TUTORIAL SKIRT WITH POCKETS

Skirt With Pockets

Tutorial

I love to sew and I totally hate patterns.  Whenever I decide to make something simple I usually just take my measurement and come up with a plan about how to tackle my project.  So when I decided I wanted a skirt with pockets that is just what I did.  

First I measured my waist and how long I wanted the skirt.  I got a general idea of how big the pockets needed to be which turned out to be about 8" long and just big enough to hold my hand inside them so I drew around my fist to get the size of my pockets.  I like deep pockets but for this I wanted pockets that I could simply rest my hand inside and the pockets would hold them.  

I then cut my fabric and I simply cut two pieces the entire width of the fabric,  approximately 44",  I was using and the length I wanted which was 22 1/4th inches.  

Fabric 33.25" by 44"

I made a little pattern for the pockets and then I cut out four pieces from that pattern.  I cut them 2 each with right sides together.  These were not perfect but they turned out really well after I trimmed them up to perfect them just a bit.  

Next I cut out my waistband.  I knew I wanted two sections one for a nice flat front band and one for the back to run elastic through.  The longer one is for the back and it measures 3 1/2" by 44" and the one for the front was half that length.  

Then I measured on myself where the pockets should be on the skirt and I sewed the pockets on to the side of each panel, right sides together. 

I stitched them on and then put the sides of the skirt together and stitched from the bottom up and around the pockets and stopped leaving the sides open above the pockets so that I could work on the waist band. 

Then I worked from the bottom up and I hemmed the entire bottom of the skirt, this was easier because at this point the fabric was still flat, without gathers.  First I folded over 1/4" and iron ti all the way around then I folded it once again the same 1/4" and ironed it flat and then I stitched the hem. 

Then I gathered the top of the skirt front. 

NOTE: to gather your skirt you sew two rows of stitches close together but never touching.  Use the longest stitch you have on your machine and do not back stitch.  Leave long pieces of thread on each end.  You will use the thread to pull and gather the skirt.  Once you have the stitches you will grab the top threads of each row and start sliding your fabric down and spreading the fabric out as you gather it.  Be careful not to pull to hard so that you do not break the threads.  Once you get it gather to the width you need it then spread the gathers out evenly.  It should look like the photo above.  this takes a little bit of practice but it works so beautifully.  I made my front of the skirt half my waist measurement minus 2 inches,  

For the front waistband I added a fusible interface to make it look nice once it was done. Then I stitched it on the skirt front making sure to make my stitch right below the stitches were I had gathered my skirt.  This was none of the stitching would show. Be sure you place the waistband and fabric right sides together. 

Then I worked on the the back waist by adding the waistband fabric to it.  This was a bit easier because this is where the elastic will be.  I cut my elastic to have it ready.  I held the elastic around my waist and figured out how long i needed it to be.  

I then pinned the top side together and stitched them up form the top of the pockets to the tops of the waistbands. 

Then I folded my waistbands over and flipped them and I stitched right back over the stitches I made when I added the waistbands.  This hid all my stitches very neatly. I left a small opening for the elastic on both ends and then I fed the elastic through and pinned it on both sides and then stitches it in the seam on each side. 

Then I was finished with my cute pocket skirt.  It has a really nice front panel and elastic back and super comfy and flirty.  

Ladies it is very late at night but I so wanted to get this posted, so if anything is not clear please let me know and I will see what I can do to make it clearer and easier to understand.  If you have any skirt tutorials I would Love to visit you and see them.  I love new ideas and new things to make in different ways. 

Here's to sewing,

Beverly

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