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Skirt Sew Along - Cutting the Pieces

Today is the 4th post in the Skirt Sew Along, and it's time to cut out the pieces.  Tomorrow we'll begin sewing!

Before Cutting

Launder Fabric

If you haven't already done so, and you are using washable fabric, go ahead and wash and dry your fabric. 

In my opinion, fabric should always be washed before being used. Most of it is full of chemicals from the manufacturing process, and it's also kind of dirty from being handled at the fabric store.  If it's washable, I wash it.

Nap

Fabric with nap changes will look different when viewed from different directions. 

If your fabric has nap, cut all the pieces oriented in the same direction, or your finished garment will look like it's made from a couple slightly different fabrics.

Some fabrics always have nap (corduroy, velvet, velour). 

Other fabrics don't technically have "nap", but do have a subtle shading difference that creates the same effect. This can be subtle and can be tricky spot [this article has some tips].  If it's not obvious, or you aren't 100% sure, just consider it to have nap and cut your pieces oriented the same direction. 

Nap Direction

Many of you might be making your skirt in corduroy--that's perfect!  It's fantastic fabric for clothing.  This article has some great tips for sewing with corduroy. 

If you have corduroy, or another fabric with nap, you need to decide whether you want the nap going up or down.

There are two considerations:

1. Which shade do you like better?  With the nap running up the fabric looks darker and more saturated with color.  With the nap running down it looks lighter and the color is softer. 

2. Do you care if your butt looks shiny?  As the nap gets flattened from sitting on it, it can give your backside a sheen.  To minimize the shine effect, the nap needs to run downward (lighter shade). 

In general, bottoms should have the nap running downward (lighter shade), and tops are best with the nap running upward (darker shade). 

Laying the Pieces Out

Stay On Grain

In apparel sewing you really want to be "on grain" by cutting your pieces with them accurately lined up with the straight grain. 

Store bought knit shirts are a great example of what happens when clothing is not cut on grain.  It's pretty common for the side seams of an inexpensive knit shirt to eventually begin to twist and become more of a diagonal seam across your lower front.  

With skirts, cutting the pieces off grain can make the skirt want to corkscrew around your body.  If you've ever had a skirt where your found yourself repeatedly having to twist it to the back, off grain fabric was probably the cause.

To keep things on grain, you want to spend a few extra seconds measuring to make sure the pieces are aligned with the straight grain. 

Where the fabric is folded, measure the fold to check it is the same width the entire length (top & bottom arrows in photo) of the fold. 

Also measure to make sure the grain line arrows are aligned with the straight grain.  Check both the bottom and top of the arrows (middle arrows in photo). 

BTW, pieces that are half pieces do not have grain line arrows--the folded edge is the straight grain indicator. 

Mirror Images

All pieces, except the waist facing, need to be cut as mirror images since our bodies are symmetrical.

The last picture in this post shows each side is a mirror image of the other. 

Since the A & B pieces are cut on fold, you don't need to do anything other than place them along the folded edge.

The C, D, E & F pieces can either be cut on a folded section of fabric, which will automatically give you the mirror images, or trace the piece once with the printed side up, then turn the piece over with the print side down and trace around it a second time. 

Tracing

Tracing the piece outlines is more accurate than pinning.  Pinning will also be a challenge with the printer paper.  What I do is tack the pieces down with pins to the Dritz Superboard, and then trace around them.  Pattern weights can also be used to hold the pieces in place.

Cutting Layouts

Cutting layouts are below.  They aren't to scale and aren't ideal, but the best I can do.  These particular types of graphics are something I struggle to create! 

Anyway, the folded sections are shown in grey.  Pieces in the white section need one piece traced with the print side up, and the second piece traced with the print side down.  These are labeled to flip the pieces.

When patterns give you cutting layouts they may not be the most efficient way to cut your fabric, since you may have a slightly different width, or maybe you see a better arrangement possibility.  

You can play around with moving the pieces and see how it works best with your fabric width.  If you don't have nap, remember you can turn some pieces the other way to fit them together as closely as possible. 

