Half-circle skirts are the easiest and simplest clothes to make. They are perfect if you want to start learning how to sew your clothing and are the most gorgeous style.
In this tutorial you will learn how to calculate, draft and sew your skirt, using a few simple steps. So, this project is perfect for anyone!
See my post here if you need a more detailed tutorial on how to sew a zip.
Here is a video for extra guidance:
What You Will Need:
Approximately 3 metres of dressmaking fabric
A zip
A hook and eye/snap fastener
Interfacing
Measuring and drawing equipment
General sewing equipment
Method:
Your measurements and a little bit of maths:
For this pattern you will need to take only 2 measurements: your waist and the length you desire your skirt to be.
To draw the pattern for a half-circle skirt, you will need to make this calculation: waist divided by pi (π). e.g. 28"÷ π = 8.91" Drawing your skirt:
Fold your fabric in half, lengthways.
From the top edge down the folded side, measure your waist measurement (the calculation made above) and draw a mark.
Traveling in a semicircle direction (but still starting from the corner) measure until you come back to the edge of your fabric.
Connect all of your marks, and you have made half of the pattern. already!
Starting from the waist marks you have already made, measure your desired length along the folded side. Make a mark as before.
Continue this process along the skirt, starting from your waist markings.
Connect all of your marks.
Add a 0.5" seam allowance to the bottom of your skirt.
Cut your shape out.
As you can see, your fabric will make the shape of a full circle. Drawing and cutting your waistband:
The measurements for your waistband will be: your waist plus 1.5" by 2".
Draw this out on the wrong side of your fabric and add 0.25" seam allowance onto all of the edges.
interfacing
Sewing your skirt:
At the bottom edge of your skirt, iron a double hem of 0.25".
Pin your skirt in half right sides together.
Sew along the edge with a 5/8" seam allowance and your longest stitch length)
Place your zip along the edge of your skirt and mark where it finishes.
Starting from the mark you just made, sew down your skirt again, but with your normal stitch length.
Iron your hem open.
Place your zip down this seam, matching the teeth with the stitching.
Using a zip presser foot, sew around the zip. (for extra help see here.)
Using a stitch ripper, open the centre seam.
Add your interfacing to your waistband fabric as needed.
Iron your waistband in half.
Iron a 0.25" hem along all of the edges of your waistband.
Pin your waistband right sides together with the edge of the skirt. Leave a 0.25" over on one side and the excess on the other.
Sew them together.
Iron your seam towards the waistband.
Fold your waistband in half, right sides together. But fold the hem on the edge of your waistband, so that you sew it together.
Sew the two short edges together.
Turn your waistband right sides out and iron flat.
Oversew along the bottom of the waistband, so that you cover the raw edge inside.
Add a hook and eye or snap fastener to the overlapping waistband at the side.
Sew your bottom hem closed.
And you are done!
