A Complete Course in Dressmaking/Lesson 5/Making skirts that have style

by Isabel De Nyse Conover

LESSON V

MAKING SKIRTS THAT HAVE STYLE

STYLE isn’t so much a matter of the skirt being a copy of the newest fashion illustration. It’s more important that the skirt suits the wearer. Different figures require different types of skirts.

Study the person who is going to wear the skirt. If you are planning the skirt for yourself consider whether you have hips or haven’t hips, whether your waist is large or small, whether you are short or tall—that is if you want to look your best.

Suppose a dozen women went to the same store and all bought the same style of skirt. They wouldn’t look just alike—like the fashion cut down in the window that tempted them to buy the skirts. They would each have their individual differences. As a matter of fact, some of the women would be wearing a becoming skirt and some would be wearing a very unbecoming skirt. If the skirt was designed for the fashionable, tall slight figure, it wouldn’t make Mary look an inch taller than her five foot two. It may even add somewhat to the voluminous curve of Mrs. Smith’s thighs.

It’s individuality that counts in skirts just as in other garments. Pick out the style that looks as if it were made just for you. Fig. (1) If you are slim, have fullness at at the waistline It’s easier to do this than it use to be. Fashion doesn’t turn out styles like peas out of a pod now. Creators of clothes are more broad-minded than they use to be. You can wear a pleated or a gathered or a circular skirt any season and be equally well dressed in any of them, if you adhere to certain rules regarding lengths and widths.

Considering gathered skirts first—the two-piece variety that have fullness at the top. These belong to the younger slender type of figure. Fig. (2) The two-piece skirt is becoming to the woman of medium build It takes the slim young girl to wear gracefully the medium or narrow skirt with an abundance of fullness at the top, as the skirt in Fig. 1.

As the figure develops you will find a skirt with less fullness in the front and a circular swing to the cut more becoming. The skirt in Fig. 2 would look stylish on a woman of average figure.

If you are stout, plan gores in your skirt. Let me say right off that they are not old fashioned. Gores are the very thing that will give your skirt the smart straight line look. Fig. (3) Choose a gored skirt if you are inclined to be stout Of course, the modern conception of a gored skirt isn’t a sixteen or eighteen-piece affair. Six gores are permissible, yes stylish. This gives a panel front and back and a seam on the sides. (See Fig. 3.) Such a skirt makes an admirable accompaniment to the over-blouse. It is hardly necessary to add that for the stout woman the over-blouse is to be preferred to the tuck in variety of waist.

Circular skirts are for the woman with small hips, whether she is the thin woman with small hips, or the type of stout woman who is well developed through the shoulder and upper part of the body and small through the hips. Fig. (4)  Circular skirts are for the woman with small hips The size of the hips regulates the size at the lower edge. The larger the hips, the fuller the lower edge must be. You remember the old joke about the stout woman’s skirt looking like a tent. Well, she had large hips and the skirt was circular.

Materials must be suited to the styles, too. All the style can be taken out of a new design and a modish material by matching them up wrongly. Style and material must hitch. They must belong together. Just the weight of the texture makes a difference.

A skirt with very much fullness at the top needs a thin or a pliant medium weight goods. For instance, the skirt shown in Fig. 1 would make up nicely in crepe de chine, rough weave sports silk, silk poplin, broadcloth or light weight velour. Serge might be used if it were a very fine soft piece.

Chiffon which is occasionally used for a separate skirt is best made in a straight gathered skirt. This also applies to separate skirt of light weight cottons such as organdie.

Medium weight suitings and heavy silks make up better in a style with less fullness at the top as the skirt in Fig. 2. This also is a good style for cottons such as cotton gabardine, cotton homespun and pique. Sports materials such as flannel also are made up in two-piece skirts that have just a little fullness across the front and a trifle more in the back.

To look well, a gored skirt ought to be made in a medium weight or heavy goods. The skirts shown in Fig. 3 is suitable for any medium weight suiting, a sports silk, flannel or prunella cloth.

Never attempt a circular skirt in anything but a firm texture goods. At best they are apt to sag. They can be made up successfully in taffeta silk, moire silk, broadcloth, velour, serge, gabardine, tricotine or a twill.

