 5 2 ) , but
it's too bu l ky for most side seam s .
A Hong Kong fi n ish h a s two l i nes
of stitc h i ng and adds three layers of
fabric to the edge. The seam edge
is bound in bias strips of a
l ightweight fabric, such as C h i n a
s i l k, rayon l i n i ng, s i l k, or polyester
crepe de c h i ne.
For the binding, cut 1 1/4- i n . wide
bias strips, piec i ng the lengths as
necessary. Press the bias strips to
remove excess stretchab i l ity and to
prevent them from ripp l i ng.
Before you stitch the waistband to
the skirt, sew the b i n d i ng to the
seam edge, with right sides
together, 1/4 in. from the edges.
( B i nd the hem in the same way
after marking and tri m m i ng it.)
Tri m the seam edge to an even
1/8 i n . using sharp long-blade shears
or a rotary cutter ( 1 ) .
Wrap the b i n d i ng around the seam
edge and press. On the right side
of the fabric, stitch i n the "d itch" of
56 Construction Guidelines
the seam of the waistband and the
b i n d ing-that is, where the two
fabrics are sewn together (2). For
accuracy, use an edgestitc h i ng foot
with the need le i n the center
position.
On the wrong side of the fabric,
trim the excess b i n d i ng 1/8 i n . from
the stitc h i ng l i ne (3). Bias doesn't
fray, so the binding won't rave l .
Rayon Seam Binding A flat
woven-tape seam b i nd i ng creates
a d ressmaker's touch for bu l ky
and flat fabrics that ravel . Use
rayon rather than polyester-it's
softer, flatter, and more f l u i d . With
j ust a bit of practice, you ' l l find
t h i s tec h n i q ue fast and s i m ple.
Rayon seam b i n d i ng adds less bu l k
than the Hong Kong fi n i s h . I t has
on ly one l i ne of stitc h i ng and adds
only two layers of fabric to the
edge. Th i s seam binding can also
be used to fi n ish the i nside
waistband edge and the hem edge.
Press the b i n d i ng in half
lengthwise, maki ng one half
s l ightly wider than the other. Hold
the end i n place with a straight p i n
as you work.
Position the narrow half of the
binding on top of the right side of
the fabric and stitch a long this half
(4). Th i s way, you' l l be s u re that
you r stitches w i l l catch the wider
half of the b i n d i ng on the other
side of the fabric.
As you stitch along the edge of the
binding, pu l l it sl ightly toward the
fabric with you r finger so that it
wraps around and encases the raw
edge. Press to el i m i nate puckers.
1 To apply Hong Kong finish, trim the binding to an even I/S in. with shears 2 Wrap the binding around the
or a rotary cutter. edge, press, and stitch in the ditch of
the seam on the right side of the
fabric.

3 Trim excess binding on the wrong

side of the fabric. Here, the author is
using applique scissors to get as
close as possible to the seam.

4 To apply rayon seam binding, stitch the pressed binding with the narrower
half on top of the right side of the fabric.

Seams and Seam Finishes 57

Darts, Pleats, and Gathers

Darts, pleats, and gathers add dimension to ajlat piece of

fabric, sculpting and shaping it into curves and contours.
With careful fitting, their placements and lines can
emphasize andjlatter your figure.

58 Construction Guidelines
Darts 1 Begin by backstitching at the
wide end of the dart.

Darts are most often used to shape

the back of the s k i rt. A fitted,
darted front shows every bump
and c u rve of the body. If you don't
have a flat tummy, front darts may
not be fl attering and can be
e l i m i nated with a stitc h i n g
tec h n ique cal led staystitch p l u s
(p. 60) .

When making darts, careful

marking and stitc h i ng go hand i n
hand. Position p i n s a l l along the
stitc h i ng l i ne, with one horizontal
p i n marking the tip of the dart.
Make sure that pins are in stra ight
l i nes along both legs of the dart.

Stitch from the wide end of the

dart, backstitc h i ng as you begin i n
order to secure the stitches (1).
Remove the p i n s a s you come to
the m .

W h e n you're liz i n . from t h e tip of

the dart, change to a short stitch
length (1 . 5 m m ) and stitch the last
few stitches a long the edge of the
fabric. Shorter stitches increase
stitc h i ng accu racy and make tyi n g
knots or backstitc h i ng un necessary.
Stitch evenly off the edge to
prevent a bubble from form i ng at
the tip of the dart (2).

Sew a smooth and true dart every

time by menta l l y d rawing a l i ne
from the first stitches to the tip,
pointing the mac h i ne i n that
d i rection. Th i s visualization i s
helpfu l even if you've m arked the
stitc h i ng l i ne with chalk.

Press the dart on a ham. A

perfectly pressed dart is nearly
i nvisible on the right side of the
fabric.
2 When you've reached the tip of the dart, stitch evenly off the fabric.

Darts, Pleats, and Gathers 59

 STAYSTITCH PLUS
Staystitch plus (also cal led easestitch pl us) is a
machi ne-stitching techn ique with a lot of uses. For
example, instead of sewing the front darts of a ski rt,
you can simply ease the fu l l nessi nto the waistband for
a more flattering effect. Staystitch plus can be used to
ease any skirt to fit i nto any other waistband.

All sewing machines are designed to sew two or more

layers of fabric. Staystitch plus works with the
machine's tendency to d raw up fabric when sewing
one layer.

To staystitch-plus, you stitch through one layer of

fabric, applying pressure from beh i nd to force a tiny
bit more fabric i nto each stitch. Position your finger
beh i nd the foot to crimp the fabric and ease it through
smoothly and evenly. Sew in sort segments, raising
foot every few i nches to release fabric.

Stitch short segments of fabric-l in. to 2 in. at a

time-then release the pi led-up fabric by raising the
presser foot (1 ).

When you're done, the skirt shou ld be nearly equal i n

width t o the pattern piece with the darts pi nned i nto
position (2). If you need to ease more fabric, make a
second l i ne of staystitch plus j ust inside the fi rst l i ne.
1 As you force more fabric into each stitch by
In order to develop an even, smooth tension whi le positioning your finger behind the foot, raise the
easing the fabric the correct amount, you ' l l need to presser foot every few inches to release the eased
experiment and practice. fabric.

2 After you have used staystitch plus, the garment piece should be equal in width to the pattern piece with the
darts pinned in place.

60 Construction Guidelines
Pleats
Pleats add control led fu l l ness to
ski rts. They can be soft or sharp,
p laced a l l around the waist or h i p,
positioned in the front and/or the
back, or used as deta i l s (as a kick
pleat, for example).

If possi ble, make the pleats before

sewing the side seams.

Mark the pleats with ta i lor's tacks

(p. 49). Use two colors of
embroidery floss: one for the fold
of the pleat, the other for the
placement l i ne.
1 Pin the soft pleats into position, aligning marks and tailor's tacks.

Soft Pleats Soft pl eats m u st be

secu red accu rately to hang
gracefu l ly. H and- and m ac h i ne
baste to keep them from shifting
d u ri ng fitting and constructio n .
W h e n the waistba nd i s appl i ed,
the pleats are permanently
stitched in p l ace.

P i n the p leats i nto position,

al igning the s n i p marks and tai lor's
tacks ( 1 ) .

Hand-baste them securely wel l

above and below the sea m l ine
with s i l k th read . Next, mac h i ne
baste them with i n the l i nes of
hand-basting, above and below the
sea m l i ne (2).

2 Hand-baste the pleats in position above and below the seam line.
After stitc h i ng the fi rst l i n e of
stitc h i ng for the waistband, set the
pleats by steam-pressi ng them over
the ham.

Darts, Pleats, and Gathers 61

 Sharp Pleats Making s harp
p leats req u i res care and accu racy.

Stitc h i ng c lose to the edge of a

pleat keeps the pressed edges crisp
and l asti ng, even i n soft fabrics.
You can edgestitch sharp pleats on
the outside and/or inside of the
garment. It's crucial to maintai n the
straight of the gra i n along the edge
of long, straight pleats.

Mark the pleat fold l i ne and

pl acement l i nes with tai lor's tacks
every 3 i n . to 4 i n . Sn i p-mark at
the fabric edges.

Press the pleats i nto position on a

pressing su rface long enough to
support the length of the garment
and wide enough to support
several p leats ( 1 ) .

Hand-baste the p leats with s i l k

th read to secu re them (2).

1 Press sharp pleats into position on a long work surface.

2 Hand-baste the pleats securely with silk thread.

62 Construction Guidelines
3 Use the clapper and a heavy press cloth to sharpen pleats in a pleated skirt.

Press aga i n on the wrong side of

the fabric, u s i ng the c l apper and a
heavy press c loth to sharpen the
pleat edges (3). Press aga i n ,
f i n i s h i ng and touch i ng u p, on the
right side of the fabric.

For a crisp fi n ish, after the s k i rt is

hemmed , you can edgestitch the
i nside edge, outside edge, or both
edges of the enti re p leat, on the
wrong side of the garment (4).

Edgestitc h i ng adds weight and

crispness, and holds the p leats i n
position. U se a n edgest i tc h i ng foot
for greatest accu racy and speed.
A lways press aga i n after
edgest i tc h i ng.

Another option i s to edgestitch

j u st the i nside of the pleat with i n
the hem . Agai n , stitch o n the
wrong side of the garment to
4 Edgestitching on the wrong side of the garment holds the crisp pleats in
conceal the stitc hes.
position.

Darts, Pleats, and Gathers 63

 Gathers
The best mac h i ne gathers i m itate
finely done hand s h i rring by
creating even, flowing, vertical
folds in a soft fabric. Th i s kind of
gathering i s flattering to most
figures. By position ing wel l-made
gathers in the flatter parts of the
body, you can create a sl i m m ing
effect. Poorly done gatheri ng,
however, i s u neven and l umpy and
adds b u l k to the figure.
One of the secrets of success is
choosi ng the right fabric. Another
i s using three rows of gathering
stitches rather than the trad itional
two. Careful stitc h i ng, p i n n i ng, and
sea m i ng are a lso essential .
On a l l sewing mac h i nes, the
bobbin tension i s adjusted to
create a perfect stitch from the
right side, so it's easiest to gather
fabric by pu l l ing the bobbi n
thread. Stitch o n the right side of
the fabric and use heavier th read
i n the bobbin to prevent the thread
from breaking.
Test for the best stitch length . For
even gathers, use the shortest stitch
length that gathers with ease-
When gathering a lot of fabric,
d iv ide and conquer:
Section the area to be
gathered i nto halves or
quarters, marking carefu l l y
a n d c learly with c h a l k or
s n i p marks. (Pins can
fal l out.)
G ather each section
separately.
64 Construction Guidelines
genera l l y, 3 . 5 to 4 . 5 m m . Use a
longer stitch with heavier fabrics.
If the gathers go a l l around the
skirt, it's best to make them after
sewing the side seams. If they
don't, you can make them before
sewing the side seams.
When making the gathers, stitch
three paral lel rows 7/a i n . , Jia i n . ,
a n d 1/4 i n . from t h e edge o f the
fabric. The row farthest from the
edge secures the gathers i n
position until you attach the
waistband. (For smoother gathers
in "cha l l engi ng" fabrics, such as
den im, stitch fou r rows.)
Test you r fabric to be sure that the
need le holes d i sappear after you've
removed the gathering th reads and
steamed the gathers. If marks
rem a i n, make add itional rows of
stitc h i ng with i n the sea m l i n e to
conceal them .
Start and stop stitc h i ng each row i n
the same place. D o not backstitch
the ends or you won't be able to
pu l l the th reads easi l y l ater. Keep
th reads from tangl i ng by cutting
the upper th reads 2 i n . from the
fabric.
Before you gather the skirt to fit the
waistband, mark the skirt at center
front, side seams, and center back.
Also mark the waistband at the
corresponding poi nts. Pu l l the
bobbi n threads firm ly but gently to
gather the skirt.
Sec u re the th read ends by
wrapping them i n a figure eight
around the p i n s at each end of the
l i nes of stitc h i ng (1 ). Divide each
gathered area in half repeated l y,
form ing smal l vertical folds, and
pin the gathered sections secu rely
with p i n s pl aced close together.
Use a pin point to adjust the
gathers so that they are evenly
1 Secure the gathering threads by 2 Adjust the gathers evenly with a
d i stributed (2).
wrapping them in a figure eight pin point.
around a straight pin. Divide and pin
The row of stitch i n g that attaches
each gathered section to form a
the s k i rt to the waistband holds the
series of vertical folds.
carefu l l y adj u sted gathers
permanently in position . Stitch on
the wrong side of the fabric,
adj usti ng the fabric folds as you
work to prevent d i stortion (3).
Stitch slowly. It's inevitable that
you ' l l n ic k the mac h i ne need le
with a pin as you stitch, so change
the need le when you fi n is h .

Check t h e even ness of t h e gathers

on the right side of the garment
before removing the gathering
stitches. Be sure to remove all the
th reads before pressing-they can
3 On the wrong side of the fabric, stitch the gathered skirt to the waistband.
create stiffness and bu l k in the
A magnetic seam guide ensures a straight line of stitching.
seam a l lowance.

