Pencil skirt pattern for beginners - instructions for building and cutting

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:35

The pencil skirt has not left the leading positions in the fashion world for many years. This is a versatile piece of clothing that every woman should have. This skirt suits any type of figure, creating an attractive feminine look. In addition, the same skirt can be part of a business look during the day, fully consistent with the company's dress code, and in the evening become the basis of a romantic or defiantly sexy look.

Everyone can sew such a skirt with their own hands, since the technique is quite simple. And, of course, it will be an ideal option for women with a non-standard figure. However, since it is impossible to sew a pencil skirt without a pattern, we will dwell on it in more detail. Before you start working, you should choose which skirt you need to sew. The number of measurements, calculations and constructions will depend on this.

Skirt options

There are a lot of pencil skirt models, but they all invariably have a narrowed silhouette. In the classical variation, its length can bejust above or below the knee, but shorter options can also be found. In the same year, tapered mid-calf skirts came into fashion, and floor-length skirts also remain popular.

You can wear these skirts not only with dress shirts.

For example, a leather pencil skirt combined with a bustier will help create an image of a femme fatale, dangerous and attractive.

A light lace skirt with an airy sleeveless blouse looks great in a romantic look. It is ideal for walking in the summer park and having breakfast in an outdoor cafe.

A long knitted pencil skirt can be worn with a sports jacket and sneakers or chunky sandals. This will create a slightly hooligan look, but at the same time emphasize the fragility of the girl.

Combining a pencil skirt with a leather jacket will create a bright rebellious look that is perfect for an evening walk around the city.

And, of course, do not forget about the classic combination of a pencil skirt that covers the knees, a gas blouse and a straight double-breasted jacket. This is an immortal classic in the style of Coco Chanel. This combination is relevant both for office work and for romantic dates and official meetings.

Measurements and calculations

To make it easier to build a pencil skirt pattern for beginners, it is better to do all measurements and calculations in advance. This will greatly simplify the task, save time and eliminate most possible errors. It is very important to measurecarefully, without adding or subtracting the cherished centimeters. It is worth remembering that this skirt will later need to be worn.

So, to create a pencil skirt pattern, you will need the following parameters:

Name	Abbreviation	Calculations	Note
Waist	FROM
Hips	OB
Thigh height	WB	Distance between FROM and OB
Product length	DI
Waist height	BT	distance between classic and desired waist height
High Waistline	OTv	for high waist models
Front bar width	ShP	SHP=0, 241OB	SHP + WZ=½ OB + 1.5 cm
Back bar width	SHZ	SHZ=0, 275OB
Darts general	VO	IN=½ (OB - FROM)
Side Darts	BV	BV=1/3 VO
Front Darts	PV	PV=1/3 (VO - BV)
Rear Darts	SG	ZV=2/3 (VO - BV)
Reduce Darts	UV	(OFF - FROM) /12	For high waist models
Spline height	VS	VS=CI0.6

After completing the calculations, they must be rechecked again to avoid errors, and you can proceed directly to the creation of the pattern itself.

Building a universal pattern

Any skirt can be sewn using a base pattern. It marks the main parameters and the location of the undercuts, therefore, with a few additional strokes, it is easy to turn it into a pattern for any type of skirt.

To make a universal pencil skirt pattern, you will need:

• sheet of paper (millimeter paper, A1 size or wallpaper cut);
• pencils (hard and soft);
• eraser;
• ruler.

Before you start drawing a pattern, it is better to check the centimeters on the ruler and the measuring tape, which was used to measure the parameters. Making a pattern is actually very easy, the whole process takes about 15-20 minutes.

Working grid

The construction of the pattern begins with the creation of a working grid. The length of the skirt, its width, the line of the side seam and the height of the hip line are marked here.

