How to Draft Your Own Skirt Sewing Patterns

Creating your own skirt sewing patterns is a rewarding and practical skill that allows you to design garments tailored perfectly to your body shape, style, and preferences. Whether you're a seasoned seamstress or a beginner looking to explore the world of pattern drafting, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to draft your own skirt patterns from scratch.

In this article, we'll cover everything from the basics of skirt construction to step-by-step instructions on how to draft a skirt pattern, select fabrics, and construct a beautiful skirt that fits like a glove.

Understanding the Basics of Skirt Construction

Before you begin drafting your own skirt patterns, it's important to understand the basic components of a skirt. Skirts come in various styles, but most skirts share a few common elements:

• Waistline: This is the top edge of the skirt that sits at or just above the waist. The waistline can be high, mid, or low depending on the design of the skirt.
• Hips: The circumference of the skirt at the widest part of your hips, typically around 7-9 inches below the waistline.
• Length: The length of the skirt determines how far down the skirt will reach. Skirts can be short (mini), mid-length (knee-length), or long (maxi).
• Hem: The hem is the bottom edge of the skirt, and it can be finished in a variety of ways depending on the style of the skirt.
• Darts: These are sewn into the pattern to create shaping and ensure the skirt fits the contours of your body.
• Seams: Seams join different pieces of fabric together and help to shape the garment.
• Closure: Most skirts have some sort of fastening mechanism, such as a zipper, buttons, or elastic waistband.

Materials and Tools Needed for Drafting Your Skirt Pattern

Before you start drafting your skirt pattern, you'll need to gather a few essential materials and tools:

Materials:

• Paper: Large sheets of pattern paper or kraft paper. You can also use lightweight muslin if you prefer working with fabric.
• Ruler: A straight ruler for drawing straight lines, a curved ruler for creating waist and hip curves, and a French curve if you need precise curves.
• Measuring Tape: To measure your body dimensions accurately.
• Pencil and Eraser: For marking and adjusting your lines.
• Scissors: For cutting paper or fabric once the pattern is drafted.
• Pins: To pin your pattern to the fabric.
• Fabrics: You can experiment with different fabrics such as cotton, denim, linen, or jersey for different skirt styles.

Tools:

• Tracing Wheel: A tracing wheel is useful for transferring pattern markings onto fabric.
• Pattern Weights: Instead of pins, you can use pattern weights to hold your pattern pieces in place while cutting fabric.
• Sewing Machine: A sewing machine will make your construction process faster and more accurate.
• Iron: An iron will help you press seams and edges for a neat finish.

Step-by-Step Guide to Drafting Your Own Skirt Pattern

Now that you have your materials and tools, let's walk through the steps of drafting a basic skirt pattern.

Step 1: Take Accurate Measurements

To create a skirt pattern that fits well, accurate measurements are essential. Here are the measurements you need:

1. Waist Measurement: Measure around the natural waistline, which is usually the narrowest part of your torso.
2. Hip Measurement: Measure around the fullest part of your hips, making sure the tape is parallel to the floor.
3. Waist-to-Hip Measurement: Measure from your natural waistline to the fullest part of your hips.
4. Skirt Length: Measure from your natural waistline (or desired waistline for the skirt) down to the point where you want the skirt to end (mini, knee-length, or maxi).
5. Hem Circumference: If you're drafting a flared skirt, measure how wide you want the bottom hem to be.

Step 2: Draft the Basic Skirt Block

To create the basic skirt pattern, you need to first draw the basic block, which will serve as the foundation for the skirt.