As far as the notches, the pattern pieces include them, but we aren't going to use them.  On simple things like a skirt, I don't use the notches, and in this particular project we need to focus on matching up the yoke/body seams.  For projects with sleeves, or a lot of individual pieces, I would use the notches provided, but for this you don't need to mark them. 

Cut Pieces

Main Fabric:

• (1) A - cut on fold
• (1) B - cut on fold
• (2) C - mirror images
• (2) E - mirror images
• (2) F - mirror images
  

Quilting Cotton:

• (2) D - mirror images
• (1) Waist Facing - 2.5" high (5cm) x waist measurement + 3" (8cm) or WoF.  We'll trim this piece at the end, so I cut this piece the width of the fabric (WoF) rather than measuring.

Main Fabric Diagrams:

 

Quilting Cotton Diagram:

The Pieces

These are your front pieces:

These are your back pieces:

Skirt Sew Along Schedule:

1/2/15 - taking measurements
1/3/15 - fabric shopping
1/9/15 - preparing the pattern pieces & making fit adjustments
1/10/15 - cut pieces
1/11/15 - seam finishes, sew skirt front & back
1/16/15 - install invisible zipper, sew front to back, fit adjustments
1/17/15 - finish waist
1/18/15 - hem
1/23/15 - bonus post - making a fully lined skirt

 

 

 

Skirt Sew Along - Preparing the Pattern Pieces

Today is the 3rd post for the Skirt Sew Along, and today we'll get the pattern pieces ready, and I'll show you some common alterations.

Print

Double check that the scale shows 100% in your print properties, and print the pattern pieces.  In Adobe Acrobat I find they print automatically at 100%, but in Preview (mac PDF reader) they automatically scale below 100%.  So do take a quick look. 

Check the 1" squares.  Each page has a 1" test square and I spot check a few pages, but not all them.  If a couple are fine, then they probably all printed at the same scale.  If some pages printed at a different scale it would become obvious during taping because the pattern lines would be difficult/impossible to match.

Trim & Tape

This part is pretty self explanatory--match up the numbers and tape the pieces together.

After taping the pages together 8+ times, I've found it easier to match up the edges if I trim one edge, but leave the other intact and then overlap the edges. 

The other option is to trim around the grey box on all pieces and then match up the edges.  That's fine too, but you end up doing more trimming that way. 

General Info

All examples are shown on the Dritz Superboard mentioned in this sew along post. Another grid surface can also be used, or simply use a ruler to measure.

Before cutting out the pieces, look through the changes below to see if there are any you need/want to make.  Some you'd want to make before cutting out the pieces and others can be done after. 

Read through the entire section of that alteration before making your changes.

Feel free to sew the size you've selected without making any changes.  You'll have a chance to bring it in some when we sew the sides seams, and you can always come back to these alterations for your next skirt when you have a better idea of how this fits your body.

Abbreviations:

CF = Center Front - This is the straight edge of pieces A & B.

CB = Center Back - This is the straight edge of pieces E & F. 

Make Larger/Smaller/Between Sizes

We'll make width changes at the CF and CB seams, so it's simply a matter of doing the math and adding/subtracting at these straight edges.

The total change you want to make to the width needs to be divided so the change is spread equally to the front and back of the skirt. 

The front of the skirt is cut on a fold, so any changes to the CF will be twice the amount you add/subtract.  Any changes at the back will be also be doubled because you will cut two pieces. 

So the equation is:

(total change/2)/2 = amount to add/subtract at CF of A & B and CB of E & F. 

For example, if you want to make the xl 2" larger because your waist is about 38.5" you would:

1. Divide the total amount to add by 2 to figure out how much to add to both the front and back.  In this example, half of 2" is 1".  So 1" needs to be added to both the front and back.
2. Divide this amount by 2 again.  In this example, 1" divided by 2 = 0.5". 
3. Add 0.5" to the CF seam of pieces A & B.  Since this seam is on a fold, this amount will be doubled once the piece is cut to give you the total 1" needed in the front. 
4. Add 0.5" to the CB seam of pieces E & F.  The back is two pieces so cutting each piece with the additional 0.5" will give you the total 1" needed for the back side.

