Gathered Skirt

There’s nothing quite like donning a flared skirt to bring out your inner diva, and best of all, there’s no pattern needed to make this one! Be the centre of attention during your evening festivities, or embody the epitome of office chic with this statement gathered skirt by Amanda Walker. The cotton fabric we’ve used has a printed pattern running along the length of it, which thins as it progresses across the width.

Essentials

Fabric, 2m

Lightweight fusible interfacing

Hook and bar fastening

Dimensions List

Main skirt: measure your waist to determine fabric length. The ratio for the gathering is 3:1, so a 66cm waist x 3 = 1.98m. Add 3cm for the hem and 1.5cm for the waistline seam allowance.
Waistband strip: add 2.5cm to waist measurement, 2cm for the overlap and 1.5cm seam allowance at each end. Cut a fabric strip, 16cm wide, to this measurement, plus
another in fusible interfacing.
1.5cm seam allowances are used throughout

1 Neaten the two short edges of the main skirt for the back seam. Adjust your sewing machine to a large gathering stitch and sew two rows, 5mm apart, along the top edge of the skirt. Pull up the threads to gather, ensuring it measures the same as the waistband, minus 5cm.

2 Match the edges of the back seam, pin the neatened edges and stitch from the base of the skirt, leaving a gap at the top. Sew a concealed zip into the gap at the top of the seam. Fold and press the allowance along the two sides of the opening.

3 Open the seam allowance and, with right sides facing, pin the opened zip face down, matching the teeth to the crease line in the allowance, then sew the zip in place. Carefully thread the zip pull through to the right side and close. Fuse interfacing to the waistband, and neaten one of the long edges of the band.

4 Fold the waistband in half lengthwise, right sides facing, then stitch the hook extension and the other end of the waistband ends. Clip the bulk from the corners and turn the ends back to the right side. Pin the prepared band to the top edge of the skirt, right sides facing, leaving the hook extension area protruding from the back top side seam.

5 Stitch the waistband on the right side of the skirt and pin the back neatened edge inside the skirt, sandwiching the raw edges inside. Seal by stitching in the ditch. Fold and press a 3cm hem, then machine or hand-sew. Add the hook and bar fastening to finish.