How to sew a long skirt

There are two ways to sew a product with your own hands. First: use difficult-to-understand diagrams and drawings. Second: using ready-made drawings and several measurements, quickly and efficiently create the necessary product with your own hands. In this article we will talk about the second method.

How to quickly sew a long skirt

To sew a long skirt, you will need little: suitable material, threads to match the fabric, chalk, a measuring tape, a sewing machine, and needles for fastening if you need them.

It is immediately necessary to identify several features of skirt tailoring. Firstly, if you are not sure that you can make the stitches perfectly even, then it is best to take threads that match the fabric. Secondly, it is more difficult to work with flowing and stretchy materials. Therefore, choose a dense material that will not deform or stretch while sewing the skirt.

And it’s also worth noting that even if you perfectly sew a skirt from cheap material, the product will not turn out to be of high quality. Therefore, even if you decide to save on tailoring by doing it yourself, you cannot save on fabric if you want to wear a skirt for walks, on visits, and to work.

The easiest way to sew a skirt is from two or four wedges. You will need the following data: waist circumference, hip circumference and product length. Create a simple pattern one wedge (we take a pattern for a skirt consisting of 4 wedges.)

1. On paper, draw a vertical line, the length of which is equal to the length of the product plus 1 centimeter for seams and 4-8 centimeters depending on the width of the elastic band on which the skirt will be held.
2. From the vertical line in any direction, measure a distance equal to 1/8 of the width of your hips.
3. From the new point down, also draw a straight vertical line.
4. Now you need to determine the angle of expansion of the skirt. If you want it to be comfortable to walk in a skirt, but the product is not very wide, then it is best to choose 25-30 centimeters.
5. Since this drawing is 1/2 of a wedge (and you will cut the wedge by using the pattern twice, placing it in a mirror position), you need to measure 15 centimeters from the bottom point of the product and draw a new line reaching the upper extreme point of the pattern.
6. Also, do not forget to measure 0.5 cm horizontally from the middle vertical line and do the same with the top point of the second vertical line. This will be the waist line. You can see the drawing more clearly in the figure below.

How to sew a long warm skirt

Whatever fabric you choose, you need to wash and dry it before cutting. This is especially true for warm woolen fabrics, as they tend to “shrink” a few centimeters after the first wash. Very thick fabrics are a little more difficult to work with. It is worth remembering that the midline of the pattern must coincide with the grain of the fabric. The grain thread is the main direction of the fabric; when purchasing in a store, you can ask a consultant to help you position the fabric correctly when cutting.

How to sew a long skirt with elastic

Sewing a skirt with elastic is the easiest sewing method. To do this, you need to decide in advance what width of elastic band you will use. For thicker fabrics, an elastic band of 4-6 centimeters is better; for thinner summer fabrics, an elastic band of 3 centimeters is sufficient. In any case, when cutting, you need to add the width of the elastic, multiplied in half + 1 cm for the seams, to the length of the product.

1. First you need to fold the fabric 0.3-0.5 cm on top and stitch it from the inside.
2. After this, fold the fabric again to the width of the elastic + 0.5 cm to spare, so that the elastic can be easily inserted into the resulting “pocket”. When hemming the product a second time, you need to leave a distance of 5 cm (approximately) in the seam through which you will insert the elastic. This can be done by hand or using a pin to make it easier to move the elastic between the fabrics.
3. Then you need to sew the elastic, and then sew up the remaining distance in the seam of the skirt. With this method, the elastic will be inside the skirt, it will not be visible at all, and the skirt will look neat even from the inside out.

How to sew a long chiffon skirt

Chiffon is a more capricious material. You can also sew a skirt from it from 2, 4 or 8 wedges, but it is worth considering some features. Chiffon is a very thin material, so a skirt made of it should be lined. For lining, you need to choose a thin but opaque lining material. The lining wedges are cut according to the same pattern, but the length of the lining wedges should be 2-4 centimeters less so that the lining is not visible. The edges of the chiffon and lining must be overlocked and secured with an elastic band or belt, depending on the method you choose to fit the skirt.

How to sew a long pleated skirt

To sew a pleated skirt, you need to choose a larger expansion angle of 50 centimeters, then your skirt will lie in beautiful waves.  At the end of the article there is a video instruction on how to sew a pleated skirt.

How to sew a long skirt for a girl

It is somewhat easier to sew a skirt for a girl, using the same drawing diagram, but based on the child’s measurements. It can be made to expand straight from the waist, and at the waist itself the fabric can be fastened with an elastic band. It is important to remember that comfort is important to the child! Therefore, it is better to make a skirt from light fabric with a large expansion angle.