To make the xs 2" smaller, you would subtract these same amounts in the same places. 

There is a 2" difference between each size, so if you want to alter the pattern pieces for a between size, select the larger size of the two and then:

• Subtract 0.25" from the CF of A & B and CB of E & F.  This will decrease the size by 1" using the same principle as above. 

Shorten

The skirt is 25.5" long if you sew all the seams precisely and hem it at exactly 1.25".

In this example the skirt is being shorten by 4".  For many people this will bring it up 1" - 2" above the knee. If you need help deciding how long yours should be, go back to this post and do the calculation for your ideal skirt length. 

The difference between your desired length and 25.5" is the amount to shorten/lengthen.

Unless you want to shorten the yoke, the entire amount to change the length will be done to only B & F.  If you are changing the height of the yoke, you'd allocate the change between all four pieces. 

Both the B & F pieces need to be modified the same way, so in the photos the example pieces are laid out side by side so they can both be marked at the same time. 

This is where the grid surface makes things quick and easy.  I've also aligned them with the top measurement (see below) at a horizontal grid line, and the CF/CB aligned at a vertical grid line to ensure the pieces are straight up and down.  Then tack them to the board with pins, and since they are all lined up and stabilized, I can match my yardstick to the horizontal grid line and trace the lines across both pieces at once. 

BTW, the reason we shorten/lengthen this way is to maintain the overall shape of the skirt.  Simply cutting off the bottom will give you a new skirt shape since the sweep (circumference of the hem) will be much smaller. 

With a simple skirt like this cutting off the bottom would give you a new silhouette that is more pencil skirt than a-line.  That might be ok, if you want to make this significant change.  With other things, like pants, altering it by cutting at the bottom can mean a baggy crotch and other disasters. So it's generally best to use this method. 

1. Draw a line horizontally across the B & F pieces 6.5" below the top. 

2. Draw a second line horizontally across both pieces 4" below (or however much you plan to shorten it) the first line.

3. Cut along the second line on each pattern piece.  BTW, if you ever shorten a tissue paper pattern you would fold these two lines to meet.  Folding tissue is easier than trying to tape it back together.  Printer paper gets thick though, so for patterns you print at home cut and tape is the best method.

4. Match the cut edge to the line at 6.5" and tape the pieces back together. 

5. Now the side seam lines need to be redrawn on both pieces.  You may need to patch in a small amount of paper to keep this line straight.  If you look at either B or F piece you'll see around the hip (top side seam notch) the pattern curves slightly.  Below this curve is where the sides straighten out.  This straight line needs to be redrawn down to meet the bottom corner.  If it doesn't exactly meet the corner, that's ok.  You just don't want to make a significant change to the width at the bottom side seam corner or it will effect the shape of the skirt.   

The A & E yoke pieces are 4.5" when finished and can also be shorten using this same cut and tape back together method.

If you wanted to make this skirt to sit low on your hips, or you are low waisted, you may want to shorten the yoke so the pocket openings end up at the bottom of your hip bones. 

BTW, this skirt is going to sit slightly below your natural waist.  Even though we are making it with natural waist measurements it will "grow" as the fabric stretches and will end up settling below your natural waist line. 

To make it to sit lower on your body, measure where you want the top of the skirt (remember it grows, so maybe go a tad bit higher), and then treat that as your waist measurement.  Then consider shortening the yoke if it looks like 4.5" below this new waist measurement is going to mean the pocket openings are too far down.

If you want to shorten the yoke, use the same principles as above, but mark and cut it 2" down the CF/CB seam, and substract the amount to shorten. 

Consider this change as part of any overall change to the length.  For example, if you want the skirt 3" shorter and shorten the yoke by 1", you'd only need to shorten the B & F pieces by 2". 