Pressi ng adds a fi nal tou c h . F i rst,

press the seam flat as sew n . Next, Tri m m i ng or grad i ng gathers
usual l y isn't necessary. If you
work in sections on the wrong
do trim them, however, never
side, position ing the gathers over
trim closer than % i n . Any
the h a m . Set the gathers with more than that and the
steam so they l ie even, gently gathered fabric edges w i l l
pu l l ing them l engthwise to create stand u p stiffly, l i ke a crewcut.
para l lel folds (4) . Be carefu l not to
flatten them as you work.

4 Steam-press the gathers lightly

over the ham.

Darts, Pleats, and Gathers 65

Side-Seam Pockets

Side-seam pockets, the easiest to sew, are a good

first pocket for the beginner to master.

Side-seam pockets work best on

sem i-fitted, fu l l, and flared skirts
with soft p leats or gathers. Don't
use them on skirts that are very
fitted at the waist and h i p, p leated,
or cut on the bias, however.

If you r pattern does not have a

pocket, add ing th i s one is s i mple.
Add '/8 i n . extra at each side seam
to make sure that the skirt has
enough ease at the h i p and h igh
h i p to accommodate a pocket. If
the skirt i s too sn ug, the pocket
openings w i l l gap.

When making a skirt with pockets,

pi n-fit carefu l l y, baste the pocket
opening before stitc h i ng, and press
the garment wel l so that the
pockets I ie smooth and flat without
bu lges or bu lk.

Construction
You can keep pocket ope n i ngs firm
and stable by rei nforci ng the front
opening with fusible tricot. (You
don't need to rei nforce the back of
the pocket open i ng because it
doesn't get stretched from use.)
Mark its p l acement on skirt front.

Measure from the waist to '12 i n .

below the bottom of the pocket
open ing. Cut a l - i n . wide strip of
fusible tricot to th is l ength for each
pocket.

66 Construction Guidelines
Fusible tricot is stable on the
lengthwise grai n and won't stretch .
(Fusi bles d o stretch o n the cross
gra i n , however, so cut carefu l ly.)

On the skirt front, position and fuse

the i nterfacing over the seam so
that it extends 1/4 i n . beyond the
fold of the pocket open ing ( 1 ) .
T h i s both strengthens and softens
the edge.

Stitch the pocket to the side seam,

using a 1/4- i n . seam a l lowance. You
can a lso com b i ne straight stitc h i ng

)
with serged edges. Press the seam
toward the pocket.

Stitch the side seams of the

garment, working from the hem,
until you reach the bottom of the
1 Mark notches on pocket and skirt seam.
pocket open i ng. Backstitc h . Don't
cut the thread . I nstead, l ift the
pressure foot, carry the th read
Worki ng from top to bottom,
across, and reposition the need l e at
serge the outside and top
the top of the pocket open i ng (2).
edges of the pocket halves.
Backstitch agai n and sew the rest
F u se the i nterfaci ng. Then, in
of the seam . You can a l so change one operation, beg i n n i ng at
to a longer stitch and baste across the hem, stitch and fi n ish the
the pocket ope n i ng rather than garment's side seams w h i l e
carrying the th read . attach i ng t h e pocket.

Press open the side and pocket

seams as shown in the photo on
the fol lowing page (3), using the
flat side of the ham if the h i p area
i s c u rved . U se the c lapper to
smooth and flatten the pocket
edges.

Topstitc h i ng gives the pocket

ope n i ng a crisp fi n i s h . Mark the
topstitc h i ng l i ne for each pocket
ope n i ng on the skirt front with a
C-Thru ruler and erasable chalk
2 When stitching the side seams,
or silk thread. Or you can simply
backstitch the bottom of the pocket
stitch 1/4 i n . to 112 i n . from the edge
opening, carry the thread across the
of the pocket ope n i ng, u s i ng the
opening, backstitch the top, and
fold as a gu ide. With a s l ightly
continue the seam.
longer stitch, topstitch along
the ope n i ng, backstitc h i ng at
each end.

Side-Seam Pockets 67
3 Press open the side seams and 4 Before stitching the pocket halves together; clip the back side seam on the
pocket seams. diagonal and press the back of the pocket to the front of the skirt.

Working over a ham, press the

back of the pocket toward the front
of the garment. C l i p the back side
seam so that the pocket w i l l fal l to
the front of the garment eas i l y (4).
(Cl i pping on the d i agon a l prevents
fraying.)

To assemble the halves of the

pocket, stitch around the edges,
beg i n n ing and end ing at the
backstitc h i ng that marks the pocket
open ing (5). Pinking is a fast,
simple sol ution to fi n is h i ng the
pocket edges if you don't have a
serger. Press the fi n i shed pocket to
the front of the garment.

5 Sew the pocket together; beginning and ending at the pocket opening.

68 Construction Guidelines
SIDE-POCKET VARIATIO N
This side pocket doubles as a skirt opening. Not only
does it e l i m i nate the need for a zipper, it also adds a
soft and fu nctional design element. (Ralph Lauren uses
side-pocket openi ngs in his skirts.)
To turn a side-seam pocket into a side-pocket opening,
make a mark 9 in. below the waist along the long
curved edge of the pocket. Reinforce 1 in . on either
side of the mark and clip to it, being carefu l not to cut
through the reinforced stitch ing.
Construct the pockets as descri bed on pp. 66-68, but
leave the one on the left side of the garment open
above the mark. F i n ish this pocket opening by pressing
the edge under '/4 i n ., and then another '/4 in. Topstitch
on the right side.
Mark the left side seam on the waistband. Measure the
pocket underlap-that is, the top of the pocket back
from the side seam to the pocket edge. Add the length
of the u nderlap plus two seam a l l owances to the
finished waistband length.
Attach the waistband as you normally wou l d and add
closures (pp. 1 02 - 1 03), positioning them so that when
the skirt is closed, the pocket halves align .

A Peek Inside a
Side-Pocket Opening
Edges of rxxket opening finished
by turning and topstitching.

Underlap length added

to waistband.

Reinforced opening (9 in.

below waist).

ffi'
/I

Side-Seam Pockets 69
Kick Pleats and French Vents
Kick pleats and French vents allow you more freedom of
movement when wearing a slim-Jitting skirt. and they are
versatile design details as well.
Kick pleats are stitched, c losed
pleats and French vents are faced
open i ngs. A kick pleat i s
positioned a t t h e hem l i ne t o make
a s l im-fitti ng s k i rt more
comfortable for you to move and
70 Construction Guidelines
wa l k i n . A trad itional closed kick
pleat can be adapted to a n open
s l it, freq uently used by French
designers and cal led a French vent
(p. 72).
Keep you r eye on the l ength,
stitc h i ng, and p lacement of kick
p leats and French vents i n ready
to-wear garments so you can adapt
you r favorite skirt pattern . You can
add them to any seam-center
back, center front, or side.
Converting a pattern to create a
kick pleat or French vent is done i n
the same way. Determ ine the
fi n ished length of the pleat or
vent-don't forget to i n c l ude the
hem length . A good fi n i shed
standard width is 3 i n . , i n c l u d i n g
sam a l lowances. Add a scrap of
tissue to the pattern and draw i n
the pleat o r vent, add ing the
desi red length and width to the
seam l i ne. The top of the open ing
can be left square or angled. Mark
the sea m l i nes. Make a dot at the
top of the ope n i ng-th i s i s where
the stitc h i n g ends for a French vent
and marks the pivot point for a
kick pleat.
Add the kick pleat or French vent
to the pattern fi rst, then add the
right amount of wal k i ng ease
(p. 3 5 ) .
1 Apply a square of reinforcement at the top of both 2 Stitch from the square to the end of the extension and
sides of the pleat opening. backstitch to reinforce.

Kick Pleat
Before sewing a kick pleat, always
rei nforce both sides of the top of
the pleat ope n i ng to keep the
fabric from tearing and the stitches
from pu II i ng out.

Position or fuse a l -i n . square of

fusible or woven i nterfac i ng, a strip
of tai lor's tape (tw i l l tape), or even
a scrap of l i n i ng selvage at the top
of both sides of the vent open i ng
on the wrong side of the fabric ( 1 ) .
Stitch the garment's seam to the
square and press the seam in the
d i rection it's sew n . With smal l
reinforc i ng stitches, stitch from the
square to the edge of the extension
and backstitch (2).
3 Fold one extension and press it. Lay the other over it, aligning edges.
Baste them into position at top of the extension.
Fold back the extension on one
side of the seam l i ne and press it.
Lay the other extension on top of
the folded one, al igning the edges
(3). On the topmost l ayer, make a
d i agonal c l i p through the seam
a l l owance to the reinforcement

Kick Pleats and French Vents 71


4 To secure the open edge of the kick pleat invisibly, catchstitch on the
inside of the garment.
square to keep the garment's seam
free and flat. P i n the layers i nto
positon and baste at top along the
stitc h i ng l i ne.
Lift the garment pieces to double
check the hang of the kick p leat
and correct as needed.
Press the ski rt's seam open to the
open ing. To secu re the open edge
of the pleat, catch stitch on the
inside of the garment (4) so that
the stitches are i nvisible, or
topstitch it on the right side of the
garment to add extra deta i l .
72 Construction Guidelines
French Vent
The French vent is easier to
construct and less l i kely to wrinkle
than the kick pleat.
The extensions that form a kick
pleat or French vent are the same
and both are cut and reinforced i n
the same way. T h e d ifference i s
that on t h e French vent the
extensions are pressed to either
s ide of the opening, rather than
overlapped on one side.
After the garment's seam is sewn
and pressed, press the ope n i ng as
shown, al lowing the fabric to form
straight folds that meet at the
center (1).
Mitering the Corner For a
beautifu l i n side f in ish, espec i a l l y
i n a l i ned skirt, fi n ish off the
French vent w ith a m i tered corner.
( Before you try it on you r garment,
however, I recommend you
practice m itering fi rst with paper,
and then make two samples w ith
a stable fabric.)
Mark the hem length and fol d l i ne
of the vent ope n i ng (2). Tu rn the
marked edges u nder and press.
At the i ntersection of the hem l i ne
and the vent l i ne, fold the fabric
back at an angle, a l igning the
marked l i nes on top of each other
(3). Press the folded corner. Tri m a
1/4-i n . seam a l l owance (4) .
Fold the corner again, right sides
together, to al ign the hem l i ne with
the vent l i ne (5) . Mac h i ne-stitch
a long the edge of the layers. Tu rn
the mitered corner to its right side
with a poi nt tu rner and press the
corner to form crisp edges.
 3 Fold the corner back, aligning the
marked lines on top of each other,
2 To miter a corner, mark and press and press.
the hem and vent fold line.
1 On a French vent, the extensions
are folded back on either side of the
opening and pressed.

5 Fold again and stitch right sides

together. Turn the mitered corner to
its right side with a point turner.

4 Trim the folded corner to allow a 'k in. seam allowance.

Kick Pleats and French Vents 73

Zippers

Zippers may be lapped, centered, or "invisible. " Conquer

the lapped zipper first. It has only one visible line of
stitching, and it's perjectfor skirts with a side or back
opening.

