How to make a pencil skirt

1. Materials & tools

Materials (size M)

• Main fabric (twill, gabardine or wool) — about 110 cm wide × 80 cm (44 × 32 in)
• Flat elastic (2–3 cm / 1 in wide) — your waist measurement
• Optional: lining fabric

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” → “Pencil skirt” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter waist, hip, skirt length, hip drop and hem taper. Presets cover S, M, L and XL.
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
   Lay the pattern on the wrong side of the fabric and trace the cut line and the seam line. Align the grain with the grainline marking.
2. Cut
   Cut the front and back as one piece each, with the center on the fold. If you want a back slit, cut the back open at the center instead and add seam allowance there.
3. Finish the edges
   Zigzag or serge the side seam allowances before you start sewing.

4. Sewing

4-1. Sew the sides

1. Place front and back right sides together and sew both side seams. Pin the hip notches first — matching them keeps the two sides level.
2. Press the seam allowances open.

4-2. Make the elastic waist

1. Fold the waist edge under by the seam allowance, then fold again by the elastic width plus a little ease to make a casing. Topstitch all the way around, leaving a 3 cm (1¼ in) gap to thread the elastic.
2. Thread the elastic, try it on, overlap and stitch the ends, then close the gap.

4-3. Hem and slit

1. At the center back, sew the seam from the waist down to about 15–20 cm (6–8 in) above the hem. The unsewn part is the slit.
2. Press the slit seam allowances to each side and topstitch them down.
3. Turn the hem up twice and stitch.

✏️ Without a slit the skirt hangs straight but you cannot take a full stride. If you skip it, either shorten the skirt to above the knee or reduce the hem taper.

5. Tips & variations

• Add a lining: cut the same pattern in lining fabric and join at the waist. It stops the skirt clinging and looks far more finished.
• Hide the elastic: make a separate waistband, flat at the front and elasticated only at the back, for a smoother line.
• Room to sit: too little hip ease and you cannot sit down. Enter your actual hip plus about 4 cm (1½ in).