Q&A for How to Sew a Pencil Skirt

If you are using a stretchy knit material, you will not need a zipper, but instead can finish the waist with elastic and a facing. If you are using a woven fabric, you will need a zipper.

The zipper can be added at the side seam or the center back seam depending on your preference. If you are adding it to the center back seam, make sure that your pattern had two back pattern pieces cut.

It's best to cut a pattern with your measurements first so that you properly cut your fabric. You don't want to accidentally cut your fabric too small and end up ruining your skirt.

To avoid this, you should mark off a C facing the waistline on the waist. This kinda pulls up the excess fold.

Cut the front skirt pattern on the fold and cut 2 pieces of the back skirt pattern, leaving a 1 inch seam allowance at the center back for the zipper and slit at the bottom of the skirt.

Take the waist measurement after sewing. Cut out 5" by the measurement so as to fold to make a 2" waist band width, which would be sewn around.

Measure from your waist to where you measured your hips vertically. For example: If you measured your waist around your belly button and you measure your hips at the widest point, you start at your belly button down to where the line where your widest point was.

Measure two vertical lines of about 7 inches from your waist. The lines should be a little distant from each other, and then sew on the lines.

You need to: (1) cut lining fabric using the same paper pattern used for the outer fabric, (2) sew any darts as simple gathers, (3) sew the side seams, (4) sew the lining to the main garment at the waist (and then understitch the lining to the seam allowance), (5) sew the lining around the zipper opening, (6) sew the rest of the back seam, and then (7) hem the lining.