74 Construction Guidelines
Some Tips
If this is you r fi rst zi pper, or if
you' re u s i ng a chal lengi ng fabric,
make th ree samples before putting
the z i pper in the garment. Keep the
samples for l ater reference.
I prefer to make the z i pper
ope n i ngs longer than the pattern
suggests-9 i n . rather than the
usual 7 i n .
I a l so l i ke to use a zi pper that i s
longer t h a n t h e open ing t o ensure
that the z i pper closes in the
wai stband (espec i a l l y good for
rai sed and contou red
waistbands).The longer open ing
a l so makes it easier to get i nto and
out of the skirt. Cut off any excess
z i pper from the top after sewing
the fi rst seam on the waistband.
A l ready prepared z i ppers are
stu rd ier than those sold by the
yard . Strong and flexible
polyester z i ppers are preferable to
metal ones.
A z i pper foot i s essentia l . It
a l lows you to m ac h i ne-stitch close
to the z i pper, whereas the b u l ky
regular foot gets in the way.
Put the z i pper in w h i l e the
garment i s flat. T h i s isn't a lways
the order of construction
recommended by most pattern
d i rections, but it's easier. If you ' re
u s i ng a s ide-seam z i pper, fit and
adj ust the side seams before
inserti ng the z i pper.
Contrary to most d i rections,
don't baste the z i pper ope n i ng
c losed before you put i n the
zi pper. S i m ply press the seam
a l l owances u nder-you' l l have
HAN D-BASTI NG
more control and you ' l l be able to Hand-basting is very effective
make sure the z i pper teeth are for holding the zi pper i n
covered . position a s you machi ne-stitch,
as wel l as for marking stitching
Add interfacing beh ind the l i nes in other parts of the
z i pper as you wou l d for a pocket garment.
(p. 67) . This l ittle-known secret
U se a si ngle strand of silk
makes a noticeable d ifference. It
thread, especially with del icate
stabi l izes the fabric and makes the
or slippery fabrics, such as s i l k
fi n a l , visible stitch i ng easier.
or velvet. Silk thread won't
show when you press it or leave
I recommend a fusible tricot, such
a trail of fi bers when you
as Sof-Knit. Work with 3/4-i n . strips
remove it.
cut on the straight of the gra i n to
sta b i l ize the fabric and add body, As you hand-stitch, use the
and strips cut on the bias or cross basting th read itself as a guide.
gra i n for soft shaping. (Keep a Hold the th read taut and paral lel
supply of scraps on hand to save to the edge of the fold, and sew
some time.) along it. Machi ne-stitch next to
the hand-basting.
It's hard to visual ize the S/8-i n .
To mark stra ight stitching l i nes,
seam l i ne at the waistl i ne, so mark
use an erasable chalk, such as
it with s n i ps . Begin ners may a l so
Clo-chalk, which disappears
benefit from marking the seam l i ne
with i n 48 hours or washes out.
along the z ipper opening with
(Always test marking tools
chalk after the interfaci ng i s fused.
on your fabric before you use
them.)
Press c u rves on the ham (as on a
side-seam z i pper, for example)
over the fl attest c u rve for subtle,
rounded shaping. Press a side
seam over a ham; press a center
back seam flat.
Zippers 75
1 Fuse interfacing to the zipper's
seam allowances. Stitch the skirt's
seam to the bottom of the opening.
3 Turn and press the seam
allowance for the underlap to a
width of 1/2 in., forming a slight pleat
at the bottom of the opening.
76 Construction Guidelines
2 Turn and press the seam allowance for the overlap to a width of % in.
Lapped Zipper
A l apped z i pper laps left over right.
An easy way to remember th i s i s to
visual ize how it w i l l look when
fin ished : On the right side of the
garment, the lap that conceal s the
z ipper w i l l be on the left side of
the seam.
Snip-mark the seam a l l owance at
the waist. Transfer the mark for the
bottom of the z i pper open ing from
the pattern onto the fabric by
marking it with a snip at the edge
of the seam a l l owance or with a
c h a l k l i ne.
Apply 3/4- i n . wide strips of
i nterfaci ng that are 1/2 i n . longer
than the z i pper ope n i ng. Position
them so that they extend beyond
the bottom mark for the z i pper and
lis in. to 1/4 i n . beyond the sea m l ine
i nto the seam a l lowance. Fuse the
strips to the fabric.
Sew the garment's seam u p to the
z ipper ope n i ng, and backstitch to
rei nforce the end ( 1 ) . Press the
seam open.
Press open the seam a l lowance for
the overlap to a width of 5/s i n . (2) .
On a side-seam z i pper, this is the
seam a l l owance toward the front
of the garment; on a center-back
z i pper, th is i s the seam a l l owance
on the l eft side of the seaml ine.
Press open the u nderlap seam
a l l owance to a width of 1/2 i n . (3).
Form a lis-i n . pleat at the bottom of
the u nderlap w h i l e pressi ng.
Close the z i pper and, with it face
up, position the stop 1/4 i n . to 3fs i n .
above the bottom of t h e ope n i ng.
Pin or hand-baste the z i pper to the
u nderlap, keeping the teeth of the
z ipper next to the fol d . With a
z ipper foot, machi ne-stitch from
bottom to top, a scant 1/8 i n . from
the folded edge (4).

With the z i pper sti l l closed, pin the

overlap in position on the right
side of the garment. Be sure to
al ign the s n i ps that mark the seam
a l lowance at the waist (5). The
overlap edge should j u st cover the
u nderlap stitc h i ng. Al low extra
fabric at the top to accommodate
the bu l k of the pu l l tab. 5
4 Machine-stitch the basted zipper Pin the overlap in position,
to the underlap using a zipper foot. aligning the marks for the seam at
Hand-baste the overlap i n position,
the waist.
making s u re it j ust covers the
z i pper and the pu l l tab. (It's helpfu l
to pu l l the tab down a few inches
Lapped Zipper
and fi nish basting with the top of
the z i pper open.)

Mark and hand-baste the

topstitc h i ng l i ne sl ightly to the side
of the final machi ne-stitch i ng l i ne
(about 318 in. to liz i n . from the
folded edge). Check to make s u re
the basting stitches catch a l l the
layers of fabric and the z i pper.

C lose the z i pper. Starting at the

seam at the bottom of the openi ng,
6 Hand-baste the topstitching on Overlap
backstitch, then take about five to
the overlap, and machine-stitch just
seven stitches across to the basted
outside the basting.
l i ne. Pivot and topstitch from
bottom to top along the l i ne of
basting (6). You can a lso stitch by
hand if you prefer (p. 79).
,
,

Avoid a c u rve i n the topstitc h i ng '_ .. .

around the pu l l tab by stopping

2 in. from the top of the open i ng,
ope n i ng the z i pper, and then
conti n u ing a smooth topstitc h i ng
l i ne to the waistl ine (7).

7 To a void an uneven topstitching

line at top, open the zipper a few
inches and finish stitching in a
straight line.

Zippers 77
 Centered Zipper
A centered z i pper req u i res ski l l
and precision to sew because it
has two l i nes of topstitch i ng, which
m u st be straight, para l l e l to each
other, and an equal d i stance from
the sea m . Symmetrical, centered
z i ppers are a good choice for the
back of a skirt.

The topstitch i ng on a centered

z ipper is a scant 1/4 i n . to % i n .
from t h e open i ng. T h e fabric i s
sl ightly rai sed a t the open ing
because the teeth and p u l l tab are
completely covered when the
z i pper is c losed. As for the l apped
1 Press %-in. seam allowances on
z i pper, you can stitch by hand or
both sides of the zipper opening.
topstitch by m ac h i ne.
(The raw edges of these garment
pieces have already been serged.)
S n i p-mark the seam a l lowance for
the z ipper at the waist, apply
interfaci ng, and press open the
seam at the z ipper open i ng.

Stitch the garment's seam to the

bottom of the z ipper openi ng,
backstitch to reinforce the
stitc h i ng, and press the seam open.
Press a 5f8-i n . seam a l l owance
on both sides of the z i pper
open ing ( 1 ) .

O n the right side of the garment,

pin the closed z i pper th rough a l l
th icknesses, forc i ng both sides of
the fabric together sl ightly more
than natural to form a ridge (2).
The heavier the fabric, the more
pronounced the ridge w i l l be.
When the z i pper is sewn i n , th i s

2 Pin the closed zipper to the skirt

opening, forcing both side of the
fabric together slightly more than
natural, so that a ridge is formed.

78 Construction Guidelines
 HAN D-PICK E D ZI PPER The Backstitch
For a fine custom touch, the fi nal stitch ing on a
centered or lapped zi pper can be done by hand with a
backstitch. Wrong side

With a double strand of waxed sewing thread (or

buttonhole th read for a more pronou nced look), insert
the need le through all the layers. Each stitch is formed
backward, beh ind the point where the thread emerges.
Make a stitch, then bring the need le through again
1J4 in. to 3Js i n . in front of that stitch. From the right side,
the stitching looks l i ke ti ny, even ly spaced dots in a
stra ight l i ne paral lel to the fold.

It takes a bit of practice to develop a consistent,

stra ight stitch length and tension . Try making a long
sample before you topstitch the actual garment.

ridge flattens out and covers the

z i pper teeth com pletely. You may
Centered Zipper
need to open and c l ose the z i pper
and reposition i t more than once
(double-sided basting tape makes
the job easier) . Pu l l the tab a l l the
way u p to be sure there's enough
fabric to cover it at the waist end .

H and-baste, j ust to one side of the

topstitc h i ng l i ne. With the z i pper
c l osed, beg i n topstitc h i ng at the
seam at the bottom of the open ing.
Take about fou r stitches, pivot, and
topstitch along one side of the
open i ng to the waist. Backstitch to
3 Begin a t the bottom of the zipper
rei nforce.
opening and topstitch along each
side to the top.
Aga i n , beg i n at the seam at the
bottom of the ope n i ng and
topstitch the other side of the
!..
I
openi ng, from bottom to top (3).
Backstitc h .

Press the fi n ished z i pper on the

right side of the garment, u s i ng a
press cloth if necessary.

Zippers 79
 Invisible Zipper
The i nvisible z i pper is a spec i a l l y
made, th i n a n d flex i ble z i pper. I t
c a n b e sewn right i nto t h e seam of
a garment without topstitc h i ng. It's
an easy z i pper to sew, but if th i s
z ipper i s ent i rely new t o you,
practice before you beg i n .
Invisible z i ppers work wel l with
double-knits, velvet, and s l i ppery
or u n stable fabrics. They' re also
perfect for bias skirts and for
1 To shorten the zipper from the bottom, stitch in place, using zigzag
stitching with the feed dog lowered, and cut off the excess zipper below the
stitching.
2 With the right side of the zipper
tape to the right side of the fabric,
stitch each half of the zipper from
top to bottom.
80 Construction Guidelines
designs that look best without any
visible stitc h i ng. I nterfacing may
not be necessary, except with
l ightweight fabric or bias. To be
sure, test fi rst.
You wi l l need a spec ial z i pper foot
made for invisible z ippers and
possibly a shank adapter for you r
machine.
Do not stitch the seam before you
put in the z i pper. Fuse the
i nterfaci ng to the seam a l l owances
(p. 76).
Mark the bottom of the ope n i ng on
the unsewn seam and on the
bottom of the z i pper. If the z i pper
i s too long, shorten it from the
botto m . (The fi n ished z i pper w i l l
a lways end u p about 112 i n . shorter
than you plan ned, so al low extra
length as needed . )
To shorten the z i pper, d rop the
feed dog and secure the end of the
z i pper with a wide z igzag stitc h .
C u t t h e z ipper 3/4 i n . below the
z igzag stitc h i ng ( 1 ) .
Open the z i pper. Working o n the
wrong side, press the z i pper coi l s
open with a warm i ron.
With the z i pper face down, p i n
the r i g h t side t o t h e r i g h t side of
the garment. Pos ition the coi l s on
the sea m l i n e (the edge of the
z i pper tape wi l l be a scant 1/4 i n .
from the raw edge); the bottom of
the stop liz i n . below the mark for
the bottom of the open i ng; and
the top of the tape 1/4 in. below the
top edge of the fabric. Working
from top to bottom, position the
p i ns so you can eas i l y p u l l them
out as you stitch .
 How to Position an Invisible Zipper
Waistline
(You may want to machi ne-baste
the z ipper before you m ac h i ne Top of tape is a scant

stitch it in place.) If you r fabric y., in. from raw edge. Right side of fabric
shifts eas i l y (as do velvet and
Coil is on seamline.
s i l kies) or needs matc h i ng (plaids
and stripes), hand- or m ac h i ne Position each half
baste fi rst. of the zipper the

With the need le centered in the

hole in the i nvisible-zipper foot Zipper stop is
and the left groove of the foot over Y2 in. below
the coi l , stitch from top to bottom the bottom of
the opening.
until the foot touches the stop (2).
Backstitch at each end.

C l ose and open the z i pper to make

sure the stitc h i ng i s not too close to
Invisible Zipper
the teeth, which wou l d prevent it
from u n z i pping eas i l y, or too far
away, which wou l d cause the
z i pper to show.

With the z i pper c losed, position

the right side of the other half of
the z i pper tape to the right side of
the other half of the garment. Make
sure the z i pper h alves a l ign at the
top of each side of the garment.
3 Stitch the right side of the second
half of the zipper to the right side of
Open the z i pper and stitch on the
the second half of the garment.
wrong side of the tape with the
right groove of the z i pper foot over
the coi l (3) . Agai n , backstitch to
rei nforce the ends.

C l ose the z i pper. Sl ide the z ipper

foot to the left so the need le goes
th rough the outside notc h . Hold i ng
the end of the z i pper out of the
way, stitch 2 in. beyond the z i pper
stop (4). Change back to you r
regu lar pressure foot a n d fi n ish
stitc h i ng the seam . Press.

Stitch the loose ends of the z i pper

to the seam a l l owances to sec u re
4 Hold the end of the zipper out of
them, bei ng careful not to catch
the garment. Press.
the way and stitch 2 in. below the
zipper stop.

