Urban Skirt

This skirt is uber comfy and highly versatile. Easy to pull on and dress up or down. While anyone can make and wear this skirt, I specifically designed it to be high-waisted so that when I pull my top up to nurse my baby, I don’t have to expose my midsection. Hurray for function and style!
 
Skill Level: beginner to Intermediate sewer. 

​Made from sustainable bamboo fabric

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Notions:

• Medium to light weight stretch fabric – I used fabric with 40% four-way stretch
• 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 plus 1 inch.
• Hip: measure your hips.
• Adjusted Hip: your hip measurement plus 1 inch.
• Waist to Hip: length between your waist and hip.
• Waist to Mid calf: Measure the length between your waist your mid-calf (or to whatever length you desire).
• Break up your waist to mid calf measurement by the following:
  • Waist to Mid-thigh Length: Measure the length between your waist to your mid-thigh
  • Mid-thigh to Mid-calf: Measure the length between your mid-thigh your mid-calf (or to whatever length you desire).
• Front Length: multiply your waist to mid-thigh measurement by 1.5 (this is for the ruching), add your mid-thigh to mid-calf length plus another 2 inches
• Back Length: Measure the length between the back of your waist to mid-calf (or to whatever length you desire) and add another 2 inches.

 
Cut it out

• Lay out your fabric on a hard smooth surface.
• Measure and cut a rectangle using your adjusted hip for the width, front length for the length.
• Measure and cut a second rectangle, adjusted hip for the width, and your back length for the length.
• Fold both rectangles in half lengthwise, with right sides together.

Shape up

• Keeping your rectangles in half lengthwise, from the top of the folded edge, measure and mark along the width ½ your adjusted waist. Do this for both rectangles.
• Starting with your longer rectangle (front), from the top of the salvage edge, measure and mark along the length 1.5 times your waist to hip measurement.
• For your shorter rectangle (back), from the top of the salvage edge, measure and mark along the length your waist to hip measurement.
• On each rectangle draw a diagonal line between these two points.

Rectangles to angles

• Cut along your diagonal lines.

Waist no space
For this skirt I added a 4 inch thick waist band, but you can go wider or thinner.

• Waistband width: using your desired waistband thickness (say 4 inches) double this (8 inches) and add 1 inch for the seam (total of 9 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!

Ruche it up

• Lay out the longer piece of fabric (the front side) right side down.
• Starting at the top of your piece (AKA the smaller end), along both side lengths, mark the length that equals 1.5 times your waist to mid-calf measurement. 
• Using your ruffle foot, gather foot or the “old school” way, via baste stich and hand, gather along this measurement on both sides.
• Once gathered your piece should be about the same length as your back length measurement.
• Make sure your ruffle edge is secure and will not come undone.

Sidelines

• On a hard smooth surface, lay out the non-ruched piece of fabric (the back side) right side up.
• Lay the ruched piece on top facing right side down, the two pieces should be right sides faced together.
• Pin along each side and sew the skirt closed.

Check point – try it on!

• The skirt should slip over your hips and fit snugly around your waist, with room at the bottom for the hem. 
• Make adjustments if needed.

 
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.
• Try the waistband on to make sure it is the right size.
• Make adjustments as needed. 

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.
• 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.
• 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 (I suggest zig-zag stitch for stretchiness). 

Pair with your favourite t-shirt and flats or dress it up with heels!