Denim Pencil Skirt with Hemband
A women's above-the-knee denim pencil skirt with a fly-front zipper, large lined patch pockets with zippered openings and a hem band in two parts that buttons together at the sides. Seams are finished with jeans-style double topstitching.
When To Wear
- Everyday wear in spring and autumn with T-shirts, shirts and knit sweaters.
- With tights and boots in cooler weather.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Straight pencil skirt with a centre front seam and a centre back seam.
Length: Above the knee, finished with a hem band.
Closure: Fly-front zipper with a fly facing; the waistband fastens with one button and buttonhole.
Pockets: Large patch pockets on the front, lined, with the opening at the side edge and a zipper set into a slit on the pocket face.
Back: Shaped yoke dipping to a point at the centre back, darts below the yoke, centre back seam topstitched.
Waist: Straight interfaced waistband with belt loops at the front and centre back.
Skirt: Side seams open into short slits under the hem band. The hem band is cut as a front and a back piece; the front piece has shaped ends with buttonholes that button onto the back piece at each side.
Finishing: Double topstitching 0.1 cm and 0.7 cm from the seam on the pockets, yoke, centre seams, side seams, hem band and belt loops.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A fly-front zipper, zippers set into slits on lined patch pockets, a two-part buttoned hem band and many rows of double topstitching.
Fabric Recommendations
Fabrics from natural and blended fibres, for example denim.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric (pockets)
- Fusible interfacing (fly facing, waistband, fly extension on the front)
- 1 zipper, 10 cm long
- 2 zippers, 12 cm long
- 3 buttons
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Back – 2 pieces
- Back Yoke – 2 pieces
- Front – 2 pieces
- Pocket – 2 pieces
- Back Placket – 1 piece
- Front Placket – 1 piece
- Waistband – 1 piece
- Fly Facing - 1 piece
- Belt Loop - 1 piece
- From Lining:
- Pocket – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing: fly facing, waistband.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse fusible interfacing to the fly facing, waistband, and the integrated placket allowance on the front.
- Fold the belt loop in half lengthwise, right sides together, align the raw edges, and stitch along the long side. Turn right side out, straighten the seam, positioning it in the middle of the wrong side, and press. Stitch a double topstitch along the long sides at 0.1 cm and 0.7 cm. Cut the belt loop piece according to the size.
- Mark the zipper placement on the pocket. Reinforce this area with a grain line strip. Confirm zipper placement and cut the opening. Make diagonal cuts 1-1.5 cm from the ends. Turn the seam allowances to the wrong side through the opening, and straighten the edges. Place the zipper under the edges so that the teeth are visible. Stitch the zipper.
- Stitch the patch pocket with the lining, leaving the top and side raw edges free. Topstitch the pocket opening allowance with a double stitch at 0.1 cm and 0.7 cm from the edge.
- Mark the pocket placement on the front and topstitch the vertical and bottom sides of the pocket at 0.1 cm and 0.7 cm from the outer edge of the pocket, leaving the pocket opening free.
- Stitch the darts on the back, press the depths towards the center, and topstitch at 0.1 cm from the seam. Attach the yoke to the back skirt half. Press the seam allowances towards the yoke and stitch a double topstitch at 0.1 cm and 0.7 cm from the seam. Stitch the center back seam of the back, press the seam allowances to the left side, and topstitch at 0.1 cm and 0.7 cm from the seam.
- Trim the integrated placket allowance on the left front, leaving 2 cm. Overlock the center raw edges of the front panels. Stitch the center seam of the front from the zipper mark downwards, clip the allowance at the mark. Press the seam allowances to the right side, overlock, and stitch a double topstitch at 0.1 cm and 0.7 cm from the seam.
- Press the integrated placket allowance on the right to the wrong side along the center front line, and on the left — 1 cm from the edge. Overlock the open raw edges of the fly facing and press it in half lengthwise, right side out. Stitch the zipper under the edge of the placket allowance on the left side, close to the edge, positioning the teeth flush with the fold and placing the fly facing with the fold towards the center so that the overlock edge covers the zipper tape. Pin the slit, aligning the center front lines. Stitch the free zipper tape to the facing of the right side of the placket, without catching the fabric of the front. Topstitch the fly, folding back the fly facing. Finish the stitching 2 – 2.5 cm before the center seam. Then, fold the fly facing back into place and continue the stitching to the seam.
- Stitch the side seams of the skirt up to the slit mark. Clip the seam allowance, press the upper towards the back, press open at the slit level, and overlock. Topstitch the allowance with a double stitch at 0.1 cm and 0.7 cm from the stitching seam, topstitch the slit allowances at 0.1 cm from the fold.
- Fold the back placket in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch the short sides. Start and end the stitching strictly at the marked placket attachment line. Turn right side out, press. Attach the outer side of the placket to the back, turn the allowance of the inner placket inwards, and topstitch with a double stitch at 0.1 cm and 0.7 cm from the seam.
- Fold the front placket in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch the shaped sides up to the mark. Turn right side out, press, make the buttonhole. Attach the outer side of the placket to the front, turn the allowance of the inner placket inwards, and topstitch with a double stitch at 0.1 cm and 0.7 cm from the seam. Sew a button onto the back placket corresponding to the buttonhole.
- Fold the waistband piece in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch the short sides, turn right side out, press. Attach the outer of the waistband to the upper raw edge, fold the allowance of the inner inwards, and topstitch into the attachment seam. Make the buttonhole, sew on the button.
- Topstitch the belt loops onto the waistband according to the sketch, guided by the markings on the upper raw edges of the back yokes and front.
