Self-drafted short skater skirt
2024-Sep-18, Wednesday 11:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chebeAfter making the Aberdeen t-shirt I still have plenty of that Spoonflower fabric left over, so I figured I'd try something more suitable to its weight, like a skirt for layering.
I don't actually have a skater skirt pattern. Or instructions for how to draft a flared knit skirt. So taking inspiration from the many I've worn over the years I attempted to draft my own skater skirt.
I started with the main skirt piece, to be the same front and back, symmetrical around the centre fold. Using my hip measurement I measured out an arc, and then flared out towards the hem. And I made sure to add front slash pockets.
Then I started on the waistband piece. I made a piece, to fold over on the top, to my hip measurement at the bottom, and to my low-waist measurement at the top.
Realising that a perfectly even skirt will look shorter at the back when worn, I decided to move the necessary adjustments to the front waistband piece, to save having different front and back skirt pieces. From seeing how existing skirts sit on me, I took out about half the height of the waistband in the centre, curving back to meet the back waistband piece height at the side seams. I made sure this piece keeps a fold line at the very top. Then I just made the pocket and pocket bag pieces separate, and cut the fabric.
The fabric is Black Armadillo Planet fabric by Sara Felix, in Organic Cotton Knit, medium-weight interlock knit, 215g per sq metre (with estimated shrinkage: 2-4% in length and 6-8% in width). I sewed everything with a straight stitch, in black thread. Assembled the pockets onto the front skirt first. Then sewed the respective waistband pieces to the skirt pieces, and sewed the side seams. This means the side seams aren't nicely hidden under the waistband, but it made lining everything up easier. And finished with a once-turned narrow hem.
It all came out much too big. I needed to add two 6cm darts to the back waistband, and two 5cm tucks to the front waistband. And it is still plenty roomy. I'm going to need to take even more off the next version. The pockets are great, but with the fit being so loose couldn't use them for much. But for something I dreamt up out of nothing, it worked quite well.
I don't actually have a skater skirt pattern. Or instructions for how to draft a flared knit skirt. So taking inspiration from the many I've worn over the years I attempted to draft my own skater skirt.
I started with the main skirt piece, to be the same front and back, symmetrical around the centre fold. Using my hip measurement I measured out an arc, and then flared out towards the hem. And I made sure to add front slash pockets.
Then I started on the waistband piece. I made a piece, to fold over on the top, to my hip measurement at the bottom, and to my low-waist measurement at the top.
Realising that a perfectly even skirt will look shorter at the back when worn, I decided to move the necessary adjustments to the front waistband piece, to save having different front and back skirt pieces. From seeing how existing skirts sit on me, I took out about half the height of the waistband in the centre, curving back to meet the back waistband piece height at the side seams. I made sure this piece keeps a fold line at the very top. Then I just made the pocket and pocket bag pieces separate, and cut the fabric.
Self-drafted skater skirt, with waistband, pattern
Photo by chebe
The fabric is Black Armadillo Planet fabric by Sara Felix, in Organic Cotton Knit, medium-weight interlock knit, 215g per sq metre (with estimated shrinkage: 2-4% in length and 6-8% in width). I sewed everything with a straight stitch, in black thread. Assembled the pockets onto the front skirt first. Then sewed the respective waistband pieces to the skirt pieces, and sewed the side seams. This means the side seams aren't nicely hidden under the waistband, but it made lining everything up easier. And finished with a once-turned narrow hem.
It all came out much too big. I needed to add two 6cm darts to the back waistband, and two 5cm tucks to the front waistband. And it is still plenty roomy. I'm going to need to take even more off the next version. The pockets are great, but with the fit being so loose couldn't use them for much. But for something I dreamt up out of nothing, it worked quite well.
Skater skirt, finished, back view
Photo by chebe
Skater skirt, finished, front view
Photo by chebe
