Origami Back Detail Straight Skirt
A women's straight skirt above the knee, with a deep yoke instead of a waistband, a left side invisible zipper and a centre back slit. Two folded flounces on the back, each stitched down in two pleats, form a layered origami detail on either side of the centre back seam.
When To Wear
- At the office with a plain blouse or fitted knit top, so the back detail stays visible.
- For evening events with a short jacket and heels.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Straight, close-fitting skirt.
Length: Above the knee.
Waist: Deep shaped yoke at front and back, interfaced, with an inner yoke facing stitched in the ditch of the yoke seam. No waistband.
Front: One piece below the yoke, with no darts or seams.
Closure: Invisible zipper in the left side seam.
Back: Two halves with darts and a centre back seam. On each half, a double-layer flounce, topstitched 0.1 cm from its curved edge, is folded into two pleats and stitched to the skirt along the marked lines.
Finishing: Centre back slit finished with interfaced facings, with a squared corner at the hem; hem topstitched 3.5 cm from the fold, catching the slit facings.
Level Of Difficulty
Advanced. Folding and stitching the flounce pleats through several layers exactly on the markings, a faced slit with a turned lower corner, an invisible zipper and a yoke with an inner facing.
Fabric Recommendations
Thin suiting fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (yokes, slit facings)
- 1 invisible zipper
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Back skirt half – 2 pieces
- Front skirt half – 1 piece
- Back Yoke – 2 pieces
- Front Yoke – 2 pieces
- Flounce – 4 pieces
- Facing for slit – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Back Yoke – 1 piece
- Front Yoke – 1 piece
- Facing for slit – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse the yokes and slit facings with fusible interfacing.
- Stitch the darts on the back skirt half pieces, press the dart excess towards the center.
- Fold the flounces in pairs, right sides together, and stitch the curved edge. Clip the seam allowances. Turn the flounce right side out, smooth and press. Topstitch 0.1 cm from the edge.
- Clip the seam allowance of the FLOUNCE's center edge at the point where the pleats converge. Place the flounce on the back skirt half, aligning the center edges, and topstitch the inner fold of the lower pleat according to the markings on the back skirt half. Turn the flounce towards the center seam and topstitch the outer fold of the lower pleat (four layers of flounce and one layer of back skirt half). Turn the flounce back onto the back skirt half and topstitch the inner fold of the upper pleat according to the markings on the back skirt half. Turn the flounce towards the center seam and topstitch the outer fold of the upper pleat (four layers of flounce and one layer of back skirt half). Turn the flounce back onto the back skirt half and secure along the upper edge.
- Stitch the center edge of the back skirt half from the upper edge to the slit mark. Clip the seam allowances at the mark and press open. Finish the slit with the facing from the mark to the bottom. Stitch the upper seam allowance of the facing to the seam allowance of the back skirt HALF's center edge, press the seam allowances downwards. Overlock the center edges of the back skirt half in one pass with the slit facing. Stitch the lower corner of the slit precisely along the marked hemline. Trim the seam allowances. Turn the facing to the wrong side, straightening the lower corner.
- Attach the back yoke to the back skirt half, press the seam allowances upwards. Attach the front yoke to the front skirt half, press the seam allowances upwards.
- Overlock the left side edges separately, stitch from the zipper mark to the bottom. Press the seam allowances open, pressing the slit for the zipper. Insert the zipper. Stitch the right side edge, press the seam allowances towards the back skirt half and overlock.
- Stitch the right side edge of the inner yokes. Overlock the lower edge. Fold the yoke with the skirt right sides together and stitch the upper edge. Topstitch the seam allowances onto the inner yoke 0.2 cm from the stitching line. Fold the facings to the wrong side and press. Fold the left side edges of the inner yoke and sew to the zipper tape. Topstitch the inner yoke into the seam of the outer yoke attachment.
- Overlock the lower edge of the skirt, press to the wrong side and topstitch with a 3.5 cm seam according to the technical drawing, securing the facing.
