PArt 1 - Drafting the Pattern
I wanted a slightly different look so I made some changes... adding gathers to the waist, adding side seam pockets, adding 1/2" to the back waistline to account for booty :). f you don't want gathers or pockets, those steps are easy to ignore. Lets get started!
STEP 1) Gather supplies. You will need:
-pattern paper (newspaper, paper bags or any other scrap paper taped together will work. I am using brown packaging paper from a roll found at the Casa de Cyclista in Guadalajara, thanks guys!)
-scissors
-pencil
-tape
-tape measure or string
-straight ruler, the longer the better
-calculator
-Waist circumference: Measure gently around the smallest part of your waist. Don't measure too tightly or your skirt will squeeze you! If you want the skirt to fit lower, measure around your torso where you want the skirt to sit. Mine is 33", sitting just at the top of my hip bones.
Pro Tip #1: Mark this placement on your side body in washable ink or a pin in your clothes... it will really help as a reference point for the following measurements! We sometimes drew on the model in our fittings in the ol' office.
-Hip Circumference: Measure gently around the widest part of your hips/butt. Mark it. Mine is 37" (at the moment!).
-Hip Height: Measure the distance between your chosen waist placement and you hip placement. Just measure between the marks! Mine is 6".
-Crotch Depth: Measure yourself sitting down to get your crotch depth, or sitting height. While sitting straight in a flat chair, use the straight ruler to measure the side of your hip, from your waistline straight down to the chair. If you don't have a flat chair, you can use the floor or stairs. Make sure to measure from the waistline you chose when measuring your waist circumference. Mine is 7.5".
STEP 3) Using pencil, draft the base pattern for a half-circle skirt. First, draw a perpendicular line straight up from the straight edge of the paper. For seam allowance, draw 2 more lines ⅜" from the edge of the paper and from the first line. I then follow the formula at Petit Main Sauvage, (waist) x 2 \ 6.28. My formula is 33 x 2 \ 6.28 = 10.5". Using a ruler placed at the inner corner of the right angle, dash in the waist radius by fanning out from one edge to the the other. |
STEP 4) Add the pleat. First, fold your pattern in half to determine your center front (CF) line. I don't like to waste too much paper, so I did not cut the whole thing out first, just the straight edges (side seams). Fold those edges to meet, and crease. Open your pattern and draw a line along the crease.
3" will be a 1.5" deep pleat on each side when folded. Draw a parallel line 3" from the center line. Draw another parallel line in the middle of this. Add ⅜" seam allowance above the waistline.
Now, another easy formula. Divide your hip measurement by 10", then add 1". My number here is 37 \ 10 + 1 = 4.7. Using this number, draw a straight line out from the crotch point (the lower mark). Measure the same distance out from the hem edge and box in your lines using right angles. Draw a gentle curve from the hip mark to the middle of the crotch line. Finish by adding ⅜" seam allowance around the outside of the crotch (rise) line and the leg. Then complete by extending the 1" hem seam allowance.
I use the good ol' slash and spread method to add volume. Patternmaking 101, folks! First I will mark the pattern dividing the waistline into 3 parts, and the hem edge into 3 parts. This does not have to be perfectly even, just eye-ball it. If you are adding 75-100% more volume, you might want to divide into 4 parts for smoother volume distribution. Draw lines dividing your parts.
Since I want to add 50% more volume, I need a formula to figure this out. Divide your waist measurement by 4, to get the quarter waist measurement, which should be the waist length on this pattern peice. Then divide that number in half, to figure what 50% of the volume is. Divide again by 2 to see how much you need to spread each slash (divide by 3 here, if you have 3 slashes) So my formula would be 33 \ 4 = 8.25 \ 2 = 4.125 \ 2 = 2 (rounded, because I don't work with measurements under ⅛"). Placing another piece of paper under the waistline, spread each area the amount you figured, and tape in place. Make sure the whole pattern piece is smooth from top to bottom, no weird lumps.
Pro Tip #3: Make notes on the pattern for easy reference, such as CF, SS (side seam), or any measurements you may need to reference again. It is also good to name your pattern and label each piece with the name, part, and how many pieces to cut out. For example, this would be Mex Culottes front leg x 2). When you start building more patterns, you don't want the pieces getting all mixed up! I like to store each project in it's own envelope.
STEP 7) Pockets! Mark a notch 1" down from the waistline at the SS. Mark another notch 5.5" below the first. This is for your pocket opening. Mark the same notches on the straight edge of a scrap piece of paper. But first draw a parallel line 3/8" from the straight edge for seam allowance.
Turn your skirt pattern upside down. Placing the scrap paper on top of the pattern, matching the notches. Put your hand on top of the paper as if it were inside a pocket and trace generously around your hand.
Draw 3/8" seam allowance around the rest of the pocket and cut out. Label it x4 because you will need to cut out 4 of these pieces in the fabric. Now you have a complete front panel and pocket!
I will be making only 2 changes to the back piece before cutting out. First, I want to add 1/2" in height at the CB waistline. This is because we all have a little booty back there. You know when short skirts hike in the back and dip in the front? I hate that. This is the simple solution!
On a fresh piece of paper, draw a right with each line at least 6" long. Draw parallel lines ⅜" out for seam allowance. Mark a notch 3.5" down from the waistline (the 2nd line from the top). Mark another notch 1.5" below the first. Draw a parallel line 2" from the CF seam (the 2nd line from the left). Mark a notch 3.5" down on this new line.
To add the fly to the pattern, just overlap the rise seam lines at the waist and tape in place!
To keep my pattern piece from being super long, I divide this number in half and remember that one end of the pattern needs to be on a folded edge of fabric, so you cut it out double. Always mark your pattern pieces if there is a folded edge, so you don't forget! Add ⅜" seam allowance around the outside of only 2 sides of the pattern, as shown below. So my final pattern piece is 17.5" x 3.75", + ⅜" seam allowance on one side and one end.
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