A Block Pattern for a Separate Skirt: Select some good fitting seven- or nine-gored skirt pattern, cut with normal waistline and without seams. Copy it in strong, firm paper and mark center-front and center-back, first gore, second gore, etc., on the pattern. If you place these pieces on another piece of paper matching the edges along the lower side portions, it will give you a diagram for working out other styles.

The block pattern offers the quickest method of copying other styles.

Making a Pattern for a Circular Skirt: Suppose it’s a circular skirt such as the one shown in Fig. 4 that you want to copy. Make your working diagram from your block pattern as described above. It will look like the diagram in Fig. 5.

This gives you a diagram for skirt with a normal waistline. If you want the top of the skirt to come above the normal waistline add to the top of each gore before making the diagram. To do this, measure around the body where you want the top of the skirt to come. Place the skirt pattern on another piece of paper and mark a line parallel to the top of the gore the distance from it that the new skirt is to be above the normal waistline. Add enough on either side of this new line so that the tops of the gores will equal the new waist measure. Draw lines from the new waistline to the old gore. (See Fig. 6.)

Fig. (5) Diagram for making a circular skirt

If this pattern is used the skirt will have a fitted appearance at the waistline. If you want a straighter look, draw the lines straight to the hips as shown in Fig. 7, filling in the old waistline.

Then, lay the gores together and mark around them for the diagram.

If you have filled in the top for raised waistline, the darts will probably be nearly closed up, that is the edges of the gores will nearly meet at the top. What space there is between the gores can be used as fullness in the skirt or marked to be taken out in darts.

Fig. (6) To add a raised waistline

Another way of getting rid of the darts or fullness at the top is to bring the gores together at the top, keep them together at the hips, about six inches below the normal waistline, and let the lower edge spread. This throws more fullness into the bottom but is the only way of making a one piece circular skirt that has neither darts nor fullness in the top. After the gores have been spread in this manner, mark around them for the diagram.

At the front edge, add a line one inch beyond the diagram and parallel to the center front line of the diagram. This gives you the allowance for a slot seam.

In cutting out the pattern, allow seams at the top and front and a hem allowance and seam at the bottom. The center-back edge will be laid on the fold of the goods in cutting.

Cutting a One-Piece Circular Skirt: Diagram 8 shows the pattern laid on the material folded double. The material must be fifty-four inches or wider to cut such a skirt. It is more practical to cut narrow goods into a gored or straight skirt.

Fig. (7) Filling in the dart to strip give a straight effect

Making a Circular Skirt: Where a seam comes at the center-front, a slot seam gives an attractive finish. To make a slot seam, fold under the seam allowance on both pieces to be joined and press. Cut a straight strip of material about one and one-half inches wide to extend from bottom [of skirt up to placket depth and bind either side of it. Lay the edges of the skirt on top of the strip, bringing the edges to the center of the strip. Fig. (8) Diagram showing circular skirt placed on the goods Baste them in place and stitch one-quarter of an inch back from the edge of each piece. (See Fig. 9.) Leave the seam open at the top to placket depth.

Fig. (9) A slot seam To finish the placket, tape the edge of the skirt at the right side of the placket. Use thin but strong linen tape about one-quarter of an inch wide; lay it on the wrong side of the goods a seam's width back from the edge. Catch it to the goods, taking a stitch first on one side and then on the other. (See Fig. 10.) Be careful that stitches do not show through onto the right side of the goods. Turn the raw edge of the seam onto the tape and tack it in place. Stitch a quarter of an inch back from the edge to match stitching in lower skirt.

Sew on hooks at regular intervals and slipstitch facing in place. A placket of this type has an underlap. Cut the material for the underlap about three and three-quarter inches wide and a half inch longer than the depth of the placket. Lay the lining for the underlap on the underlap and stitch down the sides and across the bottom, running the stitching a seam's width from the edges. Trim the seams, turn the underlap right side out and press.

Fig. (10) Staying the edge at the placket

Lay the underlap on the left side of the skirt with the center of the underlap a seam's width from edge. Stitch the left edge to the underlap and turn the underlap onto the wrong side of the skirt. (See Fig. 11.) Press and stitch one-quarter of an inch from left edge of placket to match stitching on lower skirt.