Lengthen

To make your skirt longer, you would add the to the length by cutting at the 6.5" mark and then add in enough paper to give you the extra amount.  You'll probably also need some extra paper at the side to reconnect the side seam line.   

After you've patched in the paper, redraw the side seam in a straight line down to the bottom side seam corner. 

Make the same lengthen changes to both B & F pieces.

Smaller Pockets

The pockets are pretty generous on this skirt.  You can make them smaller if you like by shortening both pocket pieces at the bottom and along the bottom center edge. 

Draw the new outline on piece D.  Leave the top edge, pocket opening, and the top part of the side seam edge as given--these need to match up to other parts of your skirt.  The new line doesn't need to be perfect--it's not visible on the finished skirt. 

 

Once you've modified D, lay D over C and then cut the new outline through both pieces.

Predominant Posterior (Bubble Butt) Alteration

If you notice your skirts look shorter in the back than in the front, an easy alteration to work towards correcting this is to add some extra length to the CB seam of piece F.  

If you have an example skirt you can take a look in the mirror to get an idea of the difference between the front and back.  If you aren't sure, a good starting point is to add 1".

Some additional paper will need to be taped along the bottom of F. 

Once you have enough paper, mark 1"(or your measurement) below the original edge of the pattern piece. 

Mark off a right angle at your meausurement, and then draw straight across for 2" - 3" inches and begin to gradually curve up to meet the side seam. The bottom edge of the B piece can be used as a tracing guide to help you draw the line. It doesn't fit perfectly, but it can be helpful edge for drawing the new curve. 

 

Skirt Sew Along Schedule:

1/2/15 - taking measurements
1/3/15 - fabric shopping
1/9/15 - preparing the pattern pieces & making fit adjustments
1/10/15 - cut pieces
1/11/15 - seam finishes, sew skirt front & back
1/16/15 - install invisible zipper, sew front to back, fit adjustments
1/17/15 - finish waist
1/18/15 - hem
1/23/15 - bonus post - making a fully lined skirt

 

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Pink Corduroy Skirt

Here's another skirt I made for our sew along adventure.  This is the xs size in baby wale pink corduroy. 

This one has been shortened by 4", which will bring it up over the knees for most people.  On Friday we'll go over how to shorten/lengthen, make it bigger/smaller, change the pocket size, and adjusting the back side if you find your skirts tend to ride up. 

Feel free to join in any time--the blog posts are public and there is time to catch up, or make it on your own schedule.

Skirt Sew Along - Shopping List

 

Welcome to day 2 of the Skirt Sew Along! 

Today we'll go over what you need to complete this project, as well as some optional items you might want to pick up now, or consider for future use. 

I'll talk about each item individually, so you'll understand how much you need, what we are doing with it, if there are possible substitutions, etc. 

You Need:

• main fabric (see amount table)
• quilting cotton (1/2 yard)
• 9" invisible zipper
• zipper foot (regular foot is fine)
• matching thread
• basic sewing notions/tools

Optional:

• invisible zipper foot
• (1) hook & eye - size 1 - round eye
• rayon seam binding - 8 yards
• Dritz Wash Away WonderTape
• Dritz Superboard

- - Necessary - -

Main Fabric

This skirt works best in medium weight fabric with some body, but not a lot of thickness. There are a couple places with a few layers of fabric and those happen to be across your stomach and in the middle of the zipper.  So stay away from heavy canvas type fabrics, heavy denims, thick wool, anything that feels stiff, etc.

A "bottom weight" apparel fabric with some drape is ideal: twill, light weight denim, stretch denim, stretch cotton, corduroy, wool suiting, a medium weight linen, etc.

Quilting cotton also works ok for the main fabric and can be a nice weight for a summer skirt.  It doesn't have as much recovery as a bottom weight fabric though, so it tends to stretch out and hold wrinkles at the waist and hips. So while it's not ideal, but it definitely can be done. 

