Elegant Skirt with Window

I’m a fan of putting a twist on a classic. This skirt is reminiscence of old Hollywood but with a modern flare. I also love Chinese brocade and damask and wanted to make a skirt worthy of its elegance. 

Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced sewer. 

Notions:

• Brocade or heavier formal fabric
• Semi-transparent fabric to match – make sure that the weights are similar or the “window” will not stand up to the skirt. 
• Thread
• Invisible zipper

How to Guide: 

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

• Waist: Measure your natural waist.
• Length: Measure the length between your waist to above your knee (the window will be right below this as well as the trim).
• Adjusted Waist: multiply your waist measurement by 3 and add 2 inches - for the pleats and zipper.
• Adjusted Length: Add 2 inches to your length measurements (to make room for the hem).

Pleat it!

• Lay out your fabric on a hard smooth surface, right side up.
• Measure and cut a rectangle using your adjusted width by adjusted length.
• Find the centre of your rectangle and mark with chalk near the upper edge. 
• From the centre upper edge, measure and mark every 1.5 inches
• Once marked, go back to the center and starting from one side (left or right does not matter) fold at the first mark (wrong side to wrong side) so that the second mark is laying under the centre mark. Pin flat. 
• On the right side facing up, the fold line should be resting on the third mark. 
• Fold over the fourth mark (right side to right side) so that the fifth mark is in line with the third mark and touching your previous pleat. 
• Keep doing this until you run out of marks. 
• Repeat on other side. 
• The skirt should now be the length of your waist measurement + 2 inches.
• Press down the pleats!

Waist no space
I like 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 waist measurement + 2 inches.
• 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!
• You can add interfacing to the waistband if the lining is thin or flimsy. 

A window with a view

• Window width: using your desired window size (I suggest 5 inches) add 1 inch for the seams (total of 6 inches).
• Trim width: using the same measurement as you desired window width (I suggest 5 inches) add 1 inch for the seams (total of 6 inches).
• Window band: Measure and cut a rectangle in your transparent fabric using your window width by waist length.
• Trim band: Measure and cut a rectangle in your main fabric (Brocade), using your trim width by waist length.

All the trimmings

• Grab your skirt again and unpin the pleats. 
• Lay your window band on top of your skirt along the bottom edge with right sides together. Pin ½ inch from the edge.
• Gently pull back the window band back so that it is right side up. 
• Lay your trim band on top of your window band along the bottom edge with right sides together. Pin ½ inch from the edge.

Get prepped!

• With your skirt facing right side up, where the folds of the pleats meet, line up the fold lines directly on top of each other and pin on the back side, about 1 inch from the top edge. 
  
• You should now have what looks like a row of loops in the waist line. 

Now you have all the pieces of your skirt ready – it is time to get out your sewing machine!

Keeping your pleats in their place

• With your skirt facing wrong side up, starting at the top edge, put a 1 inch long stitch directly along each of the pleat fold lines. 
• Take any remaining pins out. 
• Once again, you should now have what looks like a row of loops in the waist line. 
• Using the fold lines you pressed earlier as a guide, push down the pleats and pin. 
• Baste stitch 1 inch along the waistline to keep the pleats in place.  

Putting the pieces together

• Sew your window band to your skirt, ½ inches from edge.
• Sew your trim band to your window band, ½ inches from edge. 
• Staring at one end of your skirt, pin one side of the waistband (right sides together) along the edge of the waistline and baste together. Seam should run 1 inch from the edge, directly over the pleats baste stitch.

Check point – try it on!

• The skirt should slip over your hips with room for the waistband to close (you still need space for the zipper!).
• Make adjustments if needed.
• Finish the edge of the window and trim bands with a zig-zag or serge stitch. Press flat. 
• Finish the edge of the inner waistband with a zig-zag or serge stitch.

Zip it
When applying an invisible zipper, it is done with the right side of the fabric facing up, unlike all other types of zipper applications.

• Open up the zipper and uncurl the zipper teeth to make it flat as possible.
• Starting at the fold line in your waistband, on one side (left or right it doesn’t matter) lay the zipper open wrong side up (on your right side facing fabric) along the length so that the teeth are 1 inch from the salvage edge. The other half of the zipper should fall on the same side you are working on. Pin in place. 
• From top to base, stitch as close to the teeth as possible along the seam line. Backstitch both ends to ensure durability. 
• Taking the other half of the zipper, flip it to the other side so that the salvage edge of the fabric and the non-teeth edge of the zipper line up. Like before, teeth should be 1 inch from the salvage edge. Pin in place.
• From top to base, stitch as close to the teeth as possible along the seam line (this is a little trickier with the first side being stitched in). Backstitch both ends to ensure durability. 
• From the inside, fold your skirt with right sides together.
• Starting at just above the base of your zipper, pin your skirt closed.
• Stitch the back seam of your skirt by sewing 1 inch from salvage edge.  
• Finish your back seam with a zig-zag or serge stitch.

Finishing touches

• Fold your waistband over along the press line. 
• Fold under the salvage edges of your waistband and pin. As you pin your waistband closed, tuck in the salvages edges of your inner waistline. 
• Press, press, press! 
• Sew the inside of your waistband closed. I personally like to finish the waistband by hand so that it has a “seamless” finish. 
• Try on your skirt and mark or pin where you want the hem length. 
• 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. 

RSVP to that black-tie event, put on some bold lipstick and head out!