Draped Front Pencil Skirt
A women's lined pencil skirt with princess seams front and back, three soft folds across the centre front panel and an invisible zipper in the left side seam. Vents at the lower ends of the back princess seams.
When To Wear
- With a blouse or fitted jacket for the office.
- With a knit top and heels for dinners and smart events in autumn, winter and spring.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Straight, close-fitting pencil shape built from a centre panel and two side panels at the front and the back.
Length: Around the knee.
Front: Pleats laid and secured on the centre front panel form three curved folds that run towards the princess seam on the wearer's left. The front princess seams are pressed towards the side seams.
Back: Princess seams pressed towards the centre back panel, ending in vents; the vent allowances are interfaced and the right side of each vent is topstitched.
Waist: Straight waistband folded in half, interfaced, closed with one button and a buttonhole.
Closure: Invisible zipper in the left side seam.
Finishing: Seams overlocked; 3 cm hem turned up and sewn with a blind stitch.
Lining: Full lining cut from the same panels, attached to the zipper tape and the top edge, with a separately topstitched hem.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Laying the front folds, princess seams with vents, an invisible zipper and a full lining.
Fabric Recommendations
Lightweight wool fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric
- Fusible interfacing (waistband, vent allowances)
- 1 invisible zipper
- 1 button
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Back Skirt Half – 1 piece
- Back Side – 2 pieces
- Front Skirt Half – 1 piece
- Front Side – 2 pieces
- Waistband – 1 piece
- From lining:
- Back Skirt Half – 1 piece
- Back Side – 2 pieces
- Front Skirt Half – 1 piece
- Front Side – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing: Waistband.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse the waistband and vent seam allowances with fusible interfacing.
- Overlock the princess seams of the back skirt half and back side panels separately on each piece, simultaneously overlocking the vent. Stitch the back princess seams from the top edge to the edge of the vent. Press the seam allowances towards the center of the back skirt half. Press the right side of the vent by 1 cm and topstitch. Press the vent seam allowances and secure with machine stitching.
- Form and secure the pleats on the front skirt half. Stitch the front princess seams. Press the 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 open the seam allowances and press the zipper opening. Insert the zipper into the left side seam of the skirt.
- Stitch, press towards the back, and overlock the right side seam.
- Stitch the princess and side seams on the lining pieces similarly to the main fabric pieces. Place the lining and skirt wrong sides together. Attach the fastening 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 stitching 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, press to the wrong side, and hem with a blind stitch. Overlock, fold, and topstitch the hem allowance on the lining.