Matching prints isn't difficult, but you'll need additional fabric and patience.  Small stripes are easy to match (you don't need extra fabric) and it won't be obvious if they don't match up perfectly.  Plaids, and other more complicated prints, will be trickier.  Add 1/4 - 1/3 of a yard of additional fabric to your amount. 

The fabric amounts are for fabrics with or without nap, so they are calculated for all the pieces to be cut oriented the same direction.  Fabrics with nap, directional prints, and some fabrics look slightly different when viewed from the other direction, so by default I consider that the pieces will all be oriented the same direction during cutting.  We can play around with the layout during cutting to maximize the use of the fabric.   

To figure out how much you need, find your hip and waist measurements in the "Body Measurements" amount table (page 2 of the pattern document) to determine your size and corresponding fabric amount. 

If you are in between sizes, go up to the next size. We'll adjust this when preparing the pattern pieces (1/9/15) and/or during fitting (1/16/15). 

If you are a mix of size measurements--say your hip is closer to a large, but your waist is a medium--pick the larger size. We'll adjust for this when preparing the pattern pieces (1/9/15) and/or during fitting (1/16/15). 

If you plan to make the xl larger, 2" yards of 45" fabric, or 1.5 yards of 60" fabric should be sufficient. 

Clothing patterns generally give amounts for 45" and 60" wide fabric, so both are available in the table.  To be honest, I rarely see apparel fabric in these specific widths, and mostly see varations in the 50" range.  So unless you find a true 60" wide fabric, use the 45" width amount.  There will be some fabric left over, but you'll find a good use for it. 

Quilting Cotton

We'll use this to line the front of the pocket & face the waist.  It won't be visible to anyone but you, but it's a cute detail, and the lighter fabric helps with keep the seam bulk down.  You probably have enough fabric in your stash for this, but if you need to buy fabric get 1/2 yard. 

Invisible Zipper

You'll need a 9" invisible zipper.  YKK Unique is my favorite invisible zipper brand.  The tape is soft and flexible, which is nice for clothing. 

If you can't get a 9" zipper, an 8" zipper is fine for xs - m sizes, and a 10" is good for the l - xl sizes.

Zipper Foot

Invisible zippers can be installed with the regular zipper foot, and people have been doing this for a long, long time.  With a regular zipper foot you will need to work a little bit to keep the stitching line on course and as close to the zipper teeth as you can, but it can be done. 

An invisible zipper foot makes sewing invisible zippers really easy.  If you think you'll make more clothes, you'll want to get this foot for your machine at some point.  More info about this foot is available in the optional supplies section below.

Matching Thread

For clothing it's nice to have thread that is a good match for your main fabric.  Select the closest color to the background of your main fabric, and go with the darker shade if there are two that are a pretty close match. 

Basic Sewing Notions/Tools

You'll be using your machine, scissors, pins, marking pen/chalk, and maybe a seam ripper (though I'll try to help you avoid using it!).

- - Optional - -

Invisible Zipper Foot

As mentioned above, an invisible zipper can be installed with the regular zipper foot, but it is easier with the invisible zipper foot.

This special foot has channels that hold the zipper teeth out of the way so you can sew as close to the teeth as possible.  This is the key to the invisible zipper and this foot makes putting in these zippers so, so easy!  Once you are set up and off to a start, the foot will guide you right down the zipper.

You'll probably want to get a foot designed specifically for your machine.  You might also see something like this little all-purpose kit, but they aren't great.  They are however cheap, so maybe it's worth a try if you aren't sure about your clothing sewing future. 

Hook & Eye

If you don't use a hook and eye above the zipper there will be a small gap of about 0.25" above the zipper.  I have a bunch of skirts without a hook & eye and the gap doesn't bother me.  I can't see or feel it.  So you don't have to use a hook & eye, but they are a nice finishing touch, and if you like to tuck your shirt in, you probably want one. 

Get a Size 1 (or 2) hook & ROUND eye.  There are straight eyes and round eyes and the difference is the straight ones are for fabric that overlaps, and the round ones are for edges that meet--which is what we have here with the skirt.  The package will indicate whether they are straight or round, with some mixed packages like the one in the photo.     