Zippers 81
The L g
inin
A lining finishes the inside of your garment, reduces
wrinkles, and helps the skirt hang well.
Skirt l i n i ngs hang free of the skirt
and are hemmed separately.
They're attached at the wa i st, and
the top edges are concealed by a
waistband or fac i ng.
L i n i ngs are secu red to the garment
by hand-stitc h i ng around the
z i pper (and the French vent
opening, if there is one).
Sew the l i n i ng's side seams on a
conventional mac h i ne or with a
serger. To add a bit more ease, use
a 'h-i n . seam a l lowance. Stitch the
center-back seam, end i ng j ust
below the z i pper open ing.
1 If the skirt has a French vent, reinforce and clip the corners of the lining as
you did for the garment.
82 Construction Guidelines
Backstitch to rei nforce the ends of
the stitc h i ng. Press the seams open.
If there i s a French vent, reinforce
the corners and c l i p d i agonally as
you d id for the garment ( 1 ) .
Don't sew darts i n the l i n ing.
Instead, when you baste the l i n i ng
to the waist, simply position and
pin the darts as if they were tucks.
The tuck i s placed next to the dart,
but it folds in the opposite
d i rection to m i n i m ize bu l k (2).
2 Don't make darts in the lining.
Instead, make a tuck in the lining
next to the dart in the skirt, but fold
it in the opposite direction.
SEW, FIT, AN D SEW
One of the secrets to a good fit is to continue to fine
tune the fit as you sew. (For this reason, always wear
clothing that you can slip into and out of easily while
you're working.)

Construct the front and back of the skirt separately so

that you can fit the garment at the side seams.

Pin the side seams along the 5f8-in . seam a l l owance,

wrong sides together, with pins parallel to and along
the seam line. Mark the waistline with basting stitches
so you can see it clearly. Wearing appropriate
undergarments and shoes, try on the pinned skirt. Pin a
l -in.-wide piece of elastic around your waist to
simulate a waistband. You can now adjust the side
seams to fit your contours.

Let out or take in the seam as needed and try the skirt
on again until the fit pleases you. With tailor's chal k,
mark the alterations on the wrong side of the fabric.
Draw a smooth line with the hip curve, making sure
both side seams are the same.

The detail s and constructions methods for your specific

skirt style wil l determine the best times for fitting as
you sew. Make notes on the pattern instruction sheet
(pp. 46-47).

Check again for swayback and ease at the waist before

constructing the waistband or waistline facing. When
you're making a classic, fitted waistband, try on the Fit the skirt at the side seams by adjusting the seam
skirt again after the first row of stitching, and once allowances.
more after the waistband finish is complete.

For skirts with contoured or raised waistbands, apply
the facings to the front and back separatel y so you can
fit them as you fit the side seams. This simplifies fitting
and construction and makes any additional changes
easier.
Make a l l your adjustments, stitch , press, and try on the
skirt yet again. It's not uncommon to redo a seam more
than once ! Continue fitting until you are satisfied.
Fitting is a trial-and-error process. The very best way to
understand fitting is to just do it!

The Lining 83
 Attaching
the L g inin
Insert the l i n i ng i nto the skirt with
wrong sides together, and pin the
side, center-back, and front seams.
Fold tucks in the l i n i ng and p i n
them s o they l ie i n t h e opposite
d i rection to the skirt darts, as
shown on p. 8 2 .

Tu rn u nder a n d finger-press the

seam a l lowance on each side of
the z i pper ope n i ng, making sure
the l i n ing won't get caught in the
z i pper teeth. S l i pstitch the l i n i ng to
the z i pper tape ( 1 ) .

Mach i ne- or hand-baste the l i n i ng

to the skirt VB i n . i nside the waist
sea m l i ne. Baste the l i n i ng to the
waistband '/2 i n . from the
wai stband's edge.
1 Turn under the seam allowances and slipstitch the lining to the zipper
tape. Make sure the lining fabric won't get caught in the teeth.
Establish the hem length for the
l i n i ng. How long you make it
depends on how you plan to fi n i sh
the bottom edge (as descri bed on
the facing page). Genera l l y, the
l i n ing shou l d be 1 i n . shorter than
the skirt. Press u nder the hem .

If you r skirt has a French vent, you

should have cut the l i n i ng as
descri bed on p. 3 6 . Tu rn under and
p i n a Sfs-i n . seam a l lowance i n the
l i n i ng and s l i pstitch loosely to
attach it to the edges of the vent
extensions (2).

2 If your skirt has a French vent, slipsitch the turned-under edge of the
lining to the edges of the extensions.

84 Construction Guidelines
He mmin g
the L inin g
There are th ree options for
fi n i shing the hem edge of a skirt
l i ning: serging, turn ing under, and
tri m m i ng with lace.

If you decide to fi n ish the edge

with serging, be sure to cut the
l i n i ng 1 i n . shorter than skirt.

The hem can a l so be turned u nder

'/4 i n . to 'Iz i n . , turned agai n 1 i n . to
2 i n . , and then topstitched. T h i s
creates a clean, strong fi n i s h . For
this treatment, cut the l i n i ng the
1 To add an elegant couture touch, attach lace to the edge of the lining
same length as the skirt.
before hemming.

For a simple coutu re touch, apply

l ace at the hem with a z igzag stitch
( 1 ) . The l i n i ng w i l l look and feel
l i ke a b u i l t- i n s l i p (th i s was a
signature feature of Jacq uel i ne
Ken nedy's skirts when she was
F i rst Lady). You need to adjust the
l i n ing length to compensate for the
width of the l ace. In other words,
cut the l i n i ng 1 i n . shorter than the
skirt length m i nus the width of the
l ace.

Tri m the excess fabric under the

lace c lose to the stitc h i ng (2).

2 After you have attached the lace, trim the excess close to the line of
stitching.

The Lining 85
Waistbands

The waistline of a skirt can be finished in a variety of

ways: from the simplest elastic casing to a precisely fitted,
multilayered interfaced band.

86 Construction Guidelines
 PRO FESSIO NAL TIPS
FOR A PPLYIN G A WAISTBAN D

Whichever waistband style you choose, the techniques waistband. Unless the fabric is very heavy, you don't
for pinning, stitchi ng, and pressing are the same. Here usual ly need to tri m this seam allowance. Use a
are some tips for getting frustration-free professional clapper to flatten as you press, and work over a ham as
resu lts. needed .

Pin the waistband to the skirt,right sides together,
matching and pinn ing side seams and centers first.
Ease the remaining fabric into the waistband and pin it
in place. Position the pins on the seam l i ne so they can
be pul led out easily as you sew.
To save time and ensu re accu racy in the final
stitching, after the ends have been fi nished, press the
waistband as it wi l l be sewn, shaping over the ham. As
you press, place pins in the ditch of the seam, catching
the back of the waistband, to hold the oressed shape.

Stitch with the wrong side of the waistband facing
you so it's easier to see and control your work. When
sewing a waistband to a gathered skirt, however, stitch
with the gathered side up so you can be sure the
gathers feed evenly into the machine.
The waistband is smal ler than the skirt, so the action
of the machine will do some of the easing for you . If
the fabric resists easing, however, hold it at a vertical
angle as you sew-a factory trick that makes the job
easier.
Your pattern w i l l l i kely tel l you simply to turn under
the edge of the waistband before sewing it onto the
skirt. There are four other, less bulky ways to fi nish the
waistband edge:
1 . Use the selvage edge as the fi nished edge.
2 . Serge the edge.
3 . Make a Hong Kong edge fi nish with a bias strip of
l i n ing the length of the waistband and 1 in. wide
(p. 56).

Carefu l pressing is essential to the fi nished 4. Wrap the edge with a rayon seam binding (p. 56).
appearance of the waistband. Press the fi rst, and most
visible, seam flat as sewn, then press it toward the

Skirts can be made with a p u l l-on Commerc i a l patterns u s ua l l y

e l asticized waistband, which is provide bas i c i nstructions for
espec i a l l y easy for beginners to attach i ng and i nterfac i ng a
construct (p. 89); a c l assic fitted waistband, but you m ight want to
waistband (p. 92); a fitted adapt the pattern for one of these
elasticized waistband (p. 96); a other a l ternatives.
contou red waistband (p. 99); or
a raised waistband (p. 1 01 ).
Some, but not a l l , requ i re
i nterfaci ngs (pp. 93-95) and
c losu res (pp. 1 02 - 1 03).

Waistbands 87
 Fitting the Waist
A good fit a t the waist i s c ru c i a l to
the overa l l fit and drape of the
fi n ished skirt. Ease, the d ifference
between the wearer's body and the
amount of fabric in the garment,
determ i nes how you w i l l look and
feel i n the ski rt-and u lti mately
whether or not you wi l l wear it.
T h i n k of you r waist measurement,
the fi n ished waistband (or fac i ng),
and the waist sea m l i ne of the skirt
as concentric c i rc l es, each nesting
i nto the other. The fi n ished
waistband i s l a rger than you r waist
to a l low for movement, comfort,
and enough room to tuck i n a
blou se. The waist seam l i ne of the
skirt i s l a rger than the waistband so
that, when the extra fabric i s eased
i n, the skirt w i l l sti l l flow smoothly
over the stomach and h i ps.
If the fit is right, there's enough
ease for you to s l i p you r th u m b
eas i l y u nder t h e waistband. This
same amount of ease is added to
you r waist measurement and
determ i nes the length of the
fi n ished waistband (excl ud i ng the
u nderlap and seam a l l owances,
wh ich are added l ater).
The amount of recom mended ease
varies, depending on the style of
the waistband and the figu re-for
exam ple, s l i m figures general ly
requ i re less ease than heavy ones.
At the beg i n n i ng of each section
on the various waistband styles,
you' l l find the basi c
recom mendation for t h e amount of
ease for that style for the average
figure. Although there are general
guide l i nes, remember that ease i s a
matter of persona l preference.
Always measu re you r body or you r
favorite ski rts to determ ine how
much ease you'd l i ke to h ave i n
you r fi n ished waistband, and
adjust accord i ngly.

C H ECK I N G TH E F IT
Before you apply the waistband, try on the skirt to
dou ble-check the fit of the garment.
Mark the waist seam l i ne by machi ne-basting the skirt
with th read of a contrasting color. Pin a 1 -i n . to 2-in.
wide length of elastic in place as a temporary
waistband. Adjust the skirt so that the lower edge of
the elastic is positioned along the waist seam l ine. The
elastic "waistband" shou ld rest along your natural
waist, with some ease-not too tight, not too loose.
F i ne-tu ne the position and fit.
If necessary, at this poi nt, you can adjust for swayback
if you didn't alter the pattern when pin-fitting
(pp. 40-41).
Now remove the skirt and measure along the waist
seam l i ne, excludi ng the underlap and seam
allowances. This measurement shou ld be from 1'12 in.
to 2 in. greater than the length of the fi nished
waistband. The extra skirt fabric w i l l be eased into the
waistband later.
If the skirt's waist measurement is less than 1 '12 in. or
more than 2 in. greater than the waistband
measurement, you have several options. You can take
in or let out equal amou nts of fabric at the side seams.
You can also adjust the darts as necessary. If the skirt is
too big, you can draw in the extra fabric by running a
row or two of gathering stitching (using the next-to
longest machine stitch) and easing evenly. You can
also use staystitch plus (p. 60), or a combination of
both . If the skirt is big, your waist small, and your h i ps
h igh and round, a fitted, elasticized waistband (p. 96)
also provides a solution.

88 Construction Guidelines
Pull-on
Waistband
Amount of Ease:
Waistband length: Hip
measurement plus 2 in. (plus
1 //4 in. for two %-in. seam
allowances). The waist seamline
should measure 2 in. more than
the fin ished waistband.

The pu l l -on waistband is a s i mple

and professional deta i l that can be
used with knits or l ightweight
wovens. This styl e of waistband
s l i ps on eas i l y over the h i ps, but
doesn't add b u l k at the waist. You
can even position pleats or gathers
where you want them, wh i le
reta i n ing the comfort and ease of a
p u l l-on waistband.

Knit ribbing gives the best stretch

and the least bulk. You can a l so
use cross-grai n kn its or lengthwise
or cross-grai n wovens.
Measure and Cut Cut the
waistband to a length eq ual to
you r h i p measu rement p l u s 2 i n .
p l u s two SIB-i n . seam a l lowances.
The extra length wi l l a l low for
those fabrics with zero stretch
for example, a l l wovens and some
sta b l e kn its.
Cut the waistband wider than the
fi n ished width, and plan to trim it
after you've stitched it to the
garment. Kn its, in particu l ar, often
become more n arrow as they are
stretched and stitched in place. For
example, if I'm using l '/4-i n . wide
e l astic, I cut the waistband 4'12 i n .
wide, which a l lows for two SIB-i n .
seam a l l owances and about
3f4 i n . of extra fabric. I trim the
waistband to size and fi n ish it after
I 've sewn the elastic to the seam
a l lowance.
Cut the e lastic 2 i n . to 3 i n . shorter
than you r waist measurement p l u s
two '/4-i n . seam a l l owances. (I use
flat-rib e l astic or B an-rol .)
To assemble the waistband, sew
the seams and trim them to '/4-i n .
a l l owances. Press them open and
topstitch them at center with a
wide z igzag stitch ( 1 ) . T h i s w i l l
hold the seam flat and help you
identify the garment's center back.
1 Sew the waistband together and
D ivide the waistband in quarters,
topstitch with a wide zigzag stitch.
and mark each section. P i n the
waistband to the garment, right

Waistbands 89
 sides together, at centers and at
side seams (2).