Fig. (11) Finishing a center-front placket

Slip stitch the left edge and bottom of the placket to outside skirt, using care that stitches do not show through onto the right side of goods.

Separate skirts are finished with inside belts of gros-grain belting. Usually these belts are two or two and a half inches wide but the width depends on the amount the skirt is cut above the regular waistline.

Fig. (12) Joining the skirt to the gros-grain belt In the case of this skirt, the inside belt will fasten at the right side of the underlap. Cut it to correspond to the waist measure with enough extra for hems. Hem the ends. Lap the top of the skirt a seam's width over the belt, letting the belt extend straight up above the skirt. Stitch the two together and cover the raw edges with a narrow bias strip of material or tape. (See Fig. 12.)

Note that right side of skirt is free from belt across facing. Finish the inside of belt with hooks and eyes. When the belt is turned down into its finished position, the skirt rolls over it smoothly.

Fig. (13) A six-gored skirt has a panel at the front

Try on skirt to turn hem. There will be a good deal of fullness in the top of the hem so run in a thread and draw it up to the size of the outside. If the material is woolen shrink out some of the fullness before finishing the hem by covering with a damp cloth and pressing with a hot iron. Bind the top of the hem before stitching.

Making a Pattern For a Gored Skirt: A gored skirt needs very little change from the block pattern.

If you are copying a style, such as is shown in Fig. 13, add the raised waistline to the gores before making the diagram. If you want the new skirt the same width as the block pattern, place the gores as in Fig. 6. However, the width may be varied to suit your fancy. If you want it smaller, lap the gores as in Fig. 14. If the gores are lapped, run the marking of the new seam center way of the lapped portion.

Fig. (14) Making a skirt pattern smaller at the lower edge

If you want the skirt larger at the bottom, keep the gores together at the fullest part of the hips, which is about six inches below the normal waistline, and spread them apart below, any desired amount.

To make a pattern, slip another piece of paper under the diagram and trace around the first gore, allowing seams at the top and back and a seam and hem at the bottom. Remove this piece and cut out the pattern. For the second side piece, put another piece of paper under the diagram and trace the outline of the gore, allowing seams at the sides and top and a hem and seam at the bottom. After this piece is cut out, trace the third gore in the same way. In tracing the back gore, do not allow a seam at the center-back for a six-gored skirt, as this edge will be laid on the fold of the goods in cutting. The center-front edge is also laid on the fold of the goods in cutting.

Fig. (15) Cutting a gored skirt

Cutting a Gored Skirt: Fig. 15 shows the pattern laid on the material folded double lengthwise. Vary the layout to suit the material on which you are working. If the back gore is placed on the selvedge edges, allowing for a seam, it will make a seven-gored skirt. For a six-gored skirt, lay the center-back edge on the fold of the goods. These cutting diagrams are given to impress on your mind the economy of making a layout.

Making a Gored Skirt: Make an inside belt of gros-grain belting. Cut it the size of the waistline plus enough for hems at the ends. Hem the ends and sew on the two lower hooks and eyes. (See Fig. 16.)

Fig. (16) Finish the inside belt before joining the skirt to it

If there is any doubt regarding the fit of the skirt, baste the seams with the raw edges extending on the right side of the goods. Pin the top of the skirt to the top of the gros-grain belt and try on. If it is large at any place pin out the surplus goods in the seams. Remove the skirt. If any of the seams have been taken up, trim them off until there is just the regulation three-eighths of an inch seam allowance left.

Rip the bastings and bind the edges of the gores. Then, join the seams taking the regulation seam allowance and press the seams open.

It is much easier to bind the edges of the gores before the seams are joined than it is afterwards.

If a tailored finish is preferred, the seams may be double stitched. In this case, do not bind the edges of the gores before joining. Make plain seams, bind both raw edges in one binding, turn the raw edges toward the back of the skirt. Baste, press and stitch the second time, working from the right side of the skirt and running the stitching about one-quarter of an inch from the first stitching.

