Chinook Maxi

 Here in Southern Alberta we are know for our Chinooks. It’s our reprieve from winter. The sun comes out, the snow melts and it feels like Spring – in the middle of February. This skirt is perfect for those beautiful blue days!

Skill Level: Beginner sewer

Notions: 

• Light weight fabric
• Elastic
• Thread 

How to Guide:

Get out a pad of paper to keep track of your measurements! 

• Waist: Measure your natural waist. 
• Adjusted Waist: your waist measurement multiplied by at least 2 (the higher the multiplier the fuller the skirt).  
• Length: Measure the length between your natural waist to the floor (or to whatever length you desire). 
• Adjusted Length: your Length measurement plus 2 inches.  
• Slit Length: Measure the length between your natural waist to your knee (or to wherever you want your slits to begin). 

 
Cut it out 

• Lay out your fabric on a hard smooth surface, right side up. 
• Measure and cut a rectangle using your adjusted waist by adjusted length. 
• You should now have a rectangle that measures your adjusted waist by adjusted length

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Fold it up

• Fold your rectangle lengthwise into thirds.
• Cut along the length of one of the thirds.
• You should now have 2 rectangles, one that is double the width of the other.

Side slits

• On a hard smooth surface, lay the two pieces right sides together.  
• Pin along each side from the top edge to your desired slit length.
• Sew the sides closed, leaving the bottom open for your slits.
• Finish the sides with a zig-zag or serge stitch. 

Waist no space 
For this skirt I added a 2 inch thick waist band, but you can go wider or thinner. 

• Waistband width: using your desired waistband thickness (say 2 inches) double this (4 inches) and add 1 inch for the seam (total of 5 inches). 
• Waistband length: your adjusted waist measurement. 
• Lay out your fabric on a hard smooth surface, wrong side up.
• Measure and cut a rectangle using your waistband width by waistband length. 
• Fold the length of the rectangle in half, right side out, and press! 

Waistband 

• Lay your unfolded waistband out on a hard smooth surface right side up. 
• Fold the width of the rectangle in half, wrong side out, and pin the end. 
• Sew the end shut.  
• Fold the waistband back along the press side so that the right side faces out. 

Come together 

• Lay your skirt out on a hard smooth surface right side out. 
• With the salvage edge of your waistband facing the same way as the top of your skirt, slide the waistband over the top (right sides together). 
• Line the seam of your waistband up with one of your side seams and pin.  
• Staring where your seams are aligned, pin your waistband along the edge of the waistline and baste together. Seam should run 1 inch from the edge.  
• Be sure to leave an opening for the elastic band.

Double slits

• Fold open your slit, pin along the edge, and press.
• Open the pressed line and fold the salvage edge in. You may need to trim a little off the end to get a clean, ½ inch hem. Pin closed and press.  
• Sew the edges of your slit closed. 
• Repeat for second slit.

Gather Waist

• Cut your elastic to size.
• Feed the elastic through the opening in your waistband.
• Sew your elastic band together at the edges.
• Finish the edge of the inner waistband with a zig-zag or serge stitch.

Finishing touches 

• Try on your skirt and mark or pin where you want the hem length.
• Make sure that the hem length matches up where your slits open.
• Fold and pin along the edge using your hem marker, and press 
• Open the hem line and fold the salvage edge into the hem line. You may need to trim a little off the end to get a clean, ½ inch hem. Pin closed and press.  
• Sew your hem closed. 

Throw on with your winter boots or spring flats along with a sweater or light jacket. Go out and enjoy the sunshine!