Stitch on the wrong side of the

waistband, stretch i ng it as needed
to fit the garment (3). If the
garment i s su bstantia l l y larger than
the waistband, on some fabrics
(but rarely kn its), you may need to
use gathering stitches. Press the
stitched seams toward the
waistband.

Lap the seam a l l owances of the

elastic to form a c i rcle and stitch
the ends with a serpentine or
z igzag stitch (4) . Tri m the ends and
d ivide the elastic i nto quarters, as
you d i d the waistband.

Position the edge of the elastic next

2 After dividing the waistband into quarters, pin it to the skirt, matching
to the waistl i n e stitc h i ng and p i n
marks at centers and side seams.
t h e elastic to the seam a l lowance,
matc h i ng the marks at center front,
back, and side seams. Stitch the
e lastic to the seam a l l owance with
a long, wide z igzag stitch,
stretch i ng as you stitch (5).

Wrap the waistband around the

e lastic. Tri m width as needed, but
be sure there w i l l be enough fabric
beyond the waistl ine stitc h i ng so
that when you stitch on the right
side, you ' l l catch the i nside bottom
edge of the waistband. F i n ish the
waistband edge.

On the right side of the fabric,

p lace p i ns i n the d itch of the seam,
positio n i ng them so you can eas i l y
remove them a s you sew (6). P i n
or baste the waistband vertical l y at
each quarter to prevent it from
sh ifting during stitc h i ng. On the
3 Sew the waistband to the skirt, stretching it as needed to fit.
right side of the garment, stitch in
the d itch to fi n ish (7).

Another fi n i s h i ng option i s to stitch

several rows of topstitch i ng,
stretch i ng as you sew. If you plan

90 Construction Guidelines
to topstitch, keep i n m i nd that
every row of stitc h i n g stretches the
elasic about 1 i n ., so fit the e lastic
more sn ugly. Another trick i s to use
a longer stitch so as not to d i stort
the elasti c .

4 A wide serpentine stitch will 5 With the edge of the elastic next to the waistline stitching, stitch with a
secure the ends of the elastic and wide zigzag, stretching as you go.
keep them lying flat.

6 Working on the right side of the

garment, place pins in the ditch,
catching the inside bottom edge of
the waistband.

7 To finish the waistband, stitch in the ditch, as shown here, or topstitch

several rows.

Waistbands 91
 Classic Fitted
MAKE A F inED WAISTBAN D PAnERN
Waistband
Once you have a comfortable waistband, fi le its measurements with
your patterns. You can also make a permanent pattern piece to use with Amount of Ease:
a l l your skirts. Waistband length: Waist
measurement plus 1 in. to 1 7/2 in.
To compute the length and width of a custom-fit waistband, start with
(plus 1 7/4 in. for two %-in. seam
yourwaist measurement (p.28). If your waist measures 26 '12 i n . and you
allowances).
want 1 '12 i n . of ease, your fi n ished waistband measurement is 28 i n . (A).
If you use 'h-i n . seam a l lowances, double that amount (B). The underlap
shou ld be at least 1 '12 i n . (C). For this waistband, the total length of
The fitted waistband is a long
fabric to cut is 30'12 i n .
rectangle cut on the lengthwise or
A . Finished length (waist measure + preferred 28 i n .
crosswise gra i n , i n terfaced, and
amount of ease) fitted with a m i n i m u m of ease.

B. Seam al lowances mu ltipl ied by 2 1 in.

Cutting i t on the l engthwise gra i n
C. U nderlap (measure under fly, pocket extension, with o n e edge on selvedge
1 '12 i n .
o r si mply use length you prefer) provides a fi n ished edge that l ies
Total cut length 30'12 i n . flat on the i nside of the skirt. You
can a l so c reate cross-grai n and
bias-grai n waistbands by piec ing at
the side or back seam s .

If you r skirt h a s a l i n i ng, i n sert it

before you construct and attach
the wa istband.
As a rule, waistbands are 1 i n . to 2 in. wide. If you want your fi n ished
waistband to be 1 '/4 i n . wide, mu ltiply the fi n ished width by two (A). If Use the commerc i a l pattern for the
the front seam a l lowance is 5/8 i n . (B), and you're using a selvage edge, waistband and m a ke any necessary
Hong Kong fi n ish, or rayon seam binding, add another 1f4 i n . to the back adju stments, or m ake you r own
seam a l lowance (C). Always add another '/4 i n . for turn i ng under the custom-fit waistband. Be sure the b
i nside edge of the fabric (D). The tota l cut width of this waistband is ody of the skirt is completed and
3% i n . fits wel l before you cut the
waistband-in case any more
2 '12 i n . a l terations are needed.
A . Fin ished width mu ltipl ied by 2

B. Front seam al lowance 5fa i n . Three i n terfacing options are

C. Back seam al lowance (Add 1f4 i n . for described on pp. 93-95 .
'/4 i n .
selvage edge, Hong Kong finish, o r seam binding.) Whichever you decide to use,
fi n i sh the ends of the fitted
D. Turn of cloth (extra fabric to go up and
'/4 i n . waistband as descri bed on p. 98.
over the fold)
Apply c losures as described on
Total cut width 35/8 i n .
pp. 1 02 - 1 03.

Marking With c h a l k, pi ns, or

s n i ps, m a rk the stitc h i ng l ines,
seam a l lowances, and u nderlap on
the wrong side of the waistband.
Match centers, for m i ng a c i rcle.
D ivide the c i rc l e i nto quarters that

92 Construction Guidelines
correspond to the skirt's center
front and back and side seams.
The skirt doesn't d ivide neatly into
fou r even quarters at the waistl ine.
The back from side to side i s 112 i n .
narrower than the front (th i s i s true
for women and men of any size
and shape). Adjust the waistband
after estab l i s h i ng the garment
quarters. Take 1/4 i n . off the back at
each side seam and add it to the
center front to compensate for
the d i fference from front to back.
Sh ift the s ide-seam mark when
p i n n i ng the waistband in place.
Three Interfacing
Options for
the Classic
Waistband
I nterfacing helps give a garment its
shape, body, and su pport. The two
types of interfacing are fusible and
sew-i n . Woven fusible interfaci ngs
designed for men's s h i rts and sold
by the yard make good waistband
interfaci ngs.
Fusible Interfacing Quick and
easy to use, fus i b l e i nterfac i n g i s
appl ied w i t h a w a r m i ron a n d
req u i res no stitc h i ng. Nonwoven
fus i b l e i n terfac i n g has no gra i n .
Pac kaged waistband i ng i s precut
and sold in d ifferent widths,
accord i n g to the width of the
waistba n d . W h ichever type you
use, a lways fuse a swatch fi rst to
m a ke s u re the i n terfa c i ng and the
fabric are compatible in weight.
Precut fu s i b l e i n terfac i n g is
perforated so the stitc h i ng l i nes
and fold l i nes are easy to see; one
half i s 1/4 i n . smaller than the
.......,,---
1 Cut the interfacing to the same length as the waistband, including seam
allowances.
other. Cut the i nterfacing to the
same length as you r waistband,
i n c l u d i n g seam a l l owances (1 ) . A
smal l amount of i nterfacing i n the
seam wi II stabi I ize the end of the
waistband .
Position the interfacing on the
waistband, wrong side of fabric to
adhesive side of i nterfaci ng. The
narrower half forms the front of the
wa i stban d . Be sure the edge of the
narrower half i s 3/4 i n . from the raw
2 Staystitch-plus the waistline of
edge of the fabric to al low space
skirt to fit the waistband.
for stitc h i ng and for tu r n i ng the
fabric. Mark the seams, centers,
and u nderlap on the narrow h alf.
Fuse the i nterfacing to the fabric
with a warm i ron, fol lowi ng the
manufacturer's i n structions.
Staystitch-p l u s the skirt to fit the
wai stband (2) . P i n the waistband
to the ski rt, wrong sides together,
matc h i n g seams and centers and
easing as needed.
With the wai stband side toward
you , stitch a Sis-i n . seam
a l l owance, just i nside the
i nterfacing edge. Press.
Waistbands 93
 Sew-in Waistbanding A woven
sew-i n wai stba n d i n g known as
Armoflexx c reates a firm
waistband and prevents the
i mpression of the seam from
showing. It's ava i lable by the yard
in standard widths. The
measu rement and appl ication of
Armoflexx req u i re a bit more care
and ski l l than fus i b l es do.

Cut the interfac ing to the same

l ength as the wa istband. Do not
trim away the seam a l lowances.
Even though it seems stiff,
Armoflexx can be trimmed to
a l most noth i ng next to the seam to
help stabil ize the ends of the
waistband. Tra nsfer the marki ngs.

1 Stitch the waistband to the skirt, right sides together.

Pin and stitch the waistband to the
skirt with right sides together,
matc h i ng the seams and centers
and eas i ng as needed ( 1 ) . Press.

Match the corresponding side

seam and center marks on the
interfac ing and waistband. Position
the edge of the interfaci ng next to
the stitc h i ng l i ne, p i n n ing as
needed, and stitch in the seam
a l lowance. A wide, long z igzag
stitch holds a l l layers flat (2). Press.

2 Attach Armoflexx to the seam allowance of the waistband with a wide

zigzag stitch.

94 Construction Guidelines
Layered Interfacing Both
fus i b l e and sew- i n i nterfac i ngs
may be app l ied i n si ngle or
dou b l e l ayers. I 've had better
resu l ts with fusibles. Sew- i n s tend
not to l ie smooth and flat, but if
you prefer to u se them, here's
what you wou ld do.

Choose two l ayers of the same

material or com b i ne two different
types. Although the construction
pri nciples are the same for both
sew-i n and fusible, the prel i m i nary
steps vary.

Cut the fi rst layer of interfaci ng (on

the lengthwise or cross gra i n if it i s
woven) t o t h e same length as the
waistband. Cut a second piece of
i nterfacing on the bias to the same
1 After fusing the first piece of interfacing, fuse the second smaller piece on
length and the fi n ished width plus
top of it, inside the stitching line. Use a press cloth if necessary.
3/4 in. The bias-cut piece provides
sta b i l ity and softness, and w i l l
produce a stable waistband with a
soft c u rve to its upper edge. To add an extra bit of "cru nch"
to either the fusible or sew-i n
i nterfaci ng, mac h i ne-stitch two
Fusible: F u se the larger piece to the
rows, 1/4 i n . apart, on the back
wrong side of the waistband . Now
half of the waistband, 1/4 i n .
fuse the bias-cut piece on top of from the fold l i ne.
the larger, so the long front edge is
V8 i n . i nside the stitc h i ng line of the
waistband ( 1 ) . This way, the
second layer won't be caught i n
the stitc h i ng a n d 3J4 i n . wi l l extend
beyond the fold for a crisp edge.
This tec h n iq u e is best for heavier
fabrics; for l ightweight fabrics, you
can stitch through both layers of
i nterfaci ng.

Sew-in: Hand- or mac h i ne-baste

the l arger piece to the wrong side
of the front half of the waistband,
1/8 i n . i nside the stitc h i ng l i ne.
Baste the second l ayer to the fi rst,
2 Sew the waistband to the skirt.
stitc h i ng a long the fold l i ne and 1/8
i n . i nside a l l the seam l i nes (2). If
you ' re u s i ng more than one layer
of i nterfaci ng, tri m the seam
a l l owance in the top l ayer only.

Waistbands 95
 Fitted Elasticized
Waistband
Amount of Ease:
Waistband length : Waist
measurement plus 1 in. to
(plus 1 7/4 in. for two %-in. seam
allowances). Skirt waist: The waist
seamline of the skirt should
measure 1 in. to 3 in. more than
the waistband measurement.
A fitted elasticized waistband has
style, comfort, and fit, too. It works
with any skirt fabric, fram crepe de
c h i n e to den i m . Both the skirt and
the waistband have a bit of extra
ease, which the e lastic d raws i n .
T h i s waistband i s perfect for figures
with a sma l l waist and h igh rou nd
h i ps. It has a s l ightly puckered,
96 Construction Guidelines
seersucker appearance when on
the hanger, but is flattering on the
body. The extra fabric hard ly
shows and adds no b u l k. With th i s
style o f waistband, t h e skirt m u st
have a z i pper or a buttoned or
3 in. s ide-pocket ope n i ng (p. 69).
Cutting the Waistband Cut
the wa i stband, add i ng 1 in. to 3
i n . of ease to the l engt h . The
el astic w i l l d raw i n the extra
fabric. Mark the seams, centers,
and u nderlap.
The waist seam l i ne of the skirt
should measure 1 i n . to 3 i n . more
than you r waistband measurement.
Simply cut the wa istband to you r
waist measurement p l u s 1 i n . to
3 i n ., and then a l low for seam and
u nderlap a l lowances.
Cut the e lastic to you r waist
measurement m i n u s u p to 3 i n .,
p l u s seam a l l owances and
u nderlap. I recommend Ban-ral
elastic or flat-rib elastic, but if you
plan to topstitch , use Ban-ra l . The
dense textu re of flat-rib e lastic
makes it d ifficu lt to stitch th rough.
Constructing the Waistband
With right s ides together, sew the
long edge of the waistband to the
s k i rt w i th a sis - i n . seam a l lowance
(1 ) . Press.
Mark the seam a l l owances, side
seams, and front and back centers
on the e l astic. After you've sewn
and pressed the first seam on the
waistband, p i n the e lastic at the
m arked poi nts, position i ng the
edge of the e lastic next to the
wa istband stitc h i ng l i ne.
Stitch the elastic to the waistband's
seam a l l owance with a long, wide
z igzag stitch (2). Stretch the elastic
 1 Sew the long edge of the waistband to skirt, right sides 2 Sew the elastic to the waistband with a zigzag stitch.
together.

wh i l e stitc h i ng between the side

seams, but not wh i le stitc h i ng the
u nderlap or the seam a l l owances
at the ends.