Fig. (17) Extension for a side placket

Nowadays, skirts are closed usually at the side-front. In the case of the gored skirt the best place for the placket is at the left side of the front panel. To make a placket at the edge of a panel, finish the edge of the panel at the placket with a facing, just as described in finishing right side of placket in circular skirt. The left side of the placket ought to be finished with an extension. Cut the extension twice the width of the facing plus seams at all edges. Fold it and stitch across the bottom. (See Fig. 17.) Turn the extension right side out. Join one edge to the skirt, then turn under the free edge and stitch as shown in Fig. 18. Fig. (18) The extension sewn to the placket opening Sew eyes to extension to match hooks on other side, or omit hooks on panel side and finish closing with ball-and-socket snaps.

Sew top of skirt to gros-grain belt, as described in making circular skirt. In this case, the end of belt comes to the front edge of the facing on the panel and the skirt is free from the belt across the facing. The other end of the inside belt comes to the end of the extension. Sew hook and eye to top of the belt. Hem bottom of skirt.

Making a Pattern for a Two-Piece Skirt: Probably, you already see how easy it is to work out any number of pieces you desire in a skirt. It's just a matter of marking new seams on the diagram which you make from the block pattern.

Here is another example which I want you to copy for practice. It’s the skirt in Fig. 2 in the first part of the lesson. There are just two pieces. Fig. 19 shows the diagram after the block pattern has been laid on and the darts at the top and the side seam marked. This really gives you the pattern for a plain

Fig. (19) Diagram for two-piece skirt pattern

two-piece skirt. Use the dart for fullness at the top of the skirt. If you want more fullness, draw a line through the center of the side dart and throw half of it into the front and half into the back.

In the case of a fancy inset pocket, in the skirt shown in Fig. 2, mark the outline for it on the diagram as in Fig. 20. Lines AB mark the finished edge of the gore and line CD marks the stitching lines, where the underfacing of the pocket sews to the skirt.

Fig. (20) Diagram of skirt pattern showing pocket located

In cutting out the pattern for the front gore, allow a seam inside the lines AB. Also allow seams at the top and side and a hem and seam at the bottom. In cutting out the back gore, allow seams at the top and side and a hem and seam at the bottom. Use your diagram as a guide in cutting the pocket facing. Put a piece of paper under the diagram and trace along lines AB and CD, also across the top of the gore. Remove the piece of paper and allow seams beyond the lines traced and cut out the piece. This gives you a pattern for facing the edges of the gores at the pocket opening.

The inset pocket piece must be cut the shape of the lines CD. Place a piece of paper under the diagram and trace along the line CD and across the top of the gore. Remove the piece, allow seams and cut it out.

Fig. (27) Diagram for cutting two-piece skirt

Cutting a Two-Piece Skirt: Fig. 21 shows the pattern laid on the goods, folded double lengthwise. The layout may have to be varied according to the width of your goods. In very wide goods, it is advantageous to cut the belt and pocket pieces at the sides of the gores, placing them lengthwise of the goods. So far as the appearance is concerned it makes very little difference whether these

Fig. (22) The facing stitched to the right side of
the skirt

pieces are placed lengthwise or crosswise, except of course, in a striped goods.

Fig. (23) The facing turned onto the wrong side of the skirt

In some widths of goods a two-piece skirt wastes material, while a three-piece skirt would cut to advantage. Fig. (24) The inside pocket piece bound at the outer edges Very often, a seam is placed at the center-back to save goods. If there is fullness in the top of the skirt the seam is hardly noticeable.

Making a Two-Piece Skirt: To make the inset pocket face the opening in the skirt with material cut the same shape as the opening in the skirt. Bind the outer edge of the facing. The Fig. 22 shows the facing stitched to the right side of the skirt and Fig. 23 the facing turned onto the wrong side. Before turning the facing onto the wrong side slash the seam at the corners nearly to the stitching so that the corners will turn neatly. Baste the facing in place and press. Bind the outer edge of the inset section. (See Fig. 24.) Stitch as shown in Fig. 25.

Fig. (25) The inside pocket piece joined to the pocket facing Bind the edges of the gores before closing the seams. Usually the side joinings of a two-piece skirt are made open seams. Leave the left side seam open to placket depth. Finish the placket as described in the gored skirt.