1. Spread a sheet of paper on a flat surface. Its width must be at least half of the OB + 20 cm.
2. Retreat from the left edge about 5 cm. To build a pattern of a high-waisted pencil skirt, it will be necessary to retreat 15-20 cm from the top edge of the sheet. When constructing a pattern with a classic waistline, it is enough to retreat 1.5-2 cm. Put an end to 1.
3. From point 1, set aside ½ OB + 1.5 cm to the left (point 2) and down CI (point 3). Merge into a rectangle with vertices 1234.
4. From points 1 and 2 set aside the WB parameter (points 5 and 6) and connect them with a straight line.
5. On line 5-6 from point 5, measure to the left a distance equal to the SHP parameter (point 7). Segment 7-6 should be equal to SHZ. Draw a straight line through point 7 parallel to segment 1-3 until it intersects with lines 1-2 (point 8) and 3-4. On the left side of the base rectangle will be located 1/2 of the front, and on the right - 1/2 of the back of the skirt.

Recesses

In order for the skirt to fit well on a woman, it is necessary to make grooves. As a rule, there are only 4 of them. 2 each in front and behind, as well as a decrease in the side seam. For a knitted pencil skirt, it is not necessary to make recesses, since the fabric stretches well and takes the desired shape, however, even it needs to remove excess volume in the side seams.

1. From point 8 in both directions, set aside 1/2 BV + 0.5 cm. From the resulting points, retreat upwards 1 cm (points 9 and 10).
2. From points 1 and 5, measure to the right a distance equal to halfShP (points 13 and 11), connect them with a straight line.
3. From points 2 and 6, measure to the left a distance equal to ½ SHZ (points 14 and 12) and also connect them with a straight line.
4. From point 13 to the left and right, set aside segments equal to ½ PV (points 15 and 16). Connect the dots in the following order: 15, 11, 16 and 9.
5. From point 14 to the left and to the right, measure half of the SG parameter (points 17 and 18). Set aside 2 cm from point 12 on the segment 12-14 (point 19). Connect dots 10, 17, 19 and 18.

At this stage, the construction of the basic straight-cut skirt is completed. Based on this pattern, a pencil skirt pattern is further built.

Bottom of product

A pencil skirt differs from a straight-cut skirt in a silhouette narrower towards the bottom edge. It resembles a cone-shaped cut, which is obtained when sharpening a pencil. To give such a silhouette to the product, it is necessary to make one more decrease along the side seam, but from below.

1. Measure 8 cm down from point 7 (point 22).
2. On line 3-4 from the point of intersection with the line 7-8 to the right and to the left, set aside 1/4 of the desired decrease in the width of the product. Usually these values are from 1 to 3 cm (points 20 and 21).
3. Connect dots 20, 22 and 21.

Do not make the bottom of the product too narrow, as in this skirt you will have to not only stand, but also walk and sit. Even if a vent is provided, an overly narrow hem will stretch it out and make it look untidy.

Slit

It's essentialpart of most models of pencil skirts. The slot is of 2 types: open and closed. Usually they are located in the center of the back half of the product, but there are also slots in the center or slightly on the side of the front of the skirt. Its location depends on the model of the skirt. A skirt with a classic vent arrangement usually consists of 3 parts. The front of the skirt, as a rule, is one-piece, and the back consists of 2 halves, and has a seam in the middle. This should be taken into account when cutting, and do not forget to make an additional seam allowance.

For beginners, it is better to do a pencil skirt pattern with an open type of slots. It does not require additional patterns, and in order to make it, it is enough to flash the back seam without reaching the bottom edge of the VSH + allowances for the bottom seam. Next, iron the seam so that the edges of the fabric are separated in different directions, after which it remains only to sew the future slot along the contour, departing from the edge 2-3 mm.

But building a pattern for a pencil skirt with a closed vent will be slightly different from creating a basic pattern.

1. From point 4 put VS up (point 23), and from it another 1.5 cm (point 24).
2. From points 4 and 23 to the right, set aside 2 widths of the undercut smell, the value of which is usually from 2.5 to 4 cm (points 25 and 26). Connect the received points. This will be part of the vents of one half of the back of the skirt. On the second half, the slot should be 2 times narrower (points 27 and 28).
3. Connect points 24 and 26, as well as 24 and 27 with a smooth line. This will facilitate the processing of the edge of the material, and will also prevent deformation.fabrics.

The location of the zipper closed by the valve is drawn according to the same principle, for example, as on jeans.

High waistline

To build a high waisted pencil skirt pattern, you will need additional parameters, such as the desired waist height, body circumference at this height, as well as reductions in the width of the undercut.

