Fitted Skirt with Gathered Front Panel
A short, fitted women's skirt with deep front and back yokes and a centre front panel gathered along both long edges into horizontal ruching. Centre back vent, invisible zip in the left side seam, lined.
When To Wear
- At the office with a plain blouse or fine knit top, so the ruched panel stays the focus.
- In autumn and winter with tights and ankle boots.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted, straight skirt.
Length: Above the knee.
Waist: Deep shaped yokes at front and back, interfaced and faced with inner yokes; no waistband.
Front: Three panels: a centre panel gathered on both long edges from the top down to a notch, and two smooth side panels.
Back: Two panels joined by a centre back seam ending in a vent; the vent allowances are interfaced.
Closure: Invisible zip in the left side seam.
Lining: Lining cut from the skirt pieces, 2 cm shorter, attached to the inner yokes and stitched into the outer yoke seam; cut away in a semicircle above the vent.
Finishing: Hem turned up 2 cm and topstitched; lining hem double-turned.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Gathering a panel to fit its neighbours, a lined vent, an invisible zip and a yoke facing joined to the lining.
Fabric Recommendations
Fine wool fabrics in natural fibres or blends.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric
- Fusible interfacing (yokes, vent allowances)
- 1 invisible zip
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Back skirt half – 2 pieces
- Back Yoke – 2 pieces
- Center front skirt half – 1 piece
- Side front skirt half – 2 pieces
- Front Yoke – 2 pieces
- From lining:
- Back skirt half – 2 pieces
- Center front skirt half – 1 piece
- Side front skirt half – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Back Yoke – 1 piece
- Front Yoke – 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the yokes and vent seam allowances.
- Finish the center edges of the back skirt half separately on each piece, simultaneously finishing the vent. Stitch the center edge from the top to the vent edge. Press the seam allowances open, press the vent seam allowances towards the left side edge. Press the right side of the vent by 1 cm and topstitch. Secure the vent seam allowances with machine stitching.
- Lay a stitch with loosely tensioned stitches along the longitudinal edges of the center front skirt half from the top to the notch and gather. Attach the side front skirt half to the center, press the seam allowances towards the side edges and finish.
- Attach the yokes to the corresponding skirt halves, press the seam allowances upwards and finish.
- Finish the left side edges of the back skirt half and front skirt half separately. Stitch the left side edge from the notch for the zipper downwards. Press the seam allowances open and press the openings for the zipper. Insert the zipper into the left side seam of the skirt. Stitch, press towards the back and finish the right side seam.
- Stitch the right side seam on the inner yoke pieces, press the seam allowances open. Trim the vent seam allowance on the lining pieces of the back skirt half and stitch the center edge. Press the seam allowances to the left side and finish. Stitch the edges on the lining pieces similarly to the main fabric pieces. Attach the lining to the inner yokes, press the seam allowances upwards. Fold the inner yokes with the skirt right sides together and stitch the upper edge, clip the seam allowances at the curves. Turn the skirt right side out. Attach the fastening seam allowances to the zipper tape. Secure the lining to the garment by topstitching it into the seam of attaching the outer yokes.
- Finish the bottom edge of the skirt, press to the wrong side and topstitch. Turn the skirt to the wrong side, smooth it out, align the corresponding seams on the main garment and lining. Carefully cut the lining in a semicircle above the vent, finish the edge. Fold the hem of the lining twice and topstitch.
