Balloon styled skirts are both fun to make and give a nice result without hems and raw edges anywhere in sight and may I say I think that they are rather quick to make to.
This skirt is lovely to make in a taffeta fabric since it gets a lot of poof from the fabric itself that way, but i have made balloon style skirts in both organza and jersey fabric with great result when using.
For lining use ordinary lining fabric or make sure that it is a fabric that is a bit “slippery” a cotton lining will make the skirt “rise” as you walk in it unless you have “slippery” tights or is bare legged.
1.
This is what you will need
Fashion fabric – I use the width of the fabric to make this skirt, you need to pieces so for my skirt I will need two 150 cm (59,1 inches) wide and 60 cm (23,6 inches) long pieces.
Lining fabric – Half the width of the fashion fabric, again it is convenient to use the width of the fabric for this so for this skirt i am using 150 cm (59,1 inches) wide and 40 cm (15,7 inches) long. To make the poof in the bottom you will need the lining to be shorter then the fashion fabric.
A zipper
A button
Fabric for your waistband – the measurement of were you want the skirt to sit, for me that would be 95 cm (37,4 inches) + 4 cm (1,6 inches) + sewing allowance on both sides (I use 1 cm/ 0,4 inches on each side); in total for me 101cm (39,8 inches) this is the length of your waistband piece and then how wide you want it to be.
2.
We are starting with the fashion fabric, put the two pieces right sides together.
3.
Sew one side from the top and down, on the other, leave a part in the top not sewn, this is for the zipper.
4.
Press the sewing allowance apart.
5.
Insert zipper.
6.
Sew gathering stitches in the top and bottom of your fashion fabric, I do it by setting my sewing machine on the longest straight stitch that I can.
7.
Now on to the lining, put it right sides together and sew, but leave a part for the zipper, press the sewing allowance apart.
8.
Sew gathering stitches in the TOP of your lining, not the bottom.
9.
Put your lining and fashion fabric, right sides together in the bottom.
10.
Gather the fashion fabric to the lining, make sure that it ruffles even.
11.
Sew the lining and fashion fabric together.
12.
If you have done it right, you will have this silly looking thing.
13
Tuck the lining inside, so that you now have the fabrics wrong sides together.
14.
Something like this.
15.
To explain the next part I wanted to show you how your waistband will look like when it is finished. It have a flap of fabric that holds the button, this flap is hidden when the skirt is on.
16.
A visual guide over the sewing allowance and flap thing, the thing in between is the measurement of where you want your skirt to sit, this is also on this space you want to gather your fabric in the next step
17.
Now you are going to gather the fashion fabric to the waistband. Put the fashion fabric and waistband fabric (they are probably the same fabric but i call them this to make it clearer) right sides together. Remember to gather the fabric on the part of the waistband I show you on the last picture, in between the sewing allowance on one side and the flap + sewing allowance on the other.
18.
Then put the lining fabric wrong sides together to the fashion fabric and gather it to. Since you have half as much fabric in the lining fabric the ruffling will not be as much as on the fashion fabric.
19.
Sew the three layers of fabric together.
20.
Look you can actually see the skirt now.
21.
Now on to the waistband sewing. Before sewing we have some folding to do, first fold in and press the sewing allowance, here 1 cm (inches). Next step is to fold the waistband in half, and put it right sides together.
22.
Now sew of the ends of the waistband.
23.
Cut the corners of, this will make it less bulky when you are tuning it over.
24.
Fold it over, tuck the raw edges of the skirt inside of the waistband. Stitch together the opening in the bottom of the flap by hand.
25.
Sew the inside of the waistband by hand to.
26.
Also sew the lining to the inside of the zipper.
27.
Sew a buttonhole in one side, put the skirt on and mark out were on the flap to put the button and then sew it on.
28.
Lookie lookie a cute skirt is now done.
One can just as easy put the balloon skirt on a dress bodice, i have have done here.
August 26, 2009 at 6:41 am
Hi Cathrin
Loved your blog, particularly the pattern for the baloon skirt. Hope to make one soon! Please post some more blogs on do-it-yourself clothing projects. Thanx!
September 10, 2009 at 7:31 am
that is so nice, thanks for sharing it.