Utility skirt with Zip-Open Panels
A women's A-line skirt below the knee with a high shaped waistband, yokes front and back, and four zippered slits (centre front, centre back and both side seams) that open over inset gussets. Two patch pockets with flaps and buckled tabs sit on the front.
When To Wear
- Everyday wear in spring and autumn, with boots or flat shoes.
- With tucked-in shirts and fitted knits that leave the waistband and belt loops visible.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: A-line; the gussets add width when the slits are unzipped.
Length: Below the knee.
Waist: Wide waistband sewn above the front and back yokes, faced on the inside; four pointed belt loops fastened to the skirt with snaps.
Closure: Zipper at the top of the centre front seam, through the waistband and yoke.
Skirt: Centre front, centre back and side seams each end in a slit with a zipper; a hemmed gusset is set behind each slit so the zipper teeth stay visible.
Pockets: Two patch pockets on the front, topstitched 0.5 cm from the edge, with flaps; a tab on the flap and a tab on the pocket are joined with a buckle.
Back: Back yoke and waistband, centre back seam with a zippered slit.
Finishing: Yoke seams and zippers topstitched 0.5 cm away; tabs topstitched 0.2 cm from the edge; belt loops topstitched along the contour; hems turned and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Five zippers, four of them in slits with gussets behind, patch pockets with flaps and buckled tabs, a faced waistband with belt loops, and a lot of topstitching.
Fabric Recommendations
Fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (front and back waistbands, belt loops, flaps)
- 1 zipper for the front closure
- 4 zippers for the gusset slits
- 4 snaps
- 2 buckles
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse fusible interfacing to: front skirt half waistband, back skirt half waistband, belt loop, flap.
- Attach the waistband to the front skirt half yoke. Overlock the seam and press towards the waistband. Attach the yoke to the front. Overlock the seam and press towards the yoke. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the attachment seam. Overlock the front. Stitch the center seam of the front from the yoke to the notch for the zipper. Press open the center seam of the front, pressing the slits. Attach the zipper to the upper slit seam allowances. Attach the zipper to the lower slit seam allowances. Fold the hem allowance of the to the wrong side, press and topstitch.
- Place the flap pieces right sides together and stitch around. Trim the corner seam allowances of the flaps and turn out. Press the flap into its finished shape. Overlock the upper edge of the flap.
- Overlock the upper edge of the patch pocket. Press the upper seam allowance of the patch pocket and topstitch. Overlock the outer contour of the patch pocket and press the seam allowances according to the pattern.
- The processing of the tab for the pocket and flap is similar. Fold the tab in half lengthwise, right sides together. Stitch the tab on two sides, leaving one short edge free for turning. Turn out the tab and press. Topstitch along the contour of the tab 0.2 cm from the edge. Overlock the raw edge of the tab. Put the buckle on the tab, fold the end of the tab to the wrong side, forming a loop, and topstitch. Mark the position of the tab on the flap and on the pocket. Attach the tab, turn back and topstitch 0.5 cm from the attachment seam.
- Mark the position of the pocket and flap and topstitch the pocket to the front skirt half 0.5 cm from the edge of the pocket.
- Overlock the gusset along the contour. Fold, press and topstitch the hem allowance onto the gusset from the wrong side. Baste the gusset to the front so that the zipper teeth are visible. Topstitch along the zipper 0.5 cm from the zipper attachment seam. Remove temporary stitching.
- Attach the back skirt half waistband to the yoke. Overlock the attachment seam and press towards the waistband. Overlock the center and lower edges of the back. Stitch the center seam of the back up to the notch for the slit. Press open the center seam of the back, pressing the slits. Attach the zipper to the slit seam allowances. Attach the yoke to the back. Overlock the seam and press towards the yoke. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the attachment seam. Overlock the side edges of the back. Fold the hem allowance of the to the wrong side, press and topstitch. The processing of the gusset is similar to the processing of the gusset on the front.
- Stitch the side seams up to the notch for the slit. Press open the side seams, pressing the slits. Attach the zipper to the slit seam allowances. The processing of the gusset is similar to the processing of the gusset on the front.
- Stitch the side edges of the lower waistband. Press open the side seams of the waistband, overlock the lower edge of the waistband. Fold the belt loop pieces, stitch around the contour, leaving the upper edge free. Turn out the belt loop, press and topstitch along the contour. Mark and attach the belt loops to the upper edge of the skirt.
- Place the waistband with the upper edge of the skirt right sides together and stitch around. Topstitch the stitching seam onto the lower waistband 0.2 cm from the stitching seam. Fold the waistband to the wrong side and press the upper stitched edge of the skirt. Fold the center edges of the lower waistband and topstitch 0.5 cm from the zipper, catching the folded edges. Topstitch the overlock edge of the lower waistband into the attachment seam of the upper waistband. Mark and attach snaps to the belt loops and on the skirt.
