Tuesday Tutorials: Make Your Own Skirt Pattern

Hello Fellow Fashionistas! I like using patterns, since they keep me more organized, but I prefer making my own instead of buying them. That way, I can tailor them to fit me properly and I can get the perfect style that I’m looking for. Patterns aren’t things I use that often, since I’m more of a half-hazard sewer, but they’re useful when I do use them. Today I’m going to show you how to make your own skirt pattern from scratch, and next week we’ll cover making a shirt pattern.   You need:

• A Sharpie
• Tracing Paper or Newspaper
• Scissors
• An old skirt
• A measuring tape (optional)

  There are two ways of doing this. One way is to measure your waist, cut that in half, trace it on the paper, measure your waist down to where you want the skirt to fall…it’s harder. The way shown in the picture is easier. All you do is fold your skirt in half, lay it on the newspaper, and trace with 1 inch seam allowance. Or, if you want a long skirt, use a longer piece of newspaper and trace it longer.   Next you just cut, and voilà! The pattern can be used over and over again, and it took under two minutes to make! When you go to make the skirt, just fold your fabric in half, line your pattern on the fold, cut, then fold your fabric in half again and cut on the fold. Of couse, there are also the details of hemming and adding elastic, but we’ll save that for a different day. See you next Tuesday!