Next, fi n ish the ends of the

waistband as described on p. 98.
Tri m , press, and turn .

Before the final stitc h i ng, to keep

the top and bottom edges of the
waistband fl at, s l i p a sma l l c i rc l e or
square of fusible web (designed to
fuse fabric together, and sold by
the yard or i n strips) between the
back of the waistband and the
e lastic (3). Press and fuse it i n
place. T h e el astic h a s a tendency
to rol l , and this technique is a bit
of i nsurance to keep the top and
3 Insert and fuse fusible web between the elastic and the back of the
bottom edges flat.
waistband to keep the top and bottom edges flat.

Cut and mark more than one

l ength of e lastic, and you ' l l
save time when making you r
next waistband .

Waistbands 97
 F I N ISH I NG THE EN DS OF A WAISTBAN D

4 Turn the waistband with a point turner.

I Mark the fold line with a snip on both ends of the
waistband.

5 To turn the corner squarely, take a stitch by hand

through the machine-stitching (with two strands of
thread and no knot) and pull gently. Favor the seam to
the underside, and press and pound with the clapper.

....
2 Trim 1/8 in. from the seam allowances at both ends
of the inside half of the waistband. Trimming to the
fold line "favors" the underside, which means that the
ends will naturally roll to the underside of the
waistband. Pin the waistband to hold it in position.

6 On the right side, pin or hand-baste the waistband

3 Fold the waistband, right sides together, aligning
the edges. Stitch across the waistband ends. Trim the
corners, grade the seams, and trim the interfacing from
the seam allowance. Press flat. Press open with a point
turner.
in place, catching both halves. Position the pins in the
ditch of the seam so you can pull them out easily as
you sew. Press the waistband as it will be sewn to
make the final stitching easier and more accurate. On
the right side of the garment, stitch in the ditch of the
seam. Stitch the ends of the underlap together with a
narrow zigzag or straight stitch. Be sure both halves of
the underlap are caught in the stitching. Press over a
ham to reinforce the natural curve of the waistband.

98 Construction Guidelines
Contoured
Waistband
Amount of Ease:
Waistband length : Waist
measurement plus 1 in. to 1 1/2 in.
(plus 1 1/4 in. for two %-in. seam
a llowances). The waist seamline of
the skirt should measure 1 in. to
1 1/2 in. more than the waistband
measurement.

The u ltimate i n simpl icity, the

1 Sew the waistband facings to the skirt and reinforce them with twill tape
contou red waistband i s very
or a strip of lining selvage.
com p l i mentary to short-waisted
figures.The faced edge of the
waistband sits precisely at the
waist l i ne, and the waistband
faci ngs fit the body's curves. The
skirt of Chanel's c lassic suit-often
of th ick, n u bby wool-has th i s
waist fi n ish, designed t o l ie
smoothly beneath a s i l k shel l .

A contou red waistband faci ng

shou ld measure 1 i n . to 1 1/2 i n .
larger than the fi n ished waist
measurement. Staystitch the
waistl ine of the skirt 1/2 i n . from the
top edge.

I nterface the wai stband fac i ngs

(pp. 93-95). Some body i s
des i rable, b u t don't use
i nterfaci ngs that are too stiff. You
2 Grade and clip the stitched seams.
don't need to trim away the
interfacing in the seam a l l owances.
Sew the seams, and trim the fac ing from stretc h i n g as the
a l lowances to 1f4 i n . F i n ish the raw garment i s worn . You don't need
edge of the waistband fac ing with to p i n the tape in p lace fi rst. As
a Hong Kong fi n i sh , rayon seam you stitch, ease the tape by pu l l i ng
b i n d i ng, or sergi ng. it s l i ghtly. G rade and c l i p the
seams (2) .
Attach 1/4-i n . twi l l tape or a 1/4- i n .
selvage stri p from t h e l i n i n g fabric
as you sew the faci ng to the
skirt ( 1 ) . T h i s w i l l prevent the

Waistbands 99
 Tri m the excess fabric from the
darts so there aren't too many
l ayers of fabric at the waistl i ne (3).

Press the seam flat, then press the

seam al lowances toward the
fac i ng. On the right side of the
garment, with the faci ng extended
away from the skirt, u nderstitch the
fac ing next to the seam (4). The
u nderstitc h i ng helps the facing
rol l toward the i nside of the skirt.
Press, favoring the facing to the
wrong side.

3 Trim the excess fabric at the waistline so there aren 't too many layers.
Tack the fac i ngs to the garment at
the seams and darts by hand or by
machi ne-stitc h i ng i n the d itch on
the right side of the garment (5).

Tu rn u nder the ends of the fac ing

next to the z ipper and p i n them .
S l i pstitch the fac ing to the z i pper
tape. Press the fi n ished waistband
over a ham to shape the contour.

Converting to a Fitted Waist

You can convert the waist
treatment of any fitted, darted skirt
to a conto u red waistban d by
e l i m i nating the fitted waistband
and making fac i ng patterns.
4 Understitch the facing next to the seam. This helps the facing roll toward
the inside of the skirt.
P i n the darts on the front and back
ski rt-pattern pieces. Mark the
pattern 3 i n . from and para l l e l to
the wai stline edge. (With 5f8-i n .
seam a l l owances, the fin ished
fac ing w i l l be 2% i n . wide.) Extend
the skirt gra i n l i ne on the fac ing
areas and trace two separate facing
pieces. Apply the contou red
waistband faci ngs as described.

5 Tack the facings to the garmet at the seams and darts by hand or by
machine-stitching in the ditch on the right side of the garment.

100 Construction Guidelines

Raised Waistband
Amount of Ease:
Waistband length: Waist
measurement plus 1 in. at bottom
of waistband; 1 //2 in. larger than
midriff at top (plus 1 //4 in. for two
%-in. seam allowances).

A raised, or extended, waistband

may extend from 1 1/4 i n . to 3 i n .
h igher than the natu ral waistl ine. I t
isn't separate from the garment, as
are other kinds of waistbands;
rather, it i s cut as part of the skirt
panels, then shaped with cu rves
and darts and fin i shed with a
separate fac i ng. This style is best
for long-waisted figures without
much waistl ine defi n ition or a
large bust.
One of the secrets to a crisp raised
waistband is to i nterface the faci ng
as wel l as the garment. Cut the
skirt i nterfaci ng u s i ng the front and
back ski rt-pattern pieces, and
fol low the shaping at the top of the
skirt. Cut the interfaci ng so it is
112 i n . wider than the skirt faci ng.
Fuse and position the pieces
before marking and sew i ng darts
and tucks.
U se a heavier weight of fusible or
sew-i n i nterfac i ng for the faci ng
than for the skirt. It isn't necessary
to trim interfacing in seam
a l l owances.
Boning Keep the waistband from
crush i n g or rol l i ng down the
waist l i n e by add i ng bon i ng.
Boni ng, ava i lable u nder the brand
name Rigi l i ne, i s sold by the foot.
It is pl iable, soft, easy to stitch
through, and comfortable to wear,
and it is ava i lable in black and
wh i te.
Cut boning so that it fits just inside the seam lines on the facing, and stitch
around each strip.
Cut a piece of bon i ng for each
seam and dart to the height of the
fi n i shed waistband, without seam
a l l owances.
Sew the bon i ng to the wrong side
of the faci ng at center front and
back, at the side seams, and
halfway between the centers and
side seams. Stitch around a l l sides
of the bon i ng strips (above).
Construct the faci ngs, tape the
edges, and attach the faci ngs as
you wou ld for the contou red
waistband (pp. 98-99 ) .
C losures are optional for a high
raised waistband or a contoured,
faced waistband. Frequently
c losures for these waistband styles
are omitted i n ready-to-wear, but
the c l assic recom mendation i s a
fine metal hook and eye positioned
u nder the z i pper to add a bit of
extra secu rity.

Waistbands 101

Hooks and Eyes
You can c lose a skirt with buttons,
snaps, or hooks and eyes. B uttons
are appropriate only if you've u sed
a l ightweight interfacing i n the
waistband-it's d ifficu lt to make a
good buttonhole th rough the many
l ayers and u neven th ickness at the
ends of most waistbands. Snaps
have a tendency to pop open
u nder pressure, so they aren't a
good choice either. Large hooks
and eyes are the most practical
h idden fasteners for the
overlapping edges on waistbands.
They' re flat enough to avoid bu l k
and strong enough to hold u p to
the firm i nterfac i ngs and beefy
e lastics that most waistbands
requ i re.
You ' l l need two sets of hooks and
eyes designed for waistbands. Use
black metal with dark fabric colors,
s i l ver with l ight.
1 Attach the first hook with a series of stitches made with waxed thread.
102 Construction Guidelines
Hand-sew the fi rst hook 1/4 i n .
from t h e edge of the wa istband
overlap (1 ) . With two strands of
waxed th read, make sma l l , short
stitches next to each other, or use a
blanket stitch to form a series of
knots to cover the meta l . The
stitch i ng shou l d not show on the
right side of the waistband. Make
two sma l l knots in the last stitch to
secure the stitc h i ng.
F i n ish by making a tai lor's knot, or
q u i lter's knot, i n the th read 112 i n .
from the su rface of the fabric. Take
a l -i n . stitch next to the hook,
between the layers, and tug the
th read to bury the knot. Tri m the
th read end where it emerges from
the fabric.
The positon of the fi rst hook
determ i nes the position of the
correspond i ng eye. Eyes may be
sewn on by hand or mac h ine.
To sew eyes by m ac h i ne, drop the
feed dogs and attach a buttonhole
foot (2). Adjust the width of the
z igzag to c lear the metal and make
about 1 0 stitches th rough the eye.
F i n ish by position i ng the need le i n
the hole, adjust the stitch, and take
th ree to fou r stitches in p lace.
C lose the first hook and eye so the
waistband is c u rved, as it wi l l be
when worn . Mark and sew the
second hook about 112 i n . from the
edge of the u nderlap (depend i ng
on the length of the u nderlap) and
position the second eye (3). Th is
i nnermost closure bears most of
the stress. Al low a sl ight bit of
s lack in the wa i stband between the
first and second sets of c l osures.
2 Attach the eyes with zigzag stitches, using a buttonhole foot.

3 Install two sets of hooks and eyes in the waistband for extra strength. The innermost closure bears most of the
stress.

Waistbands 103
Hem g the S
min kirt
The hem adds the finishing touch to a skirt. The type oj
hem you make, its width, and whether you sew it by hand
or machine depends upon thejabric, style, and overall
design oj the skirt.
The overa l l effect of the fin ished
hem shou ld be smooth and fl u i d .
T h e edge needs to b e even and
para l lel to the floor. You can sew a
hem by hand or mac h i ne, but
hand-stitc h i ng should be invisible
and machi ne-stitc h i ng and
topstitc h i ng m u st be stra ight.
Hem Width
The hem width on the pattern
piece provides a guide l i ne, but
always consider the style of the
skirt and the fabric when dec i d i ng
on hem width . The fabric is real l y
t h e dec i d i ng factor. Some soft
fabrics ease wel l ; some fi rm fabrics
may not.
A straight skirt genera l ly req u i res a
2 - i n . to 2 1h- i n . hem . Patterns often
recommend S/8-i n . m ac h i ne
topstitched hems for fl ared skirts.
However, a narrow hem may rol l
to the outside. A sl ightly wider
hem (3f4 in. to 7/8 i n . ) may hang
better and i s just as easy to make. I
prefer flared skirts with hems as
wide as 1 1h i n . to 1 % i n .
T h e wider the flare of the skirt,
however, the smaller you shou ld
make the hem. A smal ler hem has
less fabric to ease.
104 Construction Guidelines
Easing in the raw edge on a flared
or shaped skirt prevents the
formation of l ittle tucks or p leats
that may show through on the right
side. Staystitch-plus (p. 60) with a
standard straight stitch or use a
serger with d ifferential feed to ease
and fi n ish the raw edge in one
operation.
Marking
For accu racy, it's best to have
tanother person mark the hem. The
helper shou ld move around the
person being measured so the
garment won't sh ift.
Determ i ne the length you want the
fin ished garment to be (p. 28).
Mark the fin ished length with a
hem marker or a yardstick that has
been marked with a piece of
maski ng tape as a guide. Place
p i ns para l lel to the floor every 2 i n .
to 3 i n . Pin the front section o f the
hem to make sure the length is
right and double-check the p i n
positions.
Remove the skirt. Press the hem
u nder, a long the p i ns, removing
them as you come to them. Don't
try to press to the exact placement
of the pi ns-simply use them to
determ ine a smooth, straight l i ne.
Then pin the hem up and try on
the skirt aga i n . Adjust the hem as
needed.

