Mood DIY: How to Sew a Maxi Skirt

Need to up inter-seasonal wardrobe? A maxi skirt like this is perfect for the end of summer as we slowly transition into fall!

With a two yard cut of fabric, you should end up with a piece that’s 72″x52″. The 72″ will be gathered around the waist, so if your waist is larger or smaller than 36″-38″, you’ll want to adjust your yardage accordingly. About 2x your waist measurement works best!

I used:

• 2 yards Liberty of London silk-cotton voile
• 1/2 yard Midnight Navy Ponte Knit
• 1 yard 2″ Navy Stretch Grosgrain

Begin by folding your fabric in half so you have a 36″x52″ rectangle. Opposite your fold, round the bottom corner. As you can see in my final skirt, the slit curves on either side towards the bottom – these rounded corners make those curves.

Finish the three sides (excluding the top, which will go into the waistband) with a basic rolled hem. If you’re not the neatest at sewing, a rolled hem foot makes a clean edge every time, just like you see above!

For the underskirt, a ponte knit worked perfectly. It’s opaque, which is a necessity for a lining like this; plus, it’s soft and stretchy, making it super comfortable.

This part of the skirt consists of two panels – front and back. The top/waist should be your waist measurement minus 2″ since we’re working with a knit. To get the circumference of your hem, measure around your thighs and add 5″. Since  we’re working with two panels, divide those numbers by 2 and you’ll have the flat measurement across the top and bottom of your underskirt, like you see above. I made mine 20″ long, but the length can be easily altered to your preference.

Next, pin one end of your voile off-center on the front panel of your underskirt. Evenly gather the print along the waistline of the underskirt, overlapping the ends about 3″ on the front, creating the skirt slit.

Lastly, cut a comfortable length of elastic for your waistband (usually waist measurement minus 2″ again) and attach it to the top of your skirt with a zig-zag stitch or a serger.

And your new maxi skirt is ready to wear! Which prints would you love to use for this project? Tell us below!