Rayon Seam Binding

For the first skirt, a basic zig zag stitch is going to be the easiest option for most people. I'll talk about seam finishing options on 1/11/15.  For now, just know there are three main choices: zig zag or overcast stitch, seam binding, or serger. 

If you happen to have a serger, or don't mind the basic zig zag finish, you don't need seam binding.  But if these aren't possible, or appealing, binding your seams is going to be your best option.

Seam binding is easy to use and inexpensive.  It is time consuming though, so give that zig zag a second thought...

Rayon seam binding is usually found on a roll in the trim section.  It's not the same thing as hem tape, which is located in the packages of tape.  Make sure it says Rayon Seam Binding.   

Dritz Wash Away WonderTape 1/4"

This is a double sided tape that washes away in the laundry.  It's pretty awesome for basting zippers in place without needing to use pins, or hand basting. 

I don't usually use this with the invisible zipper, because the invisible zipper foot is so great, and I don't need the extra stability.  But anytime I'm using my regular zipper foot, this tape is very helpful.  If you're going to use your regular zipper foot, consider getting some of this tape.

Dritz Superboard

This fold-up cardboard cutting mat is a sewing room staple for me. I have two and would feel a little lost without them.  

The grid will be helpful if you need to make some alterations to the pattern pieces. 

It's also nice if you have limited space for cutting.  My cutting table is small (and messy), so I lay the Superboard out on my bed when I'm cutting larger pieces and need more room.  

I also pin my pattern pieces to the board and then trace around them with chalk or pen.  By "pin" I mean I stick pins straight down into the board to hold the paper in place.

Ok, that's it for today.  Leave a comment if you have any questions.  We'll meet back here next Friday to prepare the pattern pieces. 

Have fun shopping!

Skirt Sew Along Schedule:

1/2/15 - taking measurements
1/3/15 - shopping list
1/9/15 - preparing the pattern pieces & making fit adjustments
1/10/15 - cut pieces
1/11/15 - seam finishes, sew skirt front & back
1/16/15 - install invisible zipper, sew front to back, fit adjustments
1/17/15 - finish waist
1/18/15 - hem
1/23/15 - bonus post - making a fully lined skirt

Skirt Sew Along - Taking Your Measurements

Ok, here we go!  The Skirt Sew Along starts today and a recap of the schedule can be found at the bottom of this post. 

As we go along I'll probably make some minor adjustments to what each post covers.  For example, today originally included selecting your size, but we'll talk about that tomorrow because at this point size pertains mostly to buying your fabric (tomorrow's topic).

The general idea of doing this as a sew along is to go slow and make a "wearable muslin" that will be a basic skirt good enough to wear. After you've worn it some, you can decide whether to make further adjustments to the fit, or maybe construct it a little differently next time. 

I'll break down the steps in detail and give you extra info a basic sewing pattern generally won't cover.  You can just relax, absorb the info, and stitch along.

We'll start slowly and take 3 weeks to go through all the steps this first time.  Your next skirt will only take a few hours.  :0]

Let's get started!

Today all you need to do it take a couple measurements. You definitely need your waist and hip measurements, and then the skirt length measurements are optional/something to think about in preparation for making any adjustments to the pattern pieces (1/9/15).

What to Wear

Wear either close fitting clothes like yoga type pants and a tight knit shirt, or strip down to your underwear and bra (and maybe your socks--it's kind of cold). 

What You Need

You'll need a tape measure and it really helps to have a full length mirror if you are taking your own measurements. 

You need to be able to see where you are measuring, and that the tape isn't twisted and is parallel to the floor.  This is kind of impossible when looking down at your body from above. 

I have an inexpensive "over the door" mirror from Target and I like that it doesn't need to be mounted on the wall.  If you have a wall mirror, make sure it is hung up flat and not just leaning against the wall.  You want an accurate view from straight on. 