Run three rows of shirring around the top of the skirt. (See Fig. 26.) Join skirt to gros-grain belt as described in circular skirt. In this case front end of belt comes to front edge of facing at left side and the other end of belt comes to end of extension. Be sure to keep the fullness distributed evenly in each half of the skirt. That is, when the skirt is folded at center-front and center-back, the side seams ought to match. Always be careful to notch the center-front and center-back of the skirt before gathering the top. Hem the lower edge of the skirt as described in making circular skirt.

Fig. (26) The top of the skirt shirred and joined to the belt

Very often a skirt such as this one has a narrow outside belt.

Making a Pattern for a Skirt with a Hip Yoke: A skirt, such as the one shown in Fig. 27, also can be copied with a block pattern.

In this case, lay the gores on another piece of paper and mark around them for the diagram as described before. Then, locate the line which you want the yoke to take. See line AB, Fig. 28.

The next step is to trace the yoke pieces and lay them on another piece of paper, marking the raised waistline. (See Fig. 29.) Lay another piece of paper under this yoke diagram and trace along the front edge, the lower edges of the first and second piece and the side of the second piece up to B. From B, trace across the top to A. Also, make a tracing of the back in the same way. The best way of finishing the lower edge of the yoke is with a tuck. (See Fig. 30).

Using these new pieces as a basis on which to work. Straighten the line at the sides, as shown in Figs. 31 and 32. Also add an inch extension beyond the sides and an inch at the bottom for a turn-back. In cutting out the pattern for the yoke, allow seams at all edges, except the center-front and center-back.

Fig. (27) An attractive yoke style for medium weight goods

In making a pattern for your lower skirt section, use the original diagram. (See Fig. 28.) Add an inch extension above yoke line. Place a piece of paper under it, trace along the yoke line AB, across the top of the first two gores, also along the center-front, across the bottom of the first two gores and up the side. Remove the piece and allow seams at the top and side and a hem and seam at the bottom. The center-front will be placed on a fold in cutting. Trace the back pattern in the same way.

Fig. (28) Diagram for making yoke skirt pattern

In cutting, the front edges of lower section and yoke and the center-back edges of both the lower section and yoke are placed on the fold of the goods. (See Fig. 33.)

Making a Skirt with Yoke: If the yoke is lined, the skirt will set better than if it is a single thickness. Cut the lining the same shape as the outside yoke. Close the right side seams in the outside yoke and lining, making plain seams and pressing them open.

Fig. (29) Adding the raised waistline to the yoke pattern

Turn up the bottom of the outside yoke to form a tuck and press the edge. Then baste the tuck in place. Mark the center-front and the center-back at the lower edge of the yoke. Bind the side edges of the lower gores and join the side. Press the seams open.

Leave the left side seam open to placket depth. Finish the front edge of the placket with a facing as described in finishing the gored skirt. Mark the center-front and the center-back of the skirt at the top. Lap the yoke over the skirt and stitch as shown in Fig. 34. Stitch the yoke lining to the yoke at the front edge of the placket. (See Fig. 35.) Turn the lining onto the wrong side, fold under the free edge and fell by hand. (See Fig. 36.) Finish back edge of placket with extension as described in making gored skirt. Join skirt to inside belt of gros-grain belting. (See Fig. 37.) Stitch hem at lower edge as described in making gored skirt.

Fig. (30) The neatest way of finishing a yoke is with a tuck at the bottom

Making a Pattern for a "Wrapped" Skirt: A skirt with a closing at the side-front and a deep lap is called a "wrapped" skirt. It's an especially good style for sports wear. A wrapped skirt in homespun, fringed at the lower edge is shown in Fig. 38.

In order to fringe the material, by drawing the crosswise threads, the lower edge must be kept straight. This means that the skirt will be just a straight piece of material. Decide how wide you want it at the lower edge. For a twenty-eight waist measure, a yard and one-half is ample. Add to this the amount of lap and a turn back for the right side.

Fig. (31) Diagram for front yoke showing lap at side and tuck at bottom added

Cut a piece of paper, on the straight, this length.

