NOTE: While the pattern will be made of non-stretch material, you should make the skirt itself out of a stretch fabric such as Lycra.
We are going to show you how to make a pattern for a circle skirt. The circle skirt is perfect for a 50’s costume, for an ice skating skirt, to make a dance skirt, to make an Irish dance skirt and more. It is the same technique for each of them. We even make them long just to wear around every day. They are very comfortable and look great!
This particular circle skirt will have no seams going down the back or sides. The only seams will be where the waistband is sewn together and where the waistband is sewn to the skirt.
Supplies:
- Old sheets, old material, etc.
- Paper
- Measuring Tape
- Yard stick
- Scissors
- Pins
- Sharpie, tailor’s chalk or a small piece of soap
Directions:
- Determine Dimensions of Skirt
The first thing we need to do is figure out how big a hole you need in the center of the pattern to accommodate the dancer’s waist. So we need to determine the circumference of the hole. The circumference is the measurement around the area where the skirt will sit – either on your waist or on your hips or somewhere in between.
Let’s say that the waist’s measurement is 20 inches. If you do not have a measuring tape, you can take a piece of ribbon, or bias tape or even a string and wrap it around the body at the point that you want the skirt to sit. Do not have it tight or loose and baggy. Have it fit just right.
To make the pattern, we will need to find the diameter and the circumference of the hole that we will have to make for the skirt. Instead of dividing the circumference exactly like you would need to find that out, this will make it easier for you to find the circumference.
Usually you put a little ease in a pattern. Instead of dividing it exactly to figure out the radius and the diameter, we will use the method shown. This will give you an automatic ease. Take the tape or string of whatever you use, divide it evenly into thirds. Then, cut one of those thirds off leaving you a piece two thirds the original size. This will give you a little bit of ease so that it is not real snug against your waist. That will give you the diameter. Now, to get the radius, we will take the piece that represents the diameter and cut it in half. Remember, we determined the waistline is 20.” That will be important at a later time.
- Creating pattern
We like to use old sheets, old fabric, or something of that nature for this pattern, just not the fabric that you are going to use for the skirt. Once you are confident making patterns, you can use the fabric you will use for the skirt. Until then, we suggest you make a separate pattern.
Fold the pattern material in fourths (in half lengthwise and then in half the other direction) Make sure that all edges and folds match up and that the material on the inside of the folds are pulled up even. You will end up with one fold that has two layers and you need to make sure that both layers of the fold are even. The other folded side will be two separate folds on top of each other. You need to be careful because it is really easy for the fabric to move and then the skirt will be messed up.
Take a pin and stick the small tape representing the radius into the corner where all of the folds come together. Lay the paper tape (radius) down with the edge at the corner and mark the pattern material at the end of the paper tape. Keeping the pin and the tape in place, move the other end over a little to the side and make a little tick mark. Keep doing that and you will end up with a quarter pie circle marked in the corner. This will be ¼ of the circle that will go around. Measure the distance from the corner of the pattern paper to the marked ¼ circle that will represent the radius. In this case, it is 3 ½ inches.
Next, we will need to determine the length of the skirt. Let’s say we want the skirt to be 14 inches long. Add the 3 ½ inches to the 14 inches and we will need to mark 17 ½ inches from the corner. It is much easier if you take a piece of tape and put it at the measurement (in this case 17 ½ inches). That way you will not accidentally mismark the pattern material.
So, place the end of the yardstick in the corner where all the folds come together (same corner as radius marking) and mark the pattern material 17 ½ inches from the corner. Keeping the end of the yardstick in that corner, move the yardstick over a tad and mark at 17 ½ inches. Keep moving the yardstick and marking the pattern material as you go until you have reached the other edge of the pattern material. Then connect the marks. Make sure you end up with a circular hem. This will give you a much larger pie shape. Make sure that the material does not move and the end of the yardstick stays in place. Keep going until the edge.
Now, this skirt works well for a lot of things – a poodle skirt, a skating skirt, a cheer skirt and in a longer version, just a cute little skirt to wear whenever you please.
- Cut the pattern
Cut the pattern material along the little markings for the radius. A good way to check that the circle pattern is even is by folding the cut portion over when you reach the half way point. When you reach the half way mark, fold the cut piece over and it should match the markings for the second half.
Do the same thing for the markings for the length of the skirt. If you are afraid you may move the material, then put a few pins in the bottom of the skirt so that the material cannot move. Cut along the little marks at the hem line. There is the base for your circle skirt.
Remember if you cut into the diameter of the waistline area, it will change the length of the skirt and it will make it uneven if the diameter line is jagged.
- Making Waistband Pattern
The last thing we are going to show you is how to make a waistband pattern. First, lay a piece of fabric that has a straight end is more than 20 inches long on the table (we know the waist is 20 inches). (If your material does not have a straight edge, create a straight line along the grain of the fabric and then proceed with making the little marks and the second parallel line as instructed here.) So, we will mark the pattern material at 20 inches. Now, before we continue we need to recognize that if we make the waistband 20 inches long, it will require elastic to keep the waistband taut. So, we need to cut the length of the waistband a couple of inches shorter, about 18 inches long.
Now, the question is how wide should this waistband be. Remember that we will fold it in half. For the demonstration, we went for 3 ½ inches wide. When the waistband is folded in half, you will have a ¼ inch seam and the result will be a waistband of 1 ½ inches wide. (If you are using an overlock, a ¼ inch seam allowance is sufficient. If you are using a regular machine, you will need to use a zig zag or stretch stitch so you will need to have a ½ inch seam allowance to sew the waistband to the skirt. In that case, you will have to add another ½ inch to the width of the waistband. That will allow for a ½ inch seam allowance to sew the waistband to the skirt.) Next, make several little marks 3 ½ inches from the straight edge of the material. Using a yardstick, draw a straight line 18 inches long parallel to the edge (or the line you made in lieu of the edge) of the fabric connecting all of these little marks. Then mark a perpendicular line between the two parallel lines or the edge and the parallel line, whichever applies, at the beginning and the end of the 18”. This will give you a strip that is 18 inches x 3 ½ inches. Now, you will want to test this waistband. Try it on and see if it fits well. If it is too loose, cut a little more off the end.
- Identifying Pattern Pieces for Future Use
We suggest you mark the pattern pieces with all the particulars. Put all of the information on the larger piece – the name of the dancer, waist size, radius and diamete7r sizes, length of skirt, width and length of waistband, and some type of identification to match with the waistband, and lastly the date. You will want to mark the corresponding waistband pattern with minimal identifying information – the name of the dancer, the same identification mark as the one on the skirt pattern and the date. The reason for the date is in case there are changes in the size of the dancer, especially when you are dealing with a child.
- Future Use
Once you perfect your first pattern, you will be able to make many more very easily and perfectly.
Cut your waistband and circle skirt in stretchy material (i.e., Lycra) and then sew the waistband to the skirt. We will show you how to sew the waistband to the skirt in another chapter or in the video DIY A Circle Skirt.
When you cut the material for the skirt, you need to be aware of the pattern markings on the material. For instance, if you use stripes, they will not all hang straight down because of the pattern. Actually, it makes a very cute skirt. In the demonstration, we show the way it would look in stripes.
Actually, we like to use material that has stripes for the finished skirt. Instead of hanging straight down where all of the parallel stripes go in one direction, they will actually hang in slightly different directions because of the shape of the skirt. In the demonstration we show what happens when you use stripes. Actually, it is a very cute look.