1. From point 1 up, set aside the distance between the classic and the desired waistline (point 1a). Move points 2, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17 and 18 in the same way (points 2a, 9a, 10a, 15a, 16a, 17a and 18a respectively).
2. From points 9a, 15a and 17a set aside to the right, and from points 10a, 16a and 18a - to the left the value of SW. Connect the resulting points with the points of the base pattern.

If you need to make a pencil skirt pattern with a low waist, you just need to measure the distance from the top line of the base pattern to the desired waistline, and then draw lines parallel to the lines on the original pattern.

Long skirt

Pencil skirt can be of different lengths, but their patterns are fundamentally the same. For example, to create a pattern for a long pencil skirt based on the basic one, you need to make only a few adjustments.

1. From points 1 and 2 put down the CI of a long skirt (points 3a and 4a). Connect them with a line.
2. From the intersection of line 3a-4a with line 7-8 set aside 1/4 of the desired decrease in the width of the skirt (points 20a and 21a), connect them to point 22. If the line connecting them willstraight, the skirt will have a narrowed, but at the same time quite free silhouette. To achieve a better fit, lines 20-22 and 21-22 should have a hyperbolic appearance.

Slots for such skirts are built in the same way as in the basic pattern, only its length will change.

You can also make the length below the knee. A pencil skirt in this case will turn out in the style of Coco Chanel. As this great woman used to say:

You can show your hips - but not your knees!

Waistline treatment

The waistline on the skirt can be processed in several ways. The most popular are:

• belt,
• undercut,
• wide elastic band.

It is necessary to choose one or another option, starting from the model of a pencil skirt. Let's take a closer look at them.

Belt

To sew a pencil skirt with a belt, you need to cut out an additional rectangular piece, the length of which should be (FROM + 3 cm) + an overlap increase (about 3 cm). The width of the part should be twice the desired width of the belt. When cutting out the part, do not forget to make seam allowances.

Sew the finished part to the top edge of the skirt, placing the part face to face of the skirt, then fold it up and iron the seam. The edges of the parts should look up. Next, fold the belt in half and, bending the edge inward, bast. To make it more convenient to sew it on, the height of the belt on the wrong side should be 5 mm more than on the front. Bend its ends inward and stitch the part along the perimeter from the front side.

Undercut

This type of waistline work requires some skill as well as an accurate pattern.

1. To make it, you need to transfer the upper part of the skirt pattern onto a piece of paper. You can choose any height of the undercut, but you should not make it too short, otherwise it will turn inside out.
2. Cut out the resulting parts. There should be 2 of them: from the front and back of the skirt. Connect the undercut lines on each part using glue, paper clips or pins.
3. Cut off protruding corners, transfer to paper with a skirt pattern, or cut out using these blanks.

When cutting parts directly, remember that this is only half, so you should indicate the fold line on the pattern and do not forget about seam allowances.

Wide elastic band

This is the easiest way to finish the top edge. It is perfect for both knitted and leather pencil skirts, as it allows you to avoid adding extra centimeters at the waist, in contrast to decorating the product with a belt. In order to process the top of the skirt, it is enough to measure the length of the elastic band, equal to FROM + 4 cm per hem. Melt the edges of the elastic a little, sew, stepping back from the edge of 2 cm. Then spread the edges in different directions and sew them, stepping back from the edge by 3 mm. You can also make an elastic band on a fastener, zipper or buttons. Sew the resulting belt to the top edge of the skirt. It can be placed behind or in front of the fabric of the product. But in any of the optionsthey need to be stitched by superimposing one part on another. In addition, it is worth choosing a knit stitch, zigzag or the widest step on the sewing machine so that the thread does not break when the elastic is stretched.

The opportunity to sew a skirt that will fit perfectly, have exactly the color and texture that you like best, and will not have copies, is every woman. According to the presented pattern, both an experienced seamstress and a girl who is just starting to learn the nuances of creating clothes with her own hands will be able to sew a pencil skirt. Only once having made a universal pattern, you can sew a lot of skirts of different colors and styles, spending no more than 5 minutes on their detailed patterns. Do not be afraid to experiment, because this is the only way real masterpieces are born in the fashion world.