I made this skirt in preparation for a friend’s upcoming birthday night out and it was perfect!  Read along for my DIY Golden skirt tutorial.

The skinny:

This skirt tutorial was semi-challenging to make.  The gold fabric required a lining underneath and I wanted to add pockets.  I thought that the pockets would be too visible below the gold fabric alone, so I decided to attach the skirt front and back gold fabric panels to the black lining panels.  That way the pockets could go underneath the lining and hopefully not be as visible.  It was a pain, and I had to take care to keep everything in line, but the comfy factor of a skirt with pockets made it worthwhile.

Materials:

• ~1 yard of knit performance gold fabric
• ~1 yard of black lining
• 3/4″ elastic waistband
• matching gold thread

Now onto my Golden Skirt Tutorial

Instructions:

1.  For the first step, we need to make the front and back skirt panels for both the gold fabric and the black lining.

To get your proper width dimension, measure around the widest part of your hips/waist/butt area and add 2″ (½” for each side seam and 1″ for error – we want this to be able to slip on!).   Divide that number by 2 and you get the width you need for your front and back skirt panels.

For myself, my width was 40″, so: 40″ + 2″ = 42″.  42 ÷ 2 = 21″

For the length, it really is up to how long you want your skirt to be. Take your desired length and add 2″ (1½” for the top which folds down over the elastic, and ½” for the skirt hem).

I wanted my length to be 18″, so: 18″ + 2″ = 20″

Make the gold fabric slightly longer than the black lining, so the lining won’t show.  I also gave mine a scooped hem.  To do this, add ½” to the length, for a length of 20.5″, and in the middle of the panel, add 1½”, for a length of 21.5″.

Using your measurements, create a pattern on paper.

2.  Trace or pin your patterns onto your fabric. I traced my pattern with a stick of white charcoal.

Cut out two (2) gold fabric panels and two (2) black lining panels.  Make sure that the width is along the weft (which has more stretch) and the length is along the warp (which has little stretch).

Hem the bottom of the black lining panels with a ½” seam allowance.  We won’t hem the gold fabric until later.

3.  Next, pockets.  Cut out pockets from the black lining fabric.  I like the contrast of the black against the gold, plus the lining provides a more stable pocket material.

To make pockets, trace around your hand onto pattern paper, making sure that your wrist is along a straight edge. Using this pattern, trace or pin your pockets onto the lining, and cut out (4) of these.  I first learned how to make pockets from this wonderful post by Sweet Verbena.

4.  Now you should have all your pieces.

• 2 black lining panels (front and back)
• 2 gold fabric panels (front and back)
• 4 pockets

If you desire, serge or zigzag the edges for each piece, just to be sure that the material doesn’t fray.

5.  Now sew the black lining to the gold fabric panels.  We will only do this along the top and down both sides.  We’re going to keep the bottom hems separate from each other for flow and to keep that nice scoop shape on the gold fabric.

Sew the right side of the black lining to the wrong side of the gold fabric, making sure that the gold fabric’s scooped bottom and the freshly hemmed black lining are on the same end.   Sew a ¼” seam allowance.  Do this for the front and back pieces of the skirt.

6.  Now we add our pockets.  3″ down from the waist, add a pocket to both sides.  Pin in place and sew the pocket to the skirt along the side with a ¼” seam allowance.  Do this for the front and back skirt pieces.

7.  The pockets are now  attached to the front and back skirt pieces.  Right sides together, pin the front and back of the skirt together making sure the pockets match up.  Sew from the waist, around the pocket, and continuing to the skirt bottom with a ½” seam allowance.

8.  Next we add the elastic to the waistband.

Fold the top of the skirt over 1½”.  Pin, and sew in place using a wide, straight stitch.  Leave a 1″ gap open to be able to feed the elastic through.

9.  Attach a safety pin to one  end of the elastic band, and feed it through the newly made waistband.  Sew ends of elastic together and sew up the 1″ gap in the waistband.

10.  Next we will hem the gold fabric.  My material sort of meandered and stretched through the course of attaching it to the lining so I trimmed the bottom.  Sew up the skirt hem at the bottom of the gold fabric using a wide, straight stitch.

14.  To give the pockets some shape, pin and sew along the right side of the pockets.  As discreetly as possible.

15,  Try it on and make sure the pockets look okay.  If needed, you can pinch up the top and bottom of the pockets with thread by hand.

Voila! You’re done! I hope you enjoyed my Golden Skirt Tutorial.  Enjoy your brand new comfy skirt 🙂