Measu re with a seam gauge, mark

the hem to an even width with
chalk, and trim evenly along the
marked l i ne (1 ) . (Or you can
s i m ply serge a long the marked
l i ne). Tri m the seam a l l owances
with i n the hem to '/4 i n . to
e l i m i nate u n necessary b u l k (2).
F i n ish the raw edge, as described
on p. 1 07 .

Press t h e h e m i n place b y carefu l l y

pressi ng the bottom two-th i rds of
1 Mark the hem and trim evenly 2 Trim the seam allowances within
the hem . This wi l l keep the hem
from showing through on the right
along the marked line. the hem to 1/4 in.
side of the garment.

He mmin
g
by Hand
Hand-sewing hems creates softer,
less obvious hems, which are
particu l arly wel l su ited for d ressier
skirts. Some fabrics, l i ke s i l k, tend
to sh ift, stretch, or d istort when
m ac h i ne-stitched, and they' re
easier to control if they're hemmed
by hand.

S i l k th read or a long-staple
polyester thread are both nearly
i nvisible when stitched . Cotton
thread is fine for m idweight
garments. Use as fine a need le as
you can see to th read and a short
length of a si ngle strand. The end
knot should be j ust to you r e l bow
when the need le is th readed and
ready to sew.
Sec u re and bu ry the knot in a
seam . Fold the edge of the hem
back '/4 in. and stitch along th i s
fol d . T h i s prevents t h e stitches from
show i ng.
3 Hem by hand with loose stitches, catching just a fiber of the fabric, and
make knots every 4 in. to 6 in.
Catch j u st a fiber of the fabric as
you stitch (don't worry, it w i l l
hold). Make loose stitches '/4 i n .
to % i n . long and form a knot
every 4 i n . to 6 i n . (3). Loose
stitches won't show through; the
knots ensure that the hem w i l l
stay u p even i f a few stitches
shou ld get pu l led out d u ring
normal wear-and-tear.

Hemming The Skirt 105

 H EMMI N G
RI PPLE-FREE
Woven fabric is o n the cross
grain around a hem (and to
further compl icate th i ngs,
sometimes it's off bias, too), so it
can stretch, pucker, and ripple
wh i le you're machi ne-stitch ing.
To avoid these problems, try
these tricks.
1 . Stitch with "stra ight
assurance," that is, hold the
fabric taut and firm as it feeds
through the machine so that the
fabric doesn't stretch or ripple.
Don't pu l l the fabric or stop the
normal stitching action. (Th is
does not work on knits.)
2. With both hands, pull the
fabric at right angles to the
need le as it feeds th rough the
mach i ne. This may also help
reduce rippl ing and stretch i ng
of the top layer of fabric.
Apply slight tension to each side
of the stitching line.
106 Construction Guidelines
He mrnin
g by
Machine
F i ne ready-to-wear garments and
commercial patterns are using
mac h i ne-stitched and mac h i ne
topstitched hems more frequently. I
use them for casual or sporty skirts.
A Machine-Stitched Hem On
s i l ky or sheer fabrics, you can get
good resu lts with a m i n i m u m of
frustration by m ac h i ne-stitc h i ng a
n arrow h e m . (Many sewers refer
to t h i s as a Calvin K l e i n hem
because it shows u p so often in
the designer's l i ne.) This hem
featu res th ree l i nes of stitch i ng
and ensures a c lean edge. It works
on both the straight gra i n or bias
and is a good choice for skirts
i n s i l k c repe de c h i ne, georgette,
and c h iffo n .
A Peek Inside a Machine-Stitched Hem
Press the fold under and edgestitch
again on the right side.
O n the right side o f the fabric,
staystitch j ust with i n the m arked
fin ished hem l i ne. Press along the
stitched l i ne. Now switch to an
edgestitch foot and two-ply
m ac h i ne-embroidery thread, which
is very fine and l ight.
Position the need le to the left of
center and, with the fabric fold
aga i nst the gu ide, stitch a long the
very edge of the u nderside of the
hem. Tri m the fabric as c lose to
the stitc h i ng as possible with
appl ique scissors. Press the fold
u nder s l ightly-ju st enough to
enclose the raw edge and create as
narrow a hem as possible-and
edgestitch the hem agai n on the
right side.
A successful hem w i l l have one
l i ne of stitch i ng on the right side of
the garment and two paral lel l i nes
of stitc h i ng on the hem . The l i ne of
Staystitch just within hemline on
right side. Press along stitched line.
Edgestitch along the underside of the
hem. Trim close to stitching.
staystitch i n g w i l l be enclosed
with i n the fold. Press the garment SIX HEM F I N ISHES
on the right side.
The best hem finish is one that
Hemming Knits Kn its demand prevents fraying, yet is so l ight
the d u rabi l ity of a topstitched that it does not add bulk or
hem, but the hem can be show from the right side of the
frustrat i n g to sew because kn its garment.
stretch more on the c ross gra i n .
If you own a serger, the serged
edge (p. 55) is a good finish for
Cut a lhi n . strip o f bi as-cut fusible
both hand- and machi ne
tricot, such as Sof-Kn it. Stitch it to
stitched hems. For a l ighter
the raw hem edge, wrong side of
fi nish, serge with machi ne
fabric to right side of fusible (the
1 To stabilize a knit hem, stitch a embroidery thread or woo l l y
smooth side is the right side; you ' l l
strip of bias-cut fusible tricot to the nylon.
b e sewing with the adhesive side
raw edge.
up) ( 1 ) . On flared ski rts, o r if the Make a pinked-and-stitched
knit i s u n stable or very stretchy, edge (p. 54) by stitching 3/8 i n .
pu l l the i nterfaci n g strip to stretch from the raw edge o f the hem
it sl ightly as you stitc h . You can and trim m i ng as l ittle as
a l so sew in this strip as you serge. possi ble with p i nking shears or
the pinking blade on a rotary
If you haven't serged them, p i n k cutter. You can also combine
t h e edges c lose t o t h e l i ne of pinking with staystitch-plus
stitch i n g (2). Fuse the hem i nto (p. 60).
pl ace, positi o n i n g it carefu l ly. To
The Hong Kong finish or rayon
secure and fi n i sh the hem,
seam binding (p. 56) is best for
topstitch o n the right side of the
m idweight to heavyweight
garment u s i ng staystitch plus as
fabrics. These edge fi nishes add
needed (3).
bu l k and may show through to
the right side of l i ghter fabrics.
2 Pink close to the line of stitching. Always test first.

Final Pressing The turned-and-stitched edge is

su itable for midweight fabrics
Working on the wrong side of the and crisp sheers with deep
garment, press the entire skirt and topstitched hems. It's also
hem . Press o n l y along the bottom durable and therefore good for
edge of the hem, not across its fu l l skirts that w i l l be lau ndered.
width-otherwise the i mpression
The zigzag edge (p. 55) is fast
of the hem m ight show th rough to
to make and prevents rave l i ng,
the right side. Touch-up press on
but it can add b u l k and cause
the right side of the garment, u s i ng
the fabric to tunnel or stretch .
a press cloth if necessary.
For best results, stitch % i n . from
the raw edge and trim after
stitching. It's good for m idweight
to heavyweight fabrics, casual
3 Topstitch the fused edge to keep wear, and c h i ldren's clothes.
it permanently in position.

Hemming Your Skirt 107

Test Your Skills : A Gored S kirt
The gored skirt is a true classic-chic andjlattering and
always in style. Now that you know the many tricks oj the
trade, try out your professional skirtmaking skills with
this easy-to-sew skirt.
A gored skirt com b i nes the l i nes of
a s l i m and flared skirt, may be
fitted or fu l l , is flattering to a l most
any size and shape, is comfortable
to wear, and easy to fit and sew.
Gored skirts can be shaped i n
various ways (p. 1 2 ) . The fu l l ness
may beg i n at the waist, the h igh
h i p, the fu l l h ip, or below the h i p .
Choose t h e fabric weight
accord i ng to the fit. The most fitted
gored skirts are best i n fabrics with
weight and drape, such as
gabard ine or wool crepe, or a
stable, heavier kn it, such as wool
dou ble knit or velour. The fu l lest
gored skirts are best in very
l ightweight fabrics, such as chal l i s
a n d l ight, fine kn its.
In many commercial patterns, the
gores are often the same s ize-for
example, you wou l d cut the same
pattern piece eight times for an
eight-gore skirt. In m u ltiple-size
patterns, the extra amounts for the
size i ncrements are added to the
side panels.
Both fitted and fu l l gored skirts can
be seamed on the serger or on a
standard sewing m ac h ine. Use a
separate pul l-on waistband and
108 Construction Guidelines
hem by hand or m ac h i ne. Here are
some tips for constructing a l ightly
fitted, fitted, or fu l l gored skirt.
Tips for a
Lightly Fitted
Gored S kirt
The s i l houette of a l ightly fitteed
gored skirt is s i m i lar to a straight
ski rt, but it a l l ows more ease i n
movement. It's a l so s l i m m i ng and
very flattering to a l arge-h i pped
figure.
Short to a n kle-graz ing lengths work
wel l with this style.
Use a commerc i a l pattern for a six
or eight-gore skirt and a heavy,
stable, knit fabric-wool double
kn it, velour, panne velvet, or heavy
cotton double kn it, for example.
The trick i s to cut the pattern two
to three sizes larger than you r body
measurements (p. 28). The heavy
knit drags and stretches, so you
want extra width to give the
i l l usion of fit, yet enough ease so
that the skirt appears to float over
the body.
Use standard seams with wool
double knit (no other fi nish is
necessary); serged or stitched and
z igzag seams with velour or
panne, which tends to curl .
Stitch the front and back sections
of the skirt together first and adjust
the fit at the side seams. The skirt
should pu l l on eas i l y over the h i ps,
so use a pul l-on elasticized
waistband (pp. 89-9 1 ) . Hand-stitch
(p. 1 05) or m ac h i ne-topstitch
(p. 1 06) the hem .
Stitch the side seams last. Before
you do, however, pin along the
seam l i nes, wrong sides together.
Try on the skirt and adjust the seam
width as needed to get the best fit.
Tips for a Fitted
Gored S kirt
Making a fitted fored skirt is the
most time-comsu m i ng and difficult
of the th ree possible styles. It is
fitted at both the waist and the h i p.
You can find four-, six-, and eight
gore patterns i n th i s style. The skirt
works wel l i n both short and long
lengths.
Fit and alter the pattern carefu l ly,
a l lowing the correct amount of
ease (p. 32).
Woo l crepe or gabard ine i s a good
fabric choice. Sew a standard seam
with the edges serged or pinked
(p. 54).
This is the perfect opportu n ity
to use an invisible z i pper at the
center back or on a side seam
(pp. 80-8 1 ). Apply a c l assic, fitted
waistband (pp. 92-93) or a fitted
e l asticized waistband (pp. 96-97).
Tips for a Full
Gored S kirt
A fu l l , ten-gore skirt is fast and
foolproof to make, and very
s l i m m i ng. Cut this style so it is long
and dramatic : a 32-in. to 35-in.
fi n ished length is average.
The fi n ished skirt is fu l l , but not
b u l ky at the waist and h i p . Use a
l ightweight kn it, such as wool
jersey, rayon, and Lycra blend ;
th in, d rapey wovens; s i l k crepe; or
the finest chall is.
Use any eight-gore skirt pattern in
your size. Cut ten gores i nstead of
eight-five for the front and five for
the back. (Buy one extra length of
fabric to accom modate the two
add itional gores.)
Serge a l l the seams (p. 55) or
straight-stitch and z igzag (p. 55) or
pink (p. 54) the edges. No fitting is
necessary. Apply a p u l l -on,
e l asticized waistband (pp. 89-9 1 ) .
Mark the hem, and stitch it by
hand or by machine (pp. 1 05-1 06).
Topstitch if you r skirt is made of a
knit fabric.
Test Your Skills: A Gored Skirt 109
Index
A
Adjustments:
marking, 59
pressing, 59
to shape back of skirt, 59
tricot, for side-seam pockets,
66-67
tricot, with zipper, 75
for round tummy, 27 stitching, 59 woven, for linings and Waistbands,
for swayback, 27 21
transfening to pattern, 27
Armoflexx.
interfacing.
See Waistband E
Ease: G
additional, 1 2 Gathers:
checking fit of. in waistband, 88
B
Bias cut, discussed, 1 1
in pattern,32
walking, 35
alternative stitching techniques for,
64
choosing right fabric for, 64
Bias, pressing stretch out of, 50 Edgestitch, using, for sharp pleats, construction of, 64-65
Boning, used in raised waistband, 63 discussed, 1 0- 1 1
101 fitting into waistband , 64-65
Buttons, discussed, 1 1 , 1 02
F
Fabrics:
pinning securely, 64-65
stitching and seaming, 64
steam-pressing, 65
c
C-Thru ruler, 2 7 , 67
discussed, 6, 8
drape of, 1 6
using bobbin thread to create,
64
Calvin Klein: d ry cleaning, 22 using, to create a slimming effect,
hem style, 1 06- 1 0 7 foolproof, 1 9 64
skirt collection, 6 for interfacings, 2 1 Gauge, 6-in . , 27
Chalk, for marking fabric: for linings, 2 1 Grain, lengthwise:
chalk, 27 for pockets, 2 1 additional fabric needed for, 37
Clo-chalk, 27 incompatible, 1 8 in bias cut, 37
Challis, discussed, 1 0 , 1 3 midweight, 1 0 discussed, 1 1
Clapper: natural fiber, 1 9 in front and back panels, 37
to flatten seams, 49-50 preshrinking, 22 parallel to side seam, 37
to pound ends of waistband, See also specific types. straightening the, 22, 23
98 Figure types, and skirt styles: Grain, "straight of the, " 22
to press sharp pleats, 63 A or pear, 9 Grainline:
to smooth side-seam pocket edges, chart of, 8 changes in, adjusting pattern for,
67-68 H or rectangular, 9 27
Closures, in raised waistband, narrOW-hipped, 1 3 finding the bias of, 39
101 slim, 1 3 position of, 15
Corner, mitered, in French vent, X o r hourglass, 9
Y or wedge, 9
72-73
Cotton, as skirt fabric:
brushed, 1 9
Finishes:
for hems, 56
H
Ham:
chambray, 1 9 for waistband seams, 56 to press open pocket seams, 67-68
denim, 1 9 Fit: to reinforce curve of waistband,
denim, brushed, 1 1 fine-tuning, 83 98
discussed, 1 0 getting the best possible, 24 to steam-press soft pleats, 6 1
knits, 1 1 Fitting: using, to shape contoured
lawn, 1 9 difficulty of. 24 waistband, 1 00
poplin, 1 9 classes in, 24 Hems:
Cutting: French vent: finishes for, 1 0 7
with rotary cutter, 47 construction of, 72- 73 for linings, 8 5
with scissors, 47 discussed, 1 0 , 70 machine-sewn, 1 1
in hemline, 30 machine-topstitched, 1 2
lining for skirt with, 36
o
Darts:
Full hips, discussed, 6, 43
Fusible interfacing:
marking, 1 04- 1 05
pressing, 1 07- 1 08
shaped, l l - 1 2, 30
adjusting, for skirt width, 3 1 discussed, 70 width of. 1 04
construction of, 59 for pockets, 67 Hemming:
discussed, 1 0 , 58 for raised waistband, 1 0 1 discussed, 1 04- 1 07
to fit front, 59 by hand, 1 05

