One of my very favorite skirts to both wear and make are knit pencil skirts….probably because they are stretchy and you feel like you are wearing pajamas all day…but you really are dressed! The other reason I love them is that you truly can wear them with everything–tee shirts and flip flops, to a blazer and heels and everything in between. And they are an easy afternoon sewing project!!!
Here’s what you need to make one:
Materials:
Pencil Skirt Pattern (GO HERE to make one–it’s fast I promise. You won’t need the darts….just steps 1-6)
1/2-1 yard of knit (I used Riley Blake Basic Knit in Blue and White Stripes)
1 yard of 2 1/2 inch elastic (Cut to 2 inches smaller than actual waist measurement.)
Thread to match
KNIT PENCIL SKIRT TUTORIAL–Midi Length
Step 1: Draft pencil skirt and cut out your front and back pieces. (TUTORIAL HERE TO DRAFT SKIRT PATTERN)
Step 2: Serge or stitch down the side seams of skirt (match stripes if needed).
Step 3: Stitch waistband into a circle. After the waistband is stitched in a circle divide the waistband into 4ths as shown below (fold in half, pin, fold in half again, pin–repeat.)
Step 4: Repeat with the skirt, dividing it into 4 quadrants. (Side seams will be half, fold in half the other way and pin.)
Step 5: With right sides together pin the elastic to the right side of the skirt as shown below.
Step 6: Stitch the elastic to the skirt, slightly stretching it to fit into place (remember it is 2 inches smaller). Slightly pull the elastic as you are stitching around the top of the skirt.
Luckily my stitching is straighter than making lines in photoshop…ha!
Step 7: Turn waistband to the inside of skirt and tack it down on the side seams.
Step 8: Hem your skirt and you are done! My secret to hemming knits is double sided fusible hem tape. You iron it on one side….then peel the paper on and iron it up with the hem. It makes the hem not wavy when you go to sew it down.
And you are done! These are great skirts for tweens and teens too….so make one for you and then make a couple in your size for some teen girls for Skirting the Issue.
Happy Skirt Making,
Elizabeth
P.S.- Here is a pinnable image to save for later….
