How to make a mermaid skirt

1. Materials & tools

Materials (adult skirt)

• Fabric (medium cotton, linen or twill with some body) — about 110 cm wide × (skirt length + 20 cm); allow extra for a big flare
• Waist elastic (2–3 cm wide) — the waist measurement

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Adult clothes” → “Mermaid skirt” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter waist, hip, skirt length, the seam position and hem flare. Elastic waist.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Trace the pattern
   Trace the cut and seam lines; align the grain.
2. Cut 4
   Cut the upper panel front and back on the fold (2), and the lower panel front and back on the fold (2).
3. Mark the seam notches
   Mark the notches on the upper/lower seam line.
4. Finish the edges
   Zigzag or serge the edges.

4. Sewing

4-1. Join the upper and lower panels

1. Match the front upper and lower panels at the seam, easing the slightly wider lower panel to the notches, and sew.
2. Press the seam up. Join the back the same way.

4-2. Sew the sides

1. Place the joined front and back right sides together and sew the sides from waist to hem in one pass, matching the seam lines; press open.

4-3. Make the waist casing

1. Fold the waist for the elastic and stitch, leaving an opening.

4-4. Thread the elastic

1. Thread the elastic, fit to the waist, sew the ends and close the opening.

4-5. Hem

1. Hem with a narrow fold (1–1.5 cm) since the hem flares; press to finish.

5. Tips & variations

• Move the seam: a lower seam gives a more dramatic fishtail.
• Fabric with body: a little stiffness makes the flare stand out.
• More flare: increase the hem flare value for extra swish.