Skirt with Asymmetric Waistband
A women's narrow mid-calf skirt for stretch woven fabric, with an asymmetric shaped waistband that reads as a turned-down band, an invisible zipper and a slit in the left side seam. Fully lined.
When To Wear
- For the office with a fitted top, blouse or short jacket.
- For evenings and receptions, with heels and a top tucked in to show the waistband.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Narrow and straight, shaped with darts on the front and back; the fabric must stretch across the body.
Length: Mid-calf, hem hand-stitched.
Waist: Separate asymmetric waistband: on the drawing its lower edge slopes down towards the left side, where it ends in a point at the side seam. It is backed by front and back waistband facings stitched to the lining; the skirt is topstitched close to the waistband seam.
Closure: Invisible zipper in the left side seam, the edges reinforced with 1.5 cm interfacing strips.
Skirt: Slit at the lower end of the left side seam, its allowances hand-stitched to the hem.
Back: One piece cut on the fold, with darts.
Lining: Full stretch lining with darts, 2 cm shorter than the skirt, hand-sewn to the zipper tapes and the slit allowances.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. An invisible zipper, a lining sewn to the zipper and slit by hand, a shaped waistband with facing, and stretch fabric cut on the correct grain.
Fabric Recommendations
Light stretch fabrics. The skirt must stretch across the body: fabrics that stretch lengthwise are cut on the cross grain, fabrics that stretch crosswise on the straight grain. The sample is made in stretch poplin that stretches lengthwise, cut on the cross grain.
Additional Supplies
- Stretch lining fabric in a matching colour (cut on the straight grain)
- Fusible interfacing (1.5 cm strips along the zipper edges)
- Invisible zipper
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Front Skirt – 1 piece (cut on fold)
- Back Skirt – 1 piece (cut on fold)
- Waistband – 1 piece
- Front Belt Facing – 1 piece
- Back Belt Facing – 1 piece
- From lining fabric:
- Front Skirt – 1 piece (cut on fold)
- Back Skirt – 1 piece (cut on fold)
- From fusible interfacing:
- Strips 1.5 cm wide, fused to the skirt along the zipper edges
Sewing Instructions
- Stitch the darts on the Front Skirt and Back Skirt, press dart depths towards the center line.
- Stitch the right side seam.
- Attach the invisible zipper to the left side edges of the Front Skirt and Back Skirt: Open the invisible zipper and press the coil with your thumb nail so that the seam line between the tape and the coil is visible. Place the open zipper right side down onto the right side of the garment. To ensure the zipper is stitched precisely along the marked "seam lines", determine the interval between the edge of the zipper tape and the fabric edge: seam allowance width minus 1 cm tape width = distance to fabric edge. Pin the upper end of the zipper tape to the fabric at the required distance. The lower end of the zipper tape extends beyond the lower end of the slit. Position the sewing machine foot over the zipper so that the coil is under the notch of the foot to the right of the needle. Stitch the zipper from the upper end to the slit mark. Close the zipper. Place the second zipper tape right side down onto the right side of the fabric along the second edge of the slit and pin the upper end of the tape with one pin. Open the zipper again. Position the sewing machine foot over the zipper so that the coil is under the notch of the foot to the left of the needle. Stitch the tape from the upper end to the slit mark. Close the zipper. Pin the raw edges of the skirt pieces together below the zipper mark, turning the free lower end of the zipper onto the seam allowances.
- Stitch the left side seam between the slit mark for the zipper and the lower slit mark, starting as close as possible to the last stitches of the zipper attachment seams.
- Attach the Waistband to the upper edge of the skirt. Trim seam allowances to 0.5 cm width and press towards the skirt. Topstitch the skirt close to the waistband attachment seam.
- On the lining fabric pieces, stitch the darts and the right side seam. On the Front Belt Facing and Back Belt Facing, stitch the right side seam. Attach the assembled facing to the lining. Press seam allowances towards the lining. Place the lining with the attached waistband facing onto the skirt, right side to right side, and stitch along the upper edge of the Waistband and along the left side edges down to the start of the zipper, then continue down to the lining attachment seam close to the zipper stitching. Trim seam allowances close to the stitching. Turn the facing to the wrong side, press the edges.
- Press the hem allowance of the skirt to the wrong side and hand stitch. Press the slit allowances to the wrong side and hand stitch them to the skirt hem. Finish the lining hem so that the lining is 2 cm shorter than the skirt. Turn under the lining and stitch to the zipper tapes. Below the zipper, turn under the lining and stitch to the seam allowances and the lower slit allowances.
