Sewing Instructions – Model 4 Pencil Skirt (Supplement 338)
Supplement No. 338 – Model 4. A pencil skirt with center back zipper and a slit, an elastic waistband and a hem finished by hand. Draft the pattern with the Lutterloh System from your hip and waist measurements, then add seam allowances before cutting.
Back to Supplement No. 338 · Download the sewing instructions as PDF
What you need
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fabric for the skirt (D) | 65 x 150 cm – ¾ yd of 58/60″ wide fabric |
| Invisible zipper | 1 x 25 cm |
| Elastic for the waistband | waist circumference × 0.85 + 2 cm |
| Interfacing | strips for the zipper slit allowance |
| Thread | 1 spool, matching |
Fabric recommendation: lightweight to medium-weight woven summer fabrics with a soft, fluid drape, such as Tencel twill, lyocell, rayon-linen blends, cotton sateen or rayon crepe. Seam allowances: 1.5 cm on all seams, 1.0 cm at the waistband and 4.0 cm at the hem.
Sewing steps
Sew right sides together with 1.5 cm seams unless noted. Finish each seam allowance right after sewing, and press every seam before crossing it with another.
- Finish the seams. Finish the seam allowances of the side seams and the center back seams.
- Invisible zipper. Open the zipper and place it face down on the right side of the fabric, pinned 0.5 cm from the raw edge, with the top slider aligned to the waistband seam line. The zipper should extend about 2 cm past the marked slit end. Stitch from the top down to the lower slit marking with the invisible zipper foot, backstitch, then stitch the second tape from top to bottom. Pin and sew the rest of the center back seam from the hem up, stopping as close to the zipper as possible. Press the seam allowances open.
- Side seams. Place the front and back pieces right sides together and stitch the side seams. Press them open, then reopen the zipper.
- Elastic. Pin and stitch the elastic to the left and right zipper slit allowances.
- Waistband. Sew the inner waistband pieces together at the side seams and press open. Finish the lower edge. Pin the inner waistband right sides together with the grown-on outer waistband, folding it back 5 mm before the slit edge at the zipper. Stitch, press, trim the corners and turn the waistband right side out, which encases the zipper ends. Topstitch from the right side.
- Secure the waistband. Stitch the inner waistband edges to the zipper tapes over the elastic.
- Hem. Finish the hem edge, fold it under 4 cm and hand-stitch with a blind stitch.
Tips
- Lining: cut a matching lining from the skirt pattern without the waistband. Sew the center back seam down to the slit, ending the lining slit about 2 cm higher than the zipper. Attach the lining to the inner waistband before the outer waistband.
- Elastic skirt: with a Ponte knit you can leave out the zipper. Leave a small opening in the waistband to insert the elastic, then close it.
- Longer skirt: add a kick pleat at the center back, ending about a hand's width above the back of the knee.
- Pro tip: the elastic should always be 0.5 cm narrower than the casing for a perfect fit.