While I love gorgeous, intricate gowns, sometimes I just want to sit at my sewing machine and have a cute, wearable garment within the hour. We now have a number of quick and easy patterns available so sewists can do exactly that when the mood strikes! Today, I’m adding this adorable A-line skirt to the collection. The Juniper Skirt is simple and sleek, so you can make it from a number of different fabrics! Use a basic cotton canvas with a surprise lining so it can match every cute top in your wardrobe, or choose a vibrant print to let the skirt be the focal point of your outfit!
Fabrics & materials used:
- 1.5 yards Navy Cotton Canvas
- 1.5 yards Pink/White Striped Floral Dense Combed Cotton Poplin
- 9″ Navy Invisible Zipper
- MDF033 – The Juniper Skirt Sewing Pattern (free download below!)
All seam allowances are 1/2″ unless otherwise stated.
First, add the darts into each of your skirt panels. There should be two in front, two in back, and one on the front overskirt panel. Be sure to sew them into both your main skirt fabric and your lining.
Fabric faces together, sew your overskirt lining to the main fabric around the curved side, like you see below.
Clip the seam allowance along the curve, turn the flap right-side-out and press.
Sandwiching the overskirt between the front and back panels of your skirt, sew up the side of your skirt, with the overskirt lining towards the skirt front like you can see below. Depending on which way you cut out your skirt flap panels, this could be either the left or right side of your garment.
Fold the overskirt flap toward the skirt front and you’re ready to attach your waistband. The band should be two panels, which you’ll need to attach along one of the shorter sides. Place that center seam along the side seam of your skirt and sew along the top edge of your skirt, fabric faces together like below.
Starting halfway down your waistband, pin and insert a 9″ invisible zipper along the open side of your skirt. Once sewn to both the front and back skirt panels, sew down the remainder of the side.
Take the two remaining lining panels and place them with the faces together. Sew halfway up the side the zipper will lay, as well as fully up the opposite side.
Attach the lining to the hem of your skirt, faces together. The lining should have been cut 1″ shorter than your main skirt fabric, so when you flip it right-side-out, you’ll have a small hem facing like you see above.
Folding the raw edges inward, pin the remaining open side of the skirt lining to the backside of the zipper. Fold on the hem in half toward the inside of your garment and similarly tuck the unfinished edges inward. Slip-stitch along the waistband and zipper to finish your skirt.
I love staple pieces and can’t wait to make this in a million different colors and fabric types!! What are you considering using first? Let me know in the comments!
27 comments
I love it! Thanks for sharing
so cute, thanks for sharing am def making it!!!
very cute skirt – would love to make it
Hello and thank you for sharing this lovely skirt! I have a question: would it be difficult to lengthen this skirt for someone who is not very adept at this kind of thing? If I tried, what would I need to keep in mind and watch out for? i would want it to be about knee length, either just above or just under…
Hello! You’re in luck – this is probably one of the easiest skirts to lengthen or shorten. 🙂 It curves a bit over the hips, and then is pretty straight all the way to the hem, so as long as you lengthen below the hips and darts, you shouldn’t have an issue at all. Be sure to lengthen the front, back, and overskirt panels evenly; and I’d recommend making a muslin first to make sure you don’t want the hem circumference to flare out more to make it easier to walk, but otherwise you should be good!
Absolutely adorable, love your patterns guys. Thank you very much :3
It’s really cute, thanks for the pattern! Do you think it would be possible to make it reversible?
That’s an awesome idea! The only issue might be the flap in the front though – It’s mainly just for show, so you may need to add a second flap inside for when it’s reversed, or have the reverse side just look like a basic a-line mini skirt without the overlap in the front. Either would be adorable!
This is such a cute skirt! I made one over the weekend and got so many compliments when I wore it to work yesterday. Planning to make another one in a wild print – just for kicks this fall! Thanks for the great pattern.
Planning to make this in a stretch wool as I’m looking to create a work wardrobe capsule
Hi ! Lovely skirt ! I just had a question, are the seam allowances included ? thank you
Thank you! Yes, seam allowances for our patterns are 1/2″ unless otherwise stated in the instructions. 🙂
Made one, fab pattern. Thank you!
I’m getting ready to sew this as a beginner cuz it’s just too cute. I have a stupid question though. Does the pattern usually include seam allowances or will I have to add it?
A 1/2″ seam allowance is already included 🙂
Lovely skirt – can you give a hint as to the length of the darts? on the front and backs of this skirt? Thanks! Printed and ready to go but for the darts….Marjolijn
There are guides on the pattern to mark the bottom of the darts. 🙂
Très jolie jupe, j’aime beaucoup la doublure !
I made this skirt using Rag & Bone Salute stretch cotton twill and white/navy chain linked hearts on stretch cotton poplin (lining) — both from Mood Fabrics. This pattern was a joy to sew — and definitely less frustrating than the commercial patterns that I have sewn. Thank you for posting the free patterns! I am also very pleased with the quality of the Mood fabrics that I have ordered.
Thanks for the pattern, just started sewing again and really had fun making the skirt!
Please Help !
I want to sew myself thé Juniper skirt, according to thé charts, my hips are sise 20 but my waist says 24: should I try sise 20 without the darts ?
Thanks in advance from France
Hi there! It’s usually easiest to make the larger size and bring it in where needed. 🙂
Thanks so much for answering me
Currently making this in a camo print and might add a combat pocket IF i have enough material! 😀 I have done away with the flap at the front because I simply don’t have enough fabric, but have made it 2 inches longer. Not finished yet but already loving it. What makes it even better is I got the material out of the scrap bin at my local fabric shop for £3.56!!
Just made this skirt from an upcycled curtain (light weight corduroy) in bright purple with floral lining from my scraps box. Only thing I bought was the zip! Really easy pattern to follow and I’m chuffed with the results. Definitely going to save the pattern for use with some other fabrics to add to my wardrobe! Thanks so much
Great
Thanks for sharing all of this patterns! I’m an absolute beginner (I know how to sew with the machine, but never sew clothes at all). I’ve just found this web and would love to start sewing, I think you’ve enouraged me 🙂 I live in Argentina, so I hope I can find some lovely fabrics similar to those, and of course, to go to NY someday to visit your store!