Swing Skirt

I based this pattern on a skirt that I already own and love, after finding some fun fabrics I knew that I had to recreate it.

Of note I’m a size XS/S however you should be able to make it with the same measurements apart from the waistband, just don’t gather it as much at the top. You /might/ want to make the lengths of your panels longer though, as I’m only 5ft.

• Sewing Machine
• Iron and Ironing Board
• Pattern Fabric (I used pumpkin pattern fabric)
• Plain Fabric (I used black fabric)
• 25cm Invisible Zipper
• Button (I used 2 so I could make it high waisted and wear it on my hips)
• Thread (similar colour to your plain fabric. I used black and white)
• Sewing Scissors
• Measuring Tape
• Quick Unpick
• Sewing Pins
• Sewing Needle
• Tailor’s Chalk/Fabric Marker
• Regular Sewing Foot
• Button Sewing Foot
• Zipper Sewing Foot
• Non-stretch Fabric for Waistband (OPTIONAL: if your fabrics have stretch to them, make sure there’s no stretch for the waistband. Otherwise, if the rest of your fabric is non-stretch, feel free to use that)

I’m using a Janome DC2101 machine. The stitches I used are #3 (straight stitch) #10 (overlock stitch) and #17 (for the buttonhole).

Iron your fabric!! This is an important step, please don’t skip it!!

Cut out 4 plain fabric panels (length 50cm x width 33cm)

Cut out 4 pattern fabric panels (length 50cm x width 28cm)

Pin and sew one pattern panel with a black panel right sides together using a straight stitch and a 1cm seam allowance. Going over the edge with an overlocker stitch (or zigzag stitch) to prevent it from fraying.

Repeat on the other side of the pattern fabric so that you have one pattern piece with a black piece on either side. This will be the front of your skirt.

**Optional:

If your zip is too long like mine is, measure 25cm and mark the length with a pin and then sew over the area a couple of times with a straight stitch. I then cut off the excess zip 3cm down from where I had stitched and finished off the edge by going over it a couple of times with a zigzag stitch.

Take a new pattern panel fold it in half, right sides together, and mark it with a pin. This will form the back of the skirt.

Open the zip and line it up against the folded edge keeping where the teeth of the zip start flush with the top of the fabric. Using a fabric marker mark where the zip opens up to.

Remove the pin and keep the fabric folded so you can make sure where the centre is, cut down to the line that you just marked.

Pin the zip into place making sure to tuck the tail into the wrong side of the fabric.

 Change the foot on the sewing machine to a zipper foot.

Sew as close to the teeth as you can.

Reattaching the regular foot, sew over the raw edges with an overlocker stitch (or zigzag stitch) so they don’t fray.

Using the pattern piece you just put a zip in pin and stitch to a black panel right sides together using a straight stitch with a 1cm seam allowance. Going over the edge with an overlocker stitch (or zigzag stitch) to prevent it from fraying.

Repeat on the other side of the pattern fabric so that you have one pattern piece with a black piece on either side. This will be the back of your skirt.

Cut out x4 pocket patterns (I used black fabric) x2 with the straight edge on the right and x2 with the straight edge on the left

Pin and sew right sides together 2 pocket pieces so that the straight edges line up together using overlocker stitch (or zigzag stitch) to prevent it from fraying.

Repeat with the other 2 pocket pieces.

Taking one of the remaining pattern panels fold it in half, right sides together, and mark with a pin.

 Mark 4cm down from the top.

Take one of your pockets and line the top with the mark you made. Make another mark at the bottom of the pocket where it meets the fabric.

Cut along the centre between the two marks and remove the pin.

Open the fabric so that it’s facing wrong side up.

Line up the edges of the pocket to the opening and pin them together making sure you can access the pocket from the right side of the fabric.

Sew together using overlocker stitch (or zigzag stitch).

Sew across the top and bottom of pocked in the wrong side to reinforce it and make sure there are no holes.

Pin around the perimeter of the pocket and using a straight stitch sew around the pocket to prevent the pocket from puckering out and creating a more flush finish.

Repeat steps 15 - 19 on the remaining pattern panel piece to insert the second pocket.

Pin and sew one of the pocket panels with the front section of the skirt put together in step 4 using a straight stitch and a 1cm seam allowance. Going over the edge with an overlocker stitch (or zigzag stitch) to prevent it from fraying.

Repeat with the other pocket panel so that there is now a pocket on either side.

 Pin and sew the front of the skirt to the back, lining up the pocket panels to the front back panels, right sides together using a straight stitch and a 1cm seam allowance. Going over the edge with an overlocker stitch (or zigzag stitch) to prevent it from fraying.

This will turn the pattern into a closed loop with all the right sides of the fabric facing inwards.

Yes, it’s going to look massive, but it will be gathered into the waistband later.

Measure around where you want the skirt to sit (eg. waist or hips) add a few centimetres for the seam allowance. This will be the length of your waistband.

Measure out a rectangle on your fabric (making sure it’s non-stretch) using your measurement made in the last step by 13.5cm in width to make a rectangle and cut out.

Fold the waistband in half widthways (top to bottom) and iron.

Unfold and tuck the ends in by 1.5cm and iron.

Fold the top down by 1.5cm and iron.

Fold the bottom up by 1.5cm and iron.

This way the creases create the hemline and hold them into place and flatten everything out.

Mark 2cm down from the top of the skirt with a pin.

Line up both edges of the waistband with the opening of the zip and down 2cm to the pin.

I placed one of the zip sides 4cm in from the end of the waistband so that I could make my skirt two different sizes.

Fold skirt and waistband in half, mark both with a pin and line up the two pins, putting the skirt 2cm into the waistband.

Fold the skirt and waistband in half again and pin together, 2cm down the skirt. These should be the panels with pockets. Pin on each side.

Keep repeating folding the waistband in half and lining up with the skirt. As the plain panels and pattern panels are different widths, work from the middle of the panels and where they attach to the next one. Continue until all of the skirt is gathered into the waistband.

At this stage stuff the remaining part of the skirt into the hemline and pin it into place.

Make sure that all of the skirt is tucked into the waistband on the outside and inside of the skirt.

At this stage, you should try the skirt on to see if everything is sitting the way you want it to. Be careful not to poke yourself or dislodge any pins.

Using a straight stitch with a 0.5cm seam allowance from the base of the waistband that joins to the skirt sew around the waist and attach to the skirt.

Using your buttonhole foot place the button inside and then attach it to the sewing machine.

Remember to pull down the black buttonhole sensor/toggle down.

Mark where you want the buttonhole to start with a pin.

Line the pin up with the needle of the sewing machine and remove the pin.

Choose one of your buttonhole options of the sewing machine and begin stitching (I used #17).

Place a pin on either side of the buttonhole inside of the stitching so that you don’t rip through it.

Using a quick unpick open up the fabric inside of the stitched rectangle. (I used a pair of embroidery scissors I find them sharper).

Measure and stitch the button(s) into place.

Try the skirt on and make sure it fits. You can always move the buttons if you need to.

Fold the bottom of the skirt up by 1cm and fold over again so that the raw edges are tucked underneath and pin into place around the whole skirt.

Fold the bottom of the skirt up by 1cm and fold over again so that the raw edges are tucked underneath and pin into place around the whole skirt.