High Low Maxi Skirt Tutorial

      I'm not quite sure what all to call this skirt, I started out with a tulip skirt in mind...but I wandered from the original intent... so, this skirt is sort of a tulip, wrap, maxi hybrid skirt with a high/low hem line. How's that for confusing?! No worries though, this skirt is super, ridiculously simple to make! So, simple in fact that it takes TWO seams...that's it! See? No excuses, you can so do this! I used a polyester knit that had spandex in it. It is so fabulously comfy to wear, but so stinking annoying to sew it's not even funny. It slips and slides and all sorts of things, and generally makes you want to throw things...but it's worth it when it's done, promise.

      You will need about a yard and a half of 60 inch wide fabric, the stretchier the better. You will also need  enough 2 inch wide elastic to fit your waist. Fold the fabric just as it comes off the bolt, with the stretch going width wise. These are the measurements you need.
"A" - how short you want the front
"B" - how long you want the skirt
Width - your hip measurement plus ten inches, divided by 2
     Cut the fabric in a large rectangle. Cut the whole thing as long as your "B" measurement.

      Now, measure down the raw edge to your "A" measurement. So, for mine, I measured down 20 inches and marked it with a chalk.

      On the bottom edge, I started at the fold and measured ever hip width divided by four.

      Now, between those two marks, you want to cut a sort of stretched out "s" shape. The main thing is to make sure on the raw edge you start out cutting strait for about 3 inches before curving down. That way it it has a nice slope when you open it up, and won't make funny heart shape the front. Unless you're into heart shape hemlines, in which case, by all means enjoy.

      Open up the skirt, right sides out, and fold a third of it over like so. Why yes, my work table does happen to be my kitchen counter...so some people cook in their kitchens. I prefer to sew in mine, and eat cereal for every meal I can get away with doing so.

       Fold the other section over like so. The long section should be centered on the back hemline, and the curves on either side should be even.

      The top should measure hip divided by 2 minus 2 inches.

     I pop a few pins along the top to keep the overlaps in place. Leave about a four inch tail on the front unpinned.

      Now then, you just need a waist band measuring, hip divided by 2 minus 3 inches long by 5 inches wide.

      Now we just have to sew it together. I start with that little four inch flap we left unpinned. I gather it up and tack it down to make a bit of a drape affect down the front. (OK, so technically that makes this a THREE seam skirt, but I don't consider that a seam!...and if you are really good, you could include it in the next step. I'm not that good, I'm pretty clumsy actually, so I prefer to tack it in place before proceeding further.)

      Sew the waist band together so it is a long tube. Fold it over, right sides out, like so.

      Slip the band over the skirt. I put my waist band seam in the center back, and then continue pinning it onto the skirt. Make sure in the front, you have all four raw edges pined nice and tidy like.

      Sew the band onto the skirt. Make sure to leave about three inches open for the elastic.

      Thread the elastic through, and sew the elastic ends together.

      Sew the opening shut.

      I go ahead and run my serger back over that little spot just to make the inside look pretty, but that's not mandatory.  I also like to slide the extra fabric to the back waist band as much as possible, so that the front has a nice flat look. You could hem if you like, but it this sort of fabric looks just fine without it.

     So there now, that was easy! The worst part about all that is the cutting out, in my opinion. I did four of these this afternoon, all different sizes, and as long as you follow the formula, it will work just perfect.

     Speaking of working just perfect, my computer is in fact, doing just the opposite these days. It has decided it would be fun to just randomly turn off at frequent intervals...so sorry if posts get a little sluggish in coming while I try to coerce this horrid thing into behaving! Hope your week is chugging along just as delightful as could be!

Psalms 9:10   And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. 


linking to:
Someday Crafts
Sew Woodsy
Organize and Decorate Everything
Sew Much Ado
My Girlish Whims
the freckled laundry
Brassy Apple
Homemaker on a Dime
Under the Table and Dreaming