If you don't have a full length mirror at the moment you can either ask someone else to take your measurements, or as a last resort, stand on a chair and look in the bathroom mirror for the waist/hip measurements.  Please don't fall off!

Taking the Measurements

When you wrap the tape measure around it should be snug, but not digging in or making an indentation in your body. 

Don't hold your breath while measuring.  It's pretty common for people to hold their breath--especially if someone else is measuring--so remember to relax and breath naturally. 

If don't have a lot of experience measuring yourself, you might need to feel around to figure out where your bones are located. 

Take the following measurements and write them down for later reference:

1. Waist

Measure at your natural waistline.  If it isn't obvious where your natural waistline is located, this is where your body bends.  Bend side to side and look for the indent of where you fold--that's your natural waist.  For most people this is going to be above the belly button. 

2. Hip

Measure at the fullest part of your hips/buttocks.  If you turn to the side and look for the spot where your butt protrudes the most, that's usually the fullest part. 

Skirt Length Measurements

The finished skirt will be around 25", so if you are average height this will fall in the knee length skirt range. 

I'm 5'4" (163cm) and this falls just below my knee.  But I'm also short waisted, so if you have an average waist length, or are low waisted, this may be longer than you'd like, so we'll make some adjustments (1/9/15). 

This is also brings up a side point about independent patterns--many are going to be designed/sized for the designer's body. Patterns from a large pattern company are probably sized for some kind of statistically average person.  But for people like me doing this independently, what you have is your own body to use for design purposes. 

If you aren't sure about your waist type (and want to know), hold your hand parallel under your bra band and see how many hands fit between your bra and waist:

1 hand = short waist (high waist)

2 hands = average

3 hands - long waist (low waist)

Slight adjustments to the length can be made during hemming (1/18/15), but if you already know you want your skirt more than 1" shorter/longer it will be better to adjust the pattern pieces up front.  We'll cover how to shorten/lengthen the pieces along with other adjustments on 1/9/15.

If you don't already know where you want your hem, everyone also has an ideal place where the hem should fall to balance out their body proportions. 

This is kind of nice to know, but of course, you can ignore it and make your skirts however long you want them!  My ideal skirt length is 1" above my knee, but that feels a little short to me.  There are only a few bare leg months here, so most of the time I need something on my legs and like to wear over the knee type socks more than tights/nylons.  So while I know where my ideal hem falls, I usually make my skirts slightly longer to cover the top of my socks.

If you want to calculate your ideal hem, below is how to figure it out. 

For these measurements, I use a yard stick instead of the tape measure.  The flexible tape measure sometimes doesn't hang perfectly straight down the leg making it hard to read the measurement accurately. If you bend to try to hold it in place, it's hard to follow the curve of your bent body. 

Stand up straight and hold the yard stick up in front of your leg and view the thigh measurement in the mirror.  Then turn the yard stick over and measure upward from the ankle. 

Your Ideal Hem

1. Measure from the top of your hip bone to your knee cap to get your thigh measurement.  To find the top of your hip bone, push your pelvis forward, while leaning your upper body back slightly, and then feel around with your thumbs.

2. Measure from the knee cap to your ankle bone to get your shin measurement. 

3. Determine the difference between the two measurements.

4. Divide the difference by 2.

If your thigh is longer than your shin, then the difference is how far above the knee you might want your skirt.

If your thigh is shorter than your shin, the difference is how far below the knee you might want your skirt.

If your thigh and shin are basically the same length, right at your knee cap is your ideal length.

Tomorrow we'll talk about fabric and a few other (optional) things you might want to consider picking up while you are shopping. 

See you tomorrow!

Skirt Sew Along Schedule:

1/2/15 - taking measurements
1/3/15 - fabric shopping
1/9/15 - preparing the pattern pieces & making fit adjustments
1/10/15 - cut pieces
1/11/15 - seam finishes, sew skirt front & back
1/16/15 - install invisible zipper, sew front to back, fit adjustments
1/17/15 - finish waist
1/18/15 - hem
1/23/15 - bonus post - making a fully lined skirt