1. Draw a Vertical Line: This will be the center front of your skirt. Use a ruler to draw a straight line from top to bottom, the length of your skirt.
2. Add the Waistline: Starting at the top of the vertical line, measure down the distance of your waist-to-hip measurement. This is where your waistline will go.
3. Add the Hip Line: Measure down from the waistline to the point where your hips are the fullest, usually around 7-9 inches below the waistline.
4. Draft the Waist and Hip Measurements: From the center front line, mark half of your waist measurement on the waistline and half of your hip measurement on the hip line. Ensure that these measurements are on both sides of the center front.
5. Shape the Side Seams: Use a curved ruler or French curve to smooth the line between the waist and hip. The curve should flow naturally from the waist to the hip, creating a smooth, flattering shape.
6. Draw the Bottom Hemline: From the bottom of your skirt (as determined by your skirt length), draw a horizontal line that matches the width of your hemline.

Step 3: Add Darts (Optional)

Darts are used to shape the skirt to your body. They are especially useful for waist shaping, particularly if you're making a fitted or pencil skirt.

1. Mark Dart Locations: For a standard skirt, mark two darts at the waistline, one on each side of the center front. The dart should begin at the waist and taper towards the fullest part of the hip.
2. Draw the Dart Shape: Using a ruler, draw lines from the waistline to the point where the dart will end at the hip line. Ensure the lines are even on both sides.

Step 4: Add Seam Allowances

When you draft your pattern, don't forget to add seam allowances. These are additional areas around the edges of your pattern pieces that allow for sewing.

1. Add Seam Allowance to All Edges: Add at least 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch seam allowance around the side seams, waist, and hemline. Mark these clearly on your pattern.
2. Add Dart Allowances: Make sure to include an additional seam allowance for any darts you've drawn.

Step 5: Cut Out Your Pattern Pieces

Now that you've drafted the basic skirt block, it's time to cut out your pattern pieces.

1. Cut the Main Pattern: Use scissors to carefully cut out your skirt pattern from the paper.
2. Cut the Dart and Waistline Markings: Cut along the marked dart lines and waistline markings.
3. Label the Pattern Pieces: Clearly label each piece of your pattern with its name (e.g., "Front Skirt" or "Back Skirt"), and include any markings like "waistline" or "hipline" for easy reference when constructing the skirt.

Step 6: Test Your Pattern with a Muslin Sample

Before cutting into your fashion fabric, it's a good idea to create a muslin sample of your skirt to test the fit and make any adjustments.

1. Cut the Muslin Fabric: Use the pattern to cut out a test version of the skirt in a cheap fabric like muslin.
2. Sew the Skirt Together: Sew the skirt together based on your pattern. Don't worry about finishing edges or neatness; this is just to test the fit.
3. Try It On: Once the muslin skirt is sewn together, try it on and check for fit. Look for any areas that are too tight or too loose, and make adjustments to your pattern accordingly.
4. Mark Adjustments: If you need to adjust the fit (e.g., adding or removing darts, adjusting the waistline), mark these changes directly onto the muslin.

Step 7: Make Adjustments and Cut Your Fashion Fabric

Once you've made the necessary adjustments to your pattern based on the muslin test, you can confidently cut your final skirt from the fashion fabric.

1. Transfer Pattern Adjustments: If any adjustments were made to the muslin, transfer those changes back to your paper pattern.
2. Cut the Fashion Fabric: Lay the final pattern pieces on your fabric, pin them in place, and cut out your skirt pieces.
3. Sew the Skirt Together: Follow your pattern instructions to sew the skirt pieces together, adding any desired finishes such as a zipper or waistband.
4. Press and Finish: Press all seams and finish the hem of the skirt. Add any closures (such as zippers, buttons, or hooks) as required.

Conclusion

Drafting your own skirt sewing pattern can be a fun and empowering project that allows you to create garments that fit perfectly and reflect your personal style. With a little patience and practice, you'll be able to design skirts in a variety of styles, from simple A-line skirts to more complex pencil skirts with darts and pleats.

Remember that pattern drafting is an iterative process, and it's okay to make adjustments as you go. Keep experimenting with different fabrics, silhouettes, and details to create a wardrobe full of custom-made skirts that you'll love wearing.

View Product