Chapter 14 - Making A Skirt

If you have tried the practice projects, and especially the dirndl skirt, you are certainly ready to work with a skirt pattern. Measure your waist, holding the tape snug, but not tight, around your waist. Buy a pattern for your size waist for a four-gore (section) skirt with a waistband. On the back of the envelope, check the amount of material you will need, buying more for a napped material or a one-way print.

Take out your pattern pieces: front, back, waistband. Pin the front and back pieces together on the side seams, matching notches. See directions, pp. 70-72. Measure from the center back seam to the center front seam on the waist seam line marked on the pattern. Keep the tape flat. The measurement, multiplied by two, should be the same as your waistline, plus about ¼ inch for ease. Measure seven inches below waist for hip measurement and compare with your own measurement, also taken seven inches below the waist. You need an additional three inches here for ease. If the measurements differ, you will have to alter the pattern. Check alterations for waist and hips. Measure length of skirt pattern from waist to hem line, and compare with your own length. To shorten the pattern so you do not waste material, or to lengthen, see p. 65.

If you have changed the waist of the skirt, you must also change the waistband. Pin the band on to the front and back pieces, matching notches. Pin in a tuck, or slash and insert tissue paper, at points corresponding to waist alterations.

Straighten the fabric by pulling out a crosswise thread and cutting across on the drawn thread. Take pins out of pattern except for pins used for alterations. Look at your pattern primer or guide to find the picture of the layout of the pattern that applies to you, your size and fabric width. Circle it. Probably it looks like this:

Make the proper fold, with the wrong side out, having selvages meet exactly. Place the front piece on the fabric so that the bottom edge is at the fabric fold or edge. Don't waste material. Insert a pin at one end of the perforations or the arrow marking the straight of the goods. Measure from the selvage to this line. Adjust the pattern to get the same measurement on the other end and pin. (See pp. 64, 70.) Pin around the outside of the pattern, pins three to four inches apart. Smooth the pattern flat. Pin inside margin line if you have a pattern with a margin. Pin on the other skirt piece in the same manner. Remember that pieces must be put on in the same direction if you have a napped fabric, such as corduroy. Pin on the waistband last. You will need only one thickness of fabric for this, so do not pin through both thicknesses of the material. The pattern may show the band pinned on the fold. This means to cut out the skirt pieces, then open out the material, and place the band onto the single thickness.

To cut, use shears, and cut with straight long strokes. Cut notches out when you come to them. Avoid a choppy, jagged cutting line. On the side seam from notch up, cut the seam ¼ inch to ½ inch wider, to give an ample allowance for the zipper.

Put in all markings. (See p. 75.) It is a good idea for a beginner to chalk in all seam lines. Remove the pattern and pin the two front pieces together at center front seam, matching notches, right sides together. Pins are put in with heads at the edge. (See pp. 31, 70-72.) Pin in center back seam in same way, then stitch these seams on the machine. Watch your seam allowances. They must be accurate. Press the seams open. Now pin front and back, right sides together, on side seams, leaving left side open from notch up for the zipper. Stitch with longest stitch on the machine. That means you must adjust the stitch regulator. Try on the skirt. Turn back the seam allowances for the zipper one over the other as though the skirt were finished. Examine yourself critically. Check chapter on fitting (p. 77), and make necessary waist, hip, and side-seam adjustments. When the skirt is fitted to your satisfaction, re-stitch the side seams with proper stitch. Machine basting is easily pulled out. (See ripping, p. 76.) Press the seams open.

Insert the zipper. (See instructions for dirndl skirt, pp. 42, 88.) Stitch the waistband short ends, right sides together, trim seams, turn the band right side out, press. Attach one thickness to the wrong side of the skirt, at the seam line, matching all notches. Turn ¼ inch on raw edge of the band under, baste onto the right side of skirt over the stitching. Edge stitch . Finish with hooks and eyes (p. 157), or a buttonhole (pp. 160-162). For a bound buttonhole (p. 161), you must put in the buttonhole before attaching waistband.

Finish the seams (p. 98) by pinking or with one of the other finishes. Finishing the seam by over edging with the zigzag machine will prevent raveling.

Finally do bottom hem (see instructions, pp. 104-107). If your skirt is not cotton, you will have to make one change. Do not turn in the edge of the hem ¼ inch and edge stitch . Instead, apply seam binding to the right side of the raw edge, easing in the hem to fit the straight binding. Put the binding on close to the edge and stitch a straight line. Then hem the binding to the skirt with tiny stitches that do not show on the right side. If you have chosen a skirt with a great deal of fullness at the bottom, gather the edge to be applied to the binding so that you will have a smooth finish. (To gather, see pp. 10, 119.) A final pressing will enable you to wear your skirt.

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