Today is all about how to sew a knit pencil skirt in just a few easy steps!
This week we’ve been having a pencil skirt making sew along. On Monday we gave you all the instructions for how to create a pencil skirt sloper using your own measurements and then yesterday we gave you instructions for how to cut your fabric and sew up your pencil skirt.
But yesterdays instructions were for fabrics like cotton, denim, and wool. So what if you are like me and want to make yourself a pencil skirt from a knit fabric?
Then today is your day! Knit pencil skirts are seriously a breeze to make…they are actually one of my favorite projects right now because they come together so quickly and you have something so fun when you are finished.
Let’s get started.
The only supplies you will need are the sloper you created for yourself using Monday’s “Drafting A Skirt Sloper” instructions , your fabric, scissors, pins, and a serger.
Once you have gathered those five things we are going to decide where we want our waistband. For mine I measured down the curved side of my sloper about 3.5 inches and then drew a curved line that mimics the curve of the waistline. After I drew my line I then cut along that same line to remove the top section of my sloper that will now become my waistband.
Repeat this on both your front and back sloper pieces.
Next cut out your main skirt front and back piece. Do this by cutting 1 front and 1 back piece on the fold.
Now it’s time to cut our waist band pieces.
Place your front waistband piece on the fold.
Trace the bottom and side of your piece.
Then flip that pattern over like a page of a book.
And trace again.
When you are finished your waistband piece should look like this:
If it does, cut it out. If it doesn’t send me an email and let’s figure out what’s going on….
(Make sure you repeat this process for both your front and your back waist band pieces.)
Now it’s time to get sewing…if we’ve done everything right we have a main front piece of fabric, a main back piece of fabric, a front waistband piece, and a back waistband piece.
Place your front and your back waistband pieces right sides together and serge the two end sections together.
(It should look like this when you are finished.)
Next place your main front fabric and your main back fabric right sides together and serge.
Perfect! Now fold your waistband in half lengthwise with the right sides out.
And now your waistband is ready to be attached to your skirt!
Do this by placing your waistband inside the skirt (so right sides are together and the raw edged side of your waistband is aligned with the raw top edge of your skirt).
Then pin the side seams of the skirt to the side seams of the waistband. And then start pinning the skirt to the waistband around the entire circumference.
Once you are pinned you are ready to surge!
Surge together your main fabric to your waistband.
When you are finished the inside of your skirt will look like this.
And now all you have left to do is to hem your skirt in with whatever method you like to use best.
Then get all fancy and kick up your heels because…
You’re done!!!
But before I sign off for the day I want to give you a few tips for sewing pencil skirts with knit:
Knit stretches…seriously….so when I am cutting out my fabric I don’t add any ease or seam allowances to my sloper…I just use it “as is” for a pattern. And sometimes I even cut my skirt a quarter inch smaller than my sloper if I have really stretchy fabric.
The heavier the knit the happier I am with my skirt…both the fit and the appearance of the skirt.
And as for where to get knit….well…..each of the skirts shown in this post were made from knit purchased at a thrift store…thick, smelly, heavy, vintage knit…that I am absolutely IN LOVE WITH…it’s my favorite (and because I bought it all at a thrift store it made the cost of ALL three skirts and the poster board for my sloper less than $10!). But I realize that moth ball scented fabric isn’t for everyone so if you are looking for great apparel fabric I’d check Michael Levine’s online store…they always have something cool.
Alright! So that is it for me today.
Have a great Thursday everyone!
-liZ
PS—Yes, my legs really are that white in real life….it’s been a long, long, long winter…..
Wow you make that look so easy! I’m desperate to have a go at making one up! Had to laugh at your legs comment – mine are just the same – fake tan needed I think! X
Great skirt, Liz!
And I love that Michael Levine’s has a separate section just on ikat. Bravo! Bravo!
It HAS been a deeply unpleasant winter, hasn’t it? Thank goodness it’s almost over. I mean, it has to be over. Like, now.
I love smelly thrift store knit too! I thought I was alone. I think we have to be friends 🙂
Make one! Make one! And then let’s pray for the sun to come back…fast!!!
-liZ
Winter does have to be over. Now. Really or I am going to go crazy.
And I know!!!! A whole ikat section!!!
Done.
We are now officially friends! 🙂
-liZ
I read through your tutorial for sewing a Pencil Skirt– it’s so thorough with sharp photos. I’m retired and so I don’t need this style of skirt, but I’m certain you have may fans/bloggers who can use the tutorial, this one for a knit fabric with a few tips for using a knit that stretches. Thanks for sharing. Sarah Helene in Minneapolis
Wonderful skirt, Liz.
I wish I had a serger, you really make it so easy 🙂
Thanks a lot for the tuto ;-).
Marie
Can I do 1/4″ seams if I don’t have a serger? Or will it be too “bunchy”?
Your directions are perfect and very clear. Got to try this knit version. Hope I look as great as you do in it when it’s finished. 😉
I’m so late to the party on this tutorial, but ohmygosh! I’ve got to make a bunch for work! It looks so sleek and professional, yet so comfy! How much fabric did you use for each skirt? I think we are about the same size. I haven’t made my sloper yet, but want to go ahead and order some fabric. A yard and 1/2? Or 2?
When making your close fitting stretch skirt from your basic sloper using just a 2 inch wide elastic turned over, rather than the deep waistband shown on the tutorial, what do you do about the darts please? Any suggestions?
I think that since the skirt is serged, and the knit block contains no ease (or seam allowances), the darts become moot.
Do you sell knit fabric and the wide elastic?
I have found that using a double needle in my regular sewing machine does a great job sewing knit material… I typically use it to hem/alter and love the results
I need some help with knit pencil skirt hems! How do you keep the stitches from getting too tight and popping out as you walk or a more stretchable hem in other words? Do I need a walking foot besides a stretch needle?
Hi, I am at the cutting stage.. it all looks promising… however, I don’t see at what stage you sewed the darts we’ve put in. What am I missing?
you put darts on the pattern but don’t refer to them in the sewing of the skirt or waistband. what happened to the darts please?
When sewing this skirt in knit, what is the advantage of the separate waistband versus just shaping the top to allow for turning over your wide elastic? Also, if it is long or midi length, I suppose you need a kick pleat?