Fig. (32) Diagram for back yoke pattern with lap and tuck added

Crease the hem at the edge of the right front, where it laps over the left front, lap the fronts the desired amount and fold the skirt in half, folding at the center-front and center-back. Decide on the length you want the skirt at the center-front, plus the fringe and seam allowance at the top. Measure this amount on the pattern at the center-front from the bottom up. At the center-back measure from the lower edge up, making a point one inch higher than the length in the front. Slope the waist-line from this mark to the center-front. This gives you the whole pattern for the skirt.

Fig. (33) Diagram showing yoke skirt pattern placed on the goods for cutting

If the skirt is to be finished with a hem at the lower edge you can make the pattern slightly circular. This does away with so much fullness at the top. Use your block pattern and make a two-piece skirt pattern, as described before. Trace your new front-piece and lay it on another piece of paper. Mark around it and then turn over the pattern bringing the center-front edge to the center-front edge of the outline you have just made. (See Fig. 39.) Line AB is the center-front.

Fig. (34) Joining the yoke to the skirt

Fig. (35) The yoke lining stitched to the side

Mark where you want your closing, as line CD in Fig. 39. If you want it to look straight up and down when the skirt is on, run it a little to the back at the bottom. That is, if it is five inches from the center-front at the top make it six inches from the center-front at the bottom. If it is made parallel to the center-front, when the skirt is finished, it will appear to slant toward the back at the top. This is because the skirt flares a little at the bottom.

Fig. (36) The lower edge of the lining sewn in place On the diagram, also mark the amount of lap as line EF, Fig. 39. Now you are ready to trace the two fronts. Put a piece of paper under the diagram and trace the right front over to line CD. Remove the paper and allow seams beyond the top and side seam, a hem at the bottom and a hem at the edge that laps over the left side. Then, cut out the piece.

In tracing the left side, trace over to line EF. Allow seams at the top and side seam and a hem at the bottom. The edge EF will not need extra allowance, as the easiest way of finishing it is with a binding. Trace the pattern for the back from the original diagram.

Making a "Wrapped" Skirt: Finish the front closing first. Bind the edges of both the left and the right side of the fronts. Then, turn a hem on the right front.

If you have made your skirt two-piece, bind the edges before joining the seams at the sides. Make open seams.

Fig. (37) The skirt joined to the belt

Where the skirt has a hem, to make the neatest finish at the lower edge of the right front, cut out the extra material where the front hem and lower hem turn back. To do this, mark on your skirt where the front hem creases, as line DE, Fig. 40. Line AB is the front edge of the pattern. Also, mark where the front hem will stitch, as line FG, Fig. 40. Line BG is the lower edge of the pattern. Mark where the lower hem will crease as line HI. Then, mark a line, a seam's width below where the lower hem creases, over to within a seam's width of the stitching line of the front hem. See lines JKL, Fig. 40. Cut the material along lines JKL. This notch in the skirt does away with unnecessary bulk.

Fig. (38) A wrapped skirt of homespun

Where the material has been cut out in this manner first fold the front hem onto the right side of the skirt and stitch across the lower edge of the hem and slash from the corner to the stitching as shown in Fig. 41. When the front hem is turned onto the wrong side, the lower edge of it will be neatly finished. Turn the hem at the bottom, slipping the raw edge, under the binding of the front hem. (See Fig. 42.)

If the skirt is fringed at the bottom draw the crosswise threads as you would for hem stitching. When you have the fringe deep enough whip the edge above the fringe with some of the yarn drawn from the material to keep the edge from fraying.

Fig. (39)  Diagram for wrapped skirt pattern

Bind both edges at the closing, turning a hem on the right front. (See Fig. 43.)

Finish the top of the skirt with gros-grain belting bringing the opening in the belting at point E in Fig. 39. The top of the right side of the skirt from E to C will be faced.

In sewing on buttons or snaps on the upper left side, place tape under the material to reinforce it. About four inches from the lower edge of the skirt sew a four-inch piece of elastic just in back of the hem. Attach the other end to the left front. This helps to keep the skirt closed.

Fig. (40) Diagram for finishing lower corner

Layout 2