Button-Front Pencil Skirt
A chic pencil skirt pattern featuring a high-waisted silhouette, a distinctive button-front placket, and functional back pockets.
When To Wear
This skirt is a versatile piece, perfect for a range of occasions:
- Office & Professional Settings: Its tailored fit and classic details make it perfect for a polished work look.
- Smart Casual & Day Events: Pair with a blouse or knit top for elegant everyday wear or sophisticated daytime gatherings.
- Elevated Everyday Style: a sophisticated addition to your daily wardrobe, offering polished comfort and timeless appeal.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: a flattering pencil silhouette, fitted through the hips and tapering towards the knee for a refined profile.
Waist: High-waisted design for a sleek and elongated aesthetic, enhancing the figure.
Front Detail: Features a prominent button-front placket adorned with decorative buttons, complemented by a stylish front vent for ease of movement.
Closure: a hidden zipper closure at the center back ensures a smooth, seamless fit.
Back Detail: Designed with precisely sewn back darts for shaping and two functional back welt pockets.
Length: a versatile knee-length hem, providing a classic and appropriate length for various settings.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Requires confident sewing skills, including precise dart construction, setting a hidden zipper, creating neat back welt pockets, and detailed button placket assembly.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose fabrics with good body and drape that hold their shape well:
- Dense dress fabrics made from natural or blended fibers
- Gabardine
- Cotton Twill
- Linen blends
- Contrasting fabric for trim (for button placket, waistband, and pocket welts)
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing
- 1 hidden zipper fastener
- 6 buttons
Cutter's Must
If the patterns have a double contour, seam allowances are included. If the contour is single, seam allowances are not included. Seam allowances: all seams 1 cm. Hem allowance for front, back panels and insert – 3 cm. Attention! First, print out the paper patterns and lay them out on the fabric width (fabric width can be from 90cm to 150cm) to determine how much material you will need.
- From main fabric:
- Back – 2 pieces
- Front right – 1 piece
- Front left – 1 piece
- Pocket facing – 2 pieces
- From contrasting fabric:
- Placket – 1 piece
- Waistband – 1 piece
- Insert – 1 piece
- Welt – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Placket – 1 piece
- Waistband – 1 piece
- Welt – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- Interface the pieces with fusible interfacing.
- Stitch darts on back and front pieces, press depths towards the center.
- Mark the location of the back pockets. Interface the pocket opening. Press the welt piece in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. Stitch the welt to the back along the lower pocket marking line. Stitch the pocket facing to the back along the upper pocket marking line. Stitch ends finish at the short marking lines. Check the correctness of stitching the welt and pocket facing from the wrong side (stitches should be parallel). Cut the pocket opening. At a distance of 1-1.5 cm from the end of the pocket, make diagonal cuts. Turn the welt and pocket facing through the resulting opening to the wrong side, adjust the ends of the welt so that the fold meets the stitching seam of the pocket facing. Secure the ends of the pocket from the wrong side with a double backstitch at the base of the corners. Topstitch the welt to the pocket facing in the stitching seam.
- Overlock the center edges of the front separately. Overlock the vertical and upper edges of the insert. Stitch the insert to the front panels along the vertical edges. Stitch the center edge of the front from the upper edge to the pleat. Press allowances open, unfold and press the pleat. Lay a decorative-securing stitch along the base of the pleat.
- Stitch side seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Press the waistband piece in half lengthwise, right side out. Stitch the outer side of the waistband to the upper edge of the skirt, press allowances towards the waistband.
- Press the placket allowances to the wrong side. Topstitch the placket to the front and waistband 0.1 cm from the edge.
- Overlock the center edges of the back separately. Stitch the center seam from the zipper mark to the slit mark, press allowances open. Insert the invisible zipper. Along the slit, lay a decorative-securing stitch 0.5 cm from the fold.
- Overlock the edge of the inner waistband. Topstitch the inner into the stitching seam of the outer waistband.
- Overlock the lower edge of the skirt, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Sew buttons onto the placket.
