Pencil skirts are classic and timeless. They look flattering on a multitude of body types and are relatively easy to sew. Getting a perfect fit can be a bit more complicated, but overall, we are dealing with a few seam adjustments. In my video tutorial I won’t be addressing fitting, just the construction. I will add this fitting tip though: baste the skirt sides together before stitching so can get a first fitting. In my first fitting the hip area was just a dash looser than ideal, but I was able to bring it in a quarter inch on both sides; therefore, reducing the hip circumference by 1 inch total. You can see the subtle detail in the photos of the skirt inside out. I hope that helps if you run into a similar situation.
What You’ll Need
The pattern I used is McCall’s 3830 and, at this time, it is out of print. A similar pattern is McCall’s 8051. The main fabric is a stretch corduroy from JoAnn in an eggplant purple. The fabric used for the facing is a Chinese jacquard remnant from JoAnn in a beautiful hot pink color. I wanted to spice up the interior of the skirt with flashy Hong Kong seam finishing. You’ll need roughly 1.5 yards for a skirt like this, interfacing, thread, and an invisible zipper.
Video Tutorial
Photos
Extra Resources
Hong Kong Seam Tutorial
Silk Blouse Tutorial (seen in the video)
Scalloped Neckline Tutorial (seen in the video)
Invisible Zipper Tutorial
Go get creative and make something you love!
-Paige
Hi Paige, thank you for all of your high-quality and fun content! Since watching your muslin tutorial, I always thread trace the seam lines. However, when using fine muslin, the fabric puckers, and sometimes this shortens its length on long spans. Do you have any advice for reducing puckering when sewing fine muslin?
I would try adjusting my thread tension (looser).