In this post I will be sharing this tutorial on how to make a basic skirt pattern. For those who are interested in learning how to draft your own patterns, everything starts from the basics. Once you know how to make a skirt and bodice pattern you can easily modify it into different styles and this will help you achieve any design you desire.

There are many pattern drafting methods and techniques you can use in turning your basic block into a gorgeous vogue. So I will be using this method I’ve learned from the school. 

In order to draft this pattern you will need these measurements:  

Measurements:

Waist, Hips, Bust Distance, and Skirt Length

Tools needed:

Pattern paper, Pencil,Marker, Fashion Curve, Ruler, Eraser, Scissor, Masking Tape, and Tape Measure

Ruler measurement I use

Here’s the sample chart:

SIZE 26	Actual Size	+1 Movement Allowance	1/2	1/4
Waist	26”	____	13	6 4/8
Hips	36”	37	18 4/8	9 2/8
Bust Distance	7”	____	3 4/8	____
Skirt Length	22”	____	____	____

Let’s get started:

1. On your pattern paper, start on the upper left part and draw a horizontal line (½ of hip measurement). See the chart. As you can see the actual size of hip measurement is 36 plus 1 inch movement allowance is equal to 37 inches so divide by 2 is 18 and 4/8 inches.  

2. Once you draw a horizontal line, draw another line vertically (this will be the skirt length). Choose any skirt length you desire. Here I use 22 inches. Then complete the rectangle.

3. Once you complete, divide it vertically by 2. And that would be 9 ²/⁸  inches.

This line in the middle would be your side seam

Label  each rectangle as Central Back CB and Central Front CF

4. From the waist, measure 8 and ⁴/⁸”(standard size) down below and mark as your hipline. 

4. From the center back (CB), mark ⁴/⁸ inch in and curve down to hips (take note always starts at the 1” mark on your  fashion curve). 

6. How can we get the back side seam or BSS?

From your NEW CB (central back), get the ¼ measurement of the waist (as you can see in this chart, ¼ of the waist is 6 and ⁴/⁸ inches plus 1 and ²/⁸ inches (standard total measurement of back dart openings). Then curve to hips

Here : 6 ⁴/⁸ + 1 ²/⁸= 7 6/8 inches

7. How to draft a Back Dart? In order to draft a back dart we need location, openings, and depth.

Location: this is halfway between new CB and BSS. In this chart the measurement of my new CB and FSS is 7 and ⁶/⁸ and I get halfway is 3 and 7/8″

Openings: ⅝ inches on both sides of location (standard)

Depth : 5 ⁶/⁸ inches (standard)

8. How can we get the FRONT SIDE SEAM or FSS?

From the Center Front, get the ¼ waist measurement plus 1 and ⁴/⁸ inches (standard total measurement of front dart openings). 

Here : 6 ⁴/⁸” + 1 ⁴/⁸ = 8”

Then curve down to hips.

9. How to draft Front Darts? 
   • First Dart
     • Location: in order to get the location of your first dart, get the  ½ measurement of the Bust Distance. In this chart, bust distance is 7, and half of it is 3 ⁴/⁸. Mark it starting from the Center Front.
     • Depth: 3 ⁴/⁸” (standard size), mark it from the location down.
     • Openings: ⅜ “ on both sides of your location (standard size). Connect each opening down to the depth. 

9. Second Dart
   • • Location: to get the location of your second dart get the halfway between your first dart location and FSS, that would be 2 ²/⁸”
     • Openings: ⅜ on both sides of the location
     • Depth: 3 ⁴/⁸” mark it from the location down

10. Transfer Values

• Mark ²/⁸” IN from FSS toward CF
• Draw a line down to Hemline
• From waist, curve it down to hipline

• Mark ²/⁸” OUT from Central Back CB
• Draw a line down to Hemline
• From waist, curve it down to hipline

11. Waist Shaping

• Cut the pattern and fold the darts
• Close the darts towards side seams and pin it or put masking tape

• Front – mark ²/⁸” up from FSS waist and curve to first dart

• Back – mark ²/⁸” up from the BSS waist and mark another ²/⁸” down on CB waist. Curve it passing through the 2 marks including the top of the back dart

Hope you guys enjoy it, I would love to hear your feedback or comments. See you on my next blog I will be sharing How to Draft Basic Bodice 🙂