1 10
 knits. 1 0 7
b y machine. 1 06 - 1 07
High hip. discussed. 6
N
Needle(s) :
cotton for, 2 1
detailing, 1 1
discussed, 6, 1 0
Hip curve: sizes of. discussed. 1 9 nylon organza for, 2 1
metal. 27 topstitching. 1 9 side, as skirt opening. 69
use of. to mark pattern Notions. for making skirts: side-seam. constructing, 66-69
adjustments. 33 elastic. strips of. 27 silk for. 2 1
Hooks and eyes. discussed. 1 02- 1 03 floss. embroidery. 27 Point turner, to turn pOints on
mirror. full-length. 27 waistband, 98
mirror. hand. 27 Polyester "silkies," 13, 20
pencils. 27 Polyester thread . See Thread, types
Interfacing. : pencils. dressmakers. 27 of.
discussed. 46. 95 Press cloth. to press sharp pleats,
63
fabrics for. 2 1
in waistbands. 93-95
See also Fusible interfacing.
p
Patterns:
Pressing:
discussed, 50- 5 1
adding a pocket to. 34 a s lifting and lowering iron, 49
and marking. discussed, 48-49
K
Kick pleats. See Pleats. kick.
adding walking ease to, 35
adjustment of, 24
checking silhouette of, 24
steam-, to "set" pleats. 6 1
tools for, 49
Knits. hemming. 1 07 customizing, 34 using press cloth for. 49
cutting out, 46 on wrong side of fabric, 49
details in, 14
L
Length. adjusting pattern for. 30
envelope of. 1 4
finished length of, 29 R
Linen: grainline of. 1 5 Rayon, as skirt fabriC:
blends. 1 9 high hip-tummy, adjusting for. cottonlike, 20
discussed. 1 0 29 discussed. 1 0 . 1 2- 1 3
Irish. 1 9 illustrations on. 1 4 sand-washed, 20
Moygashel, 1 9 instruction sheet for. 1 5 Rigiline. See Boning.
Linings: pin-fitting, 40-4 1 . 43 Rotary cutter, with wavy blade, to
adjusting pattern for. 27 pinning together. 27 fmish seams, 54
benefits of. 36 proofmg, 24, 27, 30, 3 1 -33 Round tummy, adjusting for, 42
construction of. 82. 83-85 selecting. 1 4 Rulers, for adjusting patterns:
cutting checklist for.36 shortening, 3 1 C-Thru, 27
discussed. 1 0 . 1 1 . 2 1 a s starting point, 44 right-angle, 27
for French vent. 36. 84 trying on. pinned-together, 27 yardstick, metal. 27
hems for. 85 waist, adjusting for, 29 yardstick, wooden. 27
serging a hem for. 85 Pattern tissue:
marking adjustments on, 33
for skirts. 84
around zipper. 84 using dots on, 33
Pinking shears. for finishing seams,
5
Seam bindings:
54 China silk for, 56
M
Machine-embroidery thread . See
Pinking, to finish side-seam pocket,
68
Hong Kong. 56
polyester for, 56
Thread. Pleats: rayon lining for, 56
Marking. 46-47 all-around. 1 3 silk for. 56
Measurements: construction of, 6 1 -63 Seams:
adjusting pattern for. 24 discussed, 6. 58 construction of, 52-57
body. comparing to pattern. kick, 30. 70-72 curved, 1 1
27-29 marking, with tailor's tacks. 6 1 needle size for, 52
four essential. 29 pressed-down. 1 3 ripping out. 52
of fmished length. 28 sharp. discussed, 62-63 sewing perfect. 52
of full hip. 1 5. 28 soft, 1 1 , 1 3 , 6 1 side, discussed, 46
of high hip. 8 soft front, 1 0 stitch length for. 52
of tummy. 28 stitched-down, 1 3 stitching, 5 1
of upper thigh. 1 5 Pockets: on straight of grain. 52
of waist. 1 5. 28 adjusting pattern for, 27 type of thread for, 52
Measuring tape. See Tape measure. colors for, 2 1
construction of. 66-69

Index III
Seams, finishing: Tape measure, 8, 27 marking with snips, 92-93
with machine overcasting, 55 Thread : interfacing options for, 93-95
with pinking shears, 54 machine-embroidery, 1 9 with sew-in waistbanding, 94
with rotary cutter, 54 polyester, 1 9 Waistbands, fitted elasticized:
with serger, 55 with serger, 55 attaching, with zigzag stitch,
with zigzag stitches, 55 silk, 1 9 , 6 1 , 62-63 97
Shears, pinking. See Pinking used in hand hemming, 1 05 construction of, 96-97
shears. Tools, for sewing skirts: cutting for, 96
Silhouette: glue, 27 measurements for, 96
checking the, of pattern, 24 iron, 49 using fUSible web to seal, 97
discussed, 6, 8 needle, chenille, 27 Waistbands, raised:
Silk, as skirt fabric: press cloth, 49-50 construction of, 1 0 1 ,
broadcloth, 1 9 pressing ham, 49-50 discussed, 1 1
charmeuse, 1 9 scissors, 27 interfacing techniques for, 1 0 1
chiffon, 1 9 scissors, applique, 27 Walking ease, adjusting pattern for,
crepe d e chine, 1 1 , 1 2 , 1 9 tape, 27 27
discussed, 1 0- 1 1 , 1 3 See also individual tools. Weights, using, instead of pins, 47
georgette, 1 9 Tucks. See Darts. Width:
linen, 1 9 adj usting pattern for, 30, 32
noil, 1 1 , 1 9
silk linen, 1 0- 1 1
tissue faille, 1 1
w
Waist:
adj usting skirt for, 3 1
Wool, as skirt fabric:
challis, 1 9
tweed, 1 9 discussed, 6 crepe, 1 0- 1 1 , 1 2 , 1 9
twill, 1 3 fitting the, 88 crepe, preshrinking, 22
Silkies. See Polyester silkies. Waistbands: double knits, 1 1 , 1 2 , 1 9
Skirts: checking ease in, 88 flannel, 1 0 , 1 2
design of, 46 closures, discussed, 1 0 1 gabardine, 1 0- 1 1 . 1 2 , 1 3 , 20
fabrics for, 6 construction of, 86- 1 03 jersey, 1 0- 1 1 , 12, 19
fit of, 46 deSCriptions of, 87 silk, 12
silhouettes of, 6, 8, 1 4 finishing ends of, 98 tweeds, 1 0- 1 1 , 1 2
Skirt styles: fitted, 1 1 twill, 1 0
A-line, 8, 1 1 fitted, classic, construction of, velour, 1 2
basic, 8 92-95 worsteds, 1 2 - 1 3
bias, 8 frustration-free techniques for,
"dirndle, " 1 3
fitted, 1 2
flared, 8, 1 1
87
lengths of, 8
partially elastiCized, 1 1
y
Yardsticks, discussed, 27
gathered, 8, 1 3 pull-on elasticized, 1 0 , 1 1 , 1 2 , 1 3 ,
gored, 8 , 1 2 , 1 08- 1 09 89-9 1
pleated or tucked, 8, 1 3
Santa Fe-style, 1 3
pull-on, construction of, 89-9 1
sew-in interfacing for, 94
z
Zigzag stitch, to attach waistband, 90
straight, 8 , 1 0 styles of, 8 Zipper foot, 75
wrap, 8 turning ends of, 98 Zippers:
Snaps, as skirt closures, 1 02 using staystitch plus in, 88 basting in, 75
Staystitch plus: widths of, 8 centered, discussed, 78-79
to attach waistband to skirt, 93 woven fusible interfacing for, discussed, 1 1 , 74-8 1
discussed, 60 21 flexible polyester, 75
to fit waistband, 88 Waistbands, contoured: hand-picked, 1 0 , 1 2 , 79
instead of darts, 59-60 construction of, 99- 1 00 in contoured waistband, 1 00
Stitch in the ditch, to finish converting from finished, 100 interfacing with, 75
waistband, 98 interfacing for, 99 invisible, 1 2 , 80- 8 1
Swayback: serged , 99 lapped, discussed, 76-77
adj usting for, 40-4 1 understitching in, 1 00 machine-stitched, 10
checking fit for, 83 with Hong Kong finish, 99 making longer opening for, 75
with rayon seam binding, 99 sewing into flat garment, 75

T
Tailor's tacks:
Waistband patterns:
adj usting, 33
making, 92
using fusible tricot with, 75

discussed, 70 Waistbands, fitted:

making, 48 converting to contoured, 1 00
for marking soft pleats, 6 1 with layered interfacing, 95
using embroidery floss for, 48 marking with chalk, 92-93
Tailor's tape, twill, 70 marking with pins, 92-93

1 12 Index
Easy Guide to
Sewing Skirts
How d o you sew a skirt that fits and flatters, a skirt that looks
like fine ready-to-wear? Whatever your skill level, Easy Guide to
Sewing Skirts will gUide you-from pattern selection through final
pressing. Begin by learning how to select the best style and fabric
for you, then discover easy ways to fit your pattern. With this
handy volume by your side, select the techniques that will work
best with your pattern, including how to:

make pockets that don't gap

shape darts to enhance the fit
make an easy pUll-on waistband
sew invisible hems
insert foolproof zippers
sew pleats that hang straight
make a comfortable fitted waistband
change the grainline for a flattering drape
Get the results you want with the clear instructions and
step-by-step photos in Easy Guide to Sewing Skirts.

ABOUT TH E AUTHOR
Marcy Tilton i s the founder and former owner of The Sewing
Workshop in San Francisco. She is a nationally known lecturer
and instructor and a contributor to Threads magazine.

I SBN 1 -561 58-088-0

90000

Taunton
BOOKS & VIDEOS 9 78 1 5 6 1 5 8 0880
for fellow enthusiasts $ 1 7.95 U.s. Taunton Product # 070217