Straight Skirt with Insert Panel
A knee-length straight women's skirt with princess seams at front and back. The lower centre front and centre back each have two crossed insert panels with bias-cut edges that overlap and open into a slit at the hem. Folded waistband with one button, invisible zip in the left side seam, lined.
When To Wear
- At the office with blouses, shirts and jackets.
- In autumn, winter and spring with tights and boots or court shoes.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Straight, fitted at the waist and hips.
Length: Knee length.
Skirt: Centre and side panels at front and back joined by princess seams running from waist to hem.
Front: Below the centre front panel, two inserts with interfaced, topstitched bias edges are laid left over right and joined to the panel along a horizontal seam. The bias edges stay open for the last 5–6 cm, forming a crossover slit.
Back: The same crossed inserts below the centre back panel.
Waist: Interfaced waistband folded in half lengthwise, fastened with one button.
Closure: Invisible zip in the left side seam.
Lining: Lining cut from the skirt panels, 2 cm shorter, attached at the waist and to the zip tape.
Finishing: 2 cm hem, blind-stitched; lining hem overlocked, turned up and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Overlapping bias-edged inserts with corners turned out at the hem, an invisible zip and a lining.
Fabric Recommendations
Fine wool fabrics in natural fibres or blends.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric
- Fusible interfacing (waistband, insert edges)
- 1 invisible zip
- 1 button
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- 1. Center back – 1 piece
- 2. Side back – 2 pieces
- 3. Center front – 1 piece
- 4. Side front – 2 pieces
- 5. Back insert – 2 pieces
- 6. Front insert – 2 pieces
- 7. Waistband – 1 piece
- From lining:
- 1. Center back – 1 piece
- 2. Side back lining – 2 pieces
- 3. Center front – 1 piece
- 4. Side front lining – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing: Waistband.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse fusible interfacing to the waistband and the bias edges of the front and back inserts.
- Overlock the bias edges of the front and back inserts, press them to the wrong side, and topstitch, stopping 5 – 6 cm from the bottom edge. Place the left back insert on the right, secure along the top edge, and attach to the center back. Press seam allowances upwards and overlock. Place the left front insert on the right, secure along the top edge, and attach to the center front. Press seam allowances upwards and overlock.
- Stitch the front and back princess seams. Press seam allowances towards the side seams and overlock.
- Overlock the left side seams of the back and front skirt halves separately. Stitch the left side seam from the zipper notch downwards. Press the seam allowances open and press the zipper opening. Insert the zipper into the left side seam of the skirt.
- Stitch the right side seam, press towards the back, and overlock.
- Stitch the princess and side seams on the lining pieces in the same way as the main fabric pieces. Place the lining and the skirt with wrong sides facing. Attach the fastener seam allowances to the zipper tape. Secure the lining to the garment along the top edge.
- Press the waistband in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. Overlock the bottom edge of the inner waistband. Attach the outer waistband to the top edge of the skirt, simultaneously finishing the waistband corners. Topstitch the inner waistband edge into the waistband attachment seam. Make the buttonhole and sew on the button.
- Overlock the bottom edge of the main skirt. Finish the corners of the inserts, turn out. Press the bottom hem seam allowance to the wrong side and hem with a blind stitch. Topstitch the remaining unfinished bias edges of the inserts. Overlock, fold, and topstitch the lining hem.
