Sew Skirt September - Basic Skirt Sewing continued

Dear Readers,


Hope you have checked out the Drafting Tutorial for Basic Skirt, Now let us see the Sewing Part of Basic Skirt / Straight Skirt! 


Hail Skirts this September! yay!


I would like to mention one thing here - I will not be delving deep into the details of certain steps like attaching a zipper and adding pleats to vent as there are already crystal clear tutorials for them! We have lots of unknown details to visit don't we, so lets concentrate on them, which will help us draft and sew many styles of skirts this September!. 


First lets sneak peak at what are going to make, have a look at basic skirt i have made for self!

Lets get started 


Step 1 : Cut the Skirt pieces

Step 2: Waistband


Height - 1 - 2 inches max as desired


Length :
Waistband for front measuring exactly the same amount as skirt front waist arc (after deducting darts!)
Waistband for back measuring Skirt Back wasit arc (Deducting darts) + 1 inch for closure extension


Note: If you are planning to have opening at sideseam (if prefer not to as at hip curve bulge will expose zipper and it is better placed at CB), then you can have back wasitband as 1 piece itself


If you are planning to have opening at CB (i did!) then you need to cut 2 back waist band into 2 pieces such that 1 piece is 1 inch longer than the other!

Step 3: Interface the waistband ( i have used  1 inch stiff interfacing) and join seams, press open the seams

Step 4: Stitch the darts at Skirt Front & Back


Step 5: Preparing the Vent piece. I like my skirts to be modest for a mature woman like me who drops and picks up her daughter from school, so always add vent pleats at back for straight skirts like the basic skirt or even pencil skirt to allow ease of movement and at the same time ensure modesty!


Have shared photos of it when i added the vent, for your extra reference , here is the Vent Pleat tutorial i learnt this from, this will surely help you add Pleats to your Skirt vents!

Pressed Pleats

Similarly pin and stitch vent to the other half of back skirt

Press the Vent Pleats back in place

This is how it will look like from the RS of the back skirt

Step 6: Once Pleats are added, then stitch the Center Back seam from Zipper end position till the Vent position mark.
Note :  Please see that it is not from CB notch the CB seam is stitched as mentioned in picture, but from end of zipper to beginning of vent pleat attachment at CB

Step 7: Stitch the vents in place as an inverted V on top of them 

On the RS of skirt back top-stitch an inverted V at the top of the Vent pleat as shown below

Step 8: Add Zipper to CB opening; I have used normal zipper here (ran out of invisible zippers he he!; need to restock them!) Open up the Zipper by pulling the zipper pull. First pin RS of Zipper to the RS fabric of skirt (Right side portion of Back Skirt!) such that Zip teeth matches with CB Notch, stitch in place. Edge stitch on RS of Skirt


Then Pin RS of the other side of Zipper to the RS fabric of skirt (Left side portion of back skirt!) such that Zip teeth is about 3/8 inch away from CB seam. Stitch in place and make a top-stitch 1/2 inch from CB Seam and then at zip end point stitch a horizontal line , so the top stitch forms the shape of 'L'

Here is a link to one zipper tutorial using normal zipper, there are various ways of doing it, i have done it using one method, the link shows another way (which i used to do earlier! as a beginner) here again just google to find the one which suits you, i am just sharing what caught my eye!

Step 8: Stitch the side seams ; (no picture needed for this, isn't it!)

Step 9: Attach waist band to the Skirt. Remember the Back waist band with extension should be on the Right half of the Back Skirt  and the one without the extension should be on the Left Half of the back skirt. Add closure at end of waist band as desired, i have added normal hoop and thread loop closures as used in saree blouse! the Loops are added at the extension exactly at 1/8 to right of CB notch and hooks added at 3/8 from CB on the WB piece without extension

Forgot to take picture of this, no probs, here is a link for your reference, you can just google and get umpteen options, just choose one which suits you best !

Step 10: Finish Hem (I have used 2 inch Hem to give couture finish!) 

Here is the finished Straight Skirt / Basic Skirt

Hope this tutorial helps you out in sewing up a straight skirt / basic skirt with vents at back! Did you like this tutorial, any doubts, please do leave your feedback in comment section! 


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To view all Sew Skirt September Posts - Click HERE

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