Pencil Skirt with Front Slit and Pockets

CUTTER'S MUST

• From main fabric:
  • Fly shield - 1 piece
  • Underlap - 1 piece on fold
  • Back panel - 2 pieces
  • Pocket - 2 pieces
  • Front panel - 2 pieces
  • Back facing - 2 pieces on fold
  • Front facing right - 2 pieces
  • Front facing left - 2 pieces
  • Waistband - 2 pieces
  • Pocket bag - 2 pieces
• From fusible interfacing: facing pieces, underlap, fly shield, one waistband piece.

Sewing Instructions

1. Interface the facing pieces, underlap, fly shield, and one waistband piece with fusible interfacing. (Heat-activated interfacings are pressed onto the wrong side of the piece with a hot iron).
2. Stitch the darts on the skirt panels, press them towards the center. Attach the fly shield to the right front panel, placing them right sides together. Fold the fly shield to the wrong side, baste and press the attachment seam.
3. Stitch the center back seam and the front center seam from the fly shield to the slit mark, press open, overcast, and topstitch the slit.
4. Press the upper edge of the pocket to the wrong side, fold the edge in by 0.5 cm and topstitch 1 mm from the edge. Press the pocket allowances inwards, place it along the alignment line on the skirt panels and topstitch 1 mm.
5. Zipper closure. Press the seam allowance of the center seam of the left front panel to the wrong side. Press the underlap lengthwise in half, right side out, overcast the open edges. Attach the zipper under the edge of the closure allowance on the left side, close to the edge, positioning the teeth flush with the fold and placing the underlap with its fold towards the center so that the overcast edge covers the zipper tape. Pin the slit, aligning the center front lines. Attach the free zipper tape to the fly shield of the right side of the closure, without catching the fabric of the front panel. Topstitch the right front half of the skirt along the closure according to the markings, catching the fly shield and folding back the underlap. Finish the stitching 1.5 – 2 cm before the center seam. Then, fold the underlap back into its original position and continue the stitching to the seam.
6. Stitch the front facings to the back facing at the side seams. Press allowances open. Place the facings with the upper edge of the skirt right sides together and stitch. Press the allowance towards the facing. Finish the top of the skirt with the lower facings, turn them to the wrong side, baste and press. Topstitch the open edges of the lower facings into the attachment seam of the upper ones.
7. Press the hem allowance of the skirt to the wrong side, fold and topstitch. Topstitch "Velcro" fasteners to the facings.
8. Stitch the darts on the pocket bag pieces. Attach the pocket bag to each waistband piece, placing them right sides together. In the attachment seam of the upper pocket bag, leave an unstitched opening for inserting the zipper. Press the attachment seams open. Insert the zipper between the waistband and the pocket bag. Place the waistband pieces right sides together and stitch along the contour, enclosing the pocket bag pieces. Turn the waistband to the right side, baste, press, and topstitch close to the edge, securing the pocket bag pieces together. Attach "Velcro" fasteners to the ends of the waistband.