My #5 Skirt

[robehickman]

Here's the "pattern" I came up with for this skirt.
Pattern.png
Best to use a non-stretch, slightly heavy fabric like chinos for pants. I did not add any flare for my skirt so falls straight down like a kilt. Adding more flare will cause it to sit with a more A-line look. I also added two darts in the back for mine but I did not include it here to keep it simple.

Usually for straight cuts, the store can easily do it for you. Once you have the rectangle, it's just simply folding and stitching straight lines.

I personally struggled a lot in the beginning trying to cut facric because it behaves nothing like the paper, wood or metal materials that I have worked with.

What you have here actually is a slight A-line because of the full length 'darts' in the sides. The fabric being relatively stiff and having the top and bottom edges straight means that it stands off the body, holding its own shape, instead of the added fullness collapsing into ruffles like a circle skirt would.

Regarding cutting fabric, the best advice I can offer is to get some good fabric shears, and cut your fabric on a flat, hard surface.

[Kay]

To cut material you need a proper set of tailoring shears and do not use them for thread!!!

The problem I had was not with the cutting. It's drawing the lines to cut.

I now understand why we draw on paper and cut it out then transfer onto the fabric. Because the fabric stretches and shifts as you draw on it. I even bought a 3 foot ruler and still cannot draw perfect right angles.

What I used to do was sew and measure and draw, basically filling in the pattern as I go. Which was not ideal because as I sew, the fabric becomes more stretched, making my lines more skewed.

[Mouse]

I now understand why we draw on paper and cut it out then transfer onto the fabric. Because the fabric stretches and shifts as you draw on it. I even bought a 3 foot ruler and still cannot draw perfect right angles.

We all have the same problems and the more stretchy the material the worse the problem. So I have these heavy washers which I use to weight the pattern and material in the flattest least distressed state as possible. I then trace round the pattern using as little force as possible to make the mark. With latex I have these white gel pens which work well. With normal material, I use tailor's chalk making many light marks so the cut line becomes the edge of the chalk when the pattern is removed. My wife bought me these washers after seeing them used on a sewing program, but any heavy set of objects will do. When marking out, do not step on the material or put any pressure on it, since it will move from being stretched and let go. Here I am marking and cutting out stockings and a skirt in very thin unstable 0.25 latex.

[Kay]

If you had been following, I bought another run of fabric from the same online supplier to extend #4 skirt, and it came in a different shade! So I had to cut a piece out of #5 which was made with the leftover to fix #4.

I was quite sad to have to cut up #5 leaving it with too little fabric to complete a skirt. Then I had this great idea to remake #5 using panels with alternating fabric, so the shade difference won't look too odd. And here it is!

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The skirt is divided into 9 divisions: 5 panels making the back, and the front is a double width middle that overlaps: 1-2-1

IMG_20260502_222653_038.jpg

From the side I look like a flat rectangle. Like wearing shorts.

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(I complained and got a refund for the second fabric so it's free)

I used a little left over panel that was cut too narrow to make a matching scrunchie for my hair. I love it and will be making matching scrunchies for all my skirts!

[Yaun]

Looks good!

[Yaun]

I now understand why we draw on paper and cut it out then transfer onto the fabric. Because the fabric stretches and shifts as you draw on it. I even bought a 3 foot ruler and still cannot draw perfect right angles.

We all have the same problems and the more stretchy the material the worse the problem. So I have these heavy washers which I use to weight the pattern and material in the flattest least distressed state as possible. I then trace round the pattern using as little force as possible to make the mark. With latex I have these white gel pens which work well. With normal material, I use tailor's chalk making many light marks so the cut line becomes the edge of the chalk when the pattern is removed....

Now I use gel pens almost exclusively. Unfortunately I need 3-4 for a whole (pleated) skirt as the fabric sucks them dry, but they are cheap at AliExpress, where you can get 100pcs for 8€.
Chalk,chalk pens or chalk rollers easily stretch the fabric, so this only works for rather stiff fabric.
To weigh down the pattern I use old after shave bottles, filled with colored water. They don't have any edges which could tear fabric and are easy to handle.
To cut out the pieces, I use a roller cutter on cutting mats, which is much easier and faster than scissors in my opinion. Recently I bought some chinese fabric scissors and was very surprised about the good quality, even if they were <10€...