How To Draft A Basic A-Line Skirt Pattern

For this maternity skirt, I actually drafted a very simple pattern using an old well-fitting skirt. I bought the material from Jo Ann's remnant bin for like three bucks and used the bottom half of an old stretch tank top for the waist band.

For this pattern, I cut along the fold so that both front and back panels would be cut at the same time. I laid my skirt on my fabric to cut out the general shap I wanted. I kept in mind that the skirt I was tracing was stretchy, so I did measure my fabric at the top to make sure it would fit me, as this fabric had NO stretch. I just took my measurment at the hips, and added three inches for ease.

I cut both panels, sewed seams up both sides and tried it on to make sure it was right...

Now for the waistband, I cut my waistband from an old shirt so that it already had seams :) I am a Cheater!! I cut it 9 inches long, so that halfed it would be about a 4 inch band.

 Fold down the band so that the seams are on the inside.

Give the band a stretch to make sure that it will stretch to the length of the skirt body. I'm assuming you know this, but you want the waistband to be quite fitted so it doesn' slip down!! So naturally it willl be several inches smaller than the skirt body. Sew on your waistband, stretching as you go, until you make it around. To be sure that you stretch it the right amount to perfecty fit over the skirt body,  you could match the side seams up from waistband to skirt body and stretch and pin all the way around. I am too impatient for that. Once the band is attached, push the seam down towards the bottom of the skirt and sew the seam down.

It will give a nice fnished look on the inside and the outside.

Then I hemmed it and tried it on, perfect fit!!!

There are so many great tute's on skirt making... i'm not very professional at it, so this is just a little "how I did it" post.