How to Make a Circle Skirt – For Beginners

Learning how to make a circle skirt is fun and easy and this great tutorial will give you several options for the hem and waistband.

How to Make a Circle Skirt Supplies

• Invisible Zipper
• Fabric – The best fabrics to make a circle skirt have drape. This means the fabric is soft enough to be flattering and to fall in soft gathers. Look for fabrics like cotton and cotton blends, linen, rayon, and even stretch fabrics. If you are making a full circle skirt then you will need to look for wider fabrics to avoid needed to add extra seams.
• Sewing Supplies – Machine, needles, thread, and pins

How to Make a Circle Skirt Pattern

I have a separate tutorial on how to make a circle skirt pattern using a couple of simple calculations including your waist and the skirt lengths. So you don’t have to worry about circle maths, I have inserted a circle skirt calculator that will give you the values you need. You can make a quarter, half, or full circle skirt.

The circle skirt calculator article will give you a radius and fabric length based on your waist size and desired skirt length. It will show you how to cut out a pattern based on these values.

4 Steps to Making a Circle Skirt

There are 4 main steps to making a circle skirt

1. Sew Sideseam
2. Sew Waistband – This can be a wide waistband or bias tape.
3. Insert Zipper – Invisible zippers are the best to use.
4. Sew Hem – There are several methods that you can use to produce great results in the curved hem.

Step 1 – How to Make a Circle Skirt Sideseam

If you are making a half or a quarter circle skirt, you will be cutting 2 pieces from your pattern. A quarter skirt will just have one piece and will not need a side seam.

Place your pieces with right sides together and stitch on side side seam. The other side will be left open for the zipper.

Step 2 – How to Make a Circle Skirt Waistband

There are 2 main ways you can finish the waist – either with a waistband or with bias tape.

Finishing the Waist with Bias Tape

Using double sided bias tape is easy for the waist. Best of all it allows you to add a pop of color or a flattering match. If you added seam allowance at the waist when making your pattern, then you will need to remove it. If you didn’t add any seam allowance then you are all set to go!

Purchase ½ inch (12mmm) double-fold bias tape or make your own with my easy how to make bias tape tutuorial.

1. Press the bias tape in a gentle curve. This will help it sit smoother around the curved waist.
2. Open up the wider side of the bias tape and pin it to the raw waist edge on the wrong side of the skirt fabric.
3. Stitch in the first groove.
4. Fold the tape over to the right side and pin it in place.
5. Stitch along the edge of the fold.

Adding a Waistband

Cutting

• LENGTH – You will need to cut your waistband the same size as your waist including the ease and with seam allowance added.
• HEIGHT – For the height of the fabric, cut it 2 times your desired waistband height plus 2 times the seam allowance. For a 2.5 inch waistband, the height will be 6 inches (this is with ½ inch seam allowance).

Sewing

This is the simplest way to add a waistband to your circle skirt. For a method where the seam allowance is encased, see my tutorial on how to sew a waistband.

1. Fold the waistband in half with wrong sides together.
2. Match the waistband raw edges with that of the skirt and stitch with the appropriate seam allowance.
3. Press the seam open.

Step 3 – How to Make a Circle Skirt Zipper

The best type of zipper to insert into your circle skirt is an invisible zipper. You can use this whether you have added a waistband or using bias tape along the waist.

In order to finish the waist you would have stitched one side seam and left the other side seam open. We will insert the invisible zipper into this open seam.

Supplies

You will need:

• ZIPPER FOOT – In order to sew your invisible zipper, you will need a zipper foot or a specialized invisible zipper foot. Both give great results but you will get a little closer to the edge of the zipper with the specialized foot.
• INVISIBLE ZIPPER – 8 to 10 inches (20-25cm) is standard for most skirts. Zippers are measured along the teeth and not the actual tape.

How to Sew the Zipper

If you are new to sewing an invisible zipper I have a full tutorial with pictures for this. Here is a summary of the steps.

1. Neaten each of the raw edges of the skirt. Use either a serger or a zig-zag stitch on your regular machine. If you have a waistband added, you will be finishing along the side of the waistband.
2. Mark your seam allowance in the section where you will be inserting the zipper.
3. Open the zipper and place it wrong side up. Put your iron on a very low setting and gently press the sides of the teeth so that they lie slightly flatter and less curved. By doing this you will be able to sew closer to the edge of the teeth.
4. With the zipper still open, put it right sides together with the skirt seam. Align the top of the teeth with the top of the skirt waist. This means the tape will extend past the top of the skirt.
5. Start at the top and stitch the zipper close to the teeth. Once you reach the bottom of the zipper, stop at the end of the teeth. There will normally be a metal stopper there. Be careful of your needle.
6. Open up the zipper from the seam and put it with the right sides together with the other side of the skirt. Stitch the same way from the top, stopping at the bottom of the teeth.
7. Put the skirt seam with right sides together and stitch the seam from the hem all the way up the zipper bottom. Overlap the stitching at the bottom of the zipper slightly.
8. Press the side seam and the edges of the zipper seam.
9. Fold in the top of the tape and hand stitch it in place.

Step 4 – How to Make a Circle Skirt Hem

Circle skirts have curved hems that need specialized techniques so they don’t wrinkle or bunch up. The best type of hem to use is a narrow round hem.

Narrow Curved Hem with a Serger

Using a serger to help set your circle skirt hem is quick and gives smooth results every time. It cuts down on time and is especially good for cotton and crisp fabrics.

1. Serger around the rounded hem, cutting off just a small amount of seam allowance.
2. Press up the serged edge. Stitch on top of the serger stitches with a straight stitch in a medium length.
3. Press over the hem by the serger stitch width and stitch again on top of your previous stitches.

Narrow Curved Hem without a Serger

If you don’t have a serger, you can still get great results and a smooth hem.

1. Straight stitch around the hem ¼ inch (6mm) from the edge.
2. Press the hem up along the stitches. The stitches will form a perforation making it easier to press the curve accurately.
3. Press the hem again by the same amount. Stitch the hem.

How to Make a Circle Skirt – In Conclusion

So now you have learned to make a circle skirt you can twirl and twist the day away. Circle skirts are easy to make and best of all flatterning.

More Skirt Patterns

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2. T-shirt to Skirt – 10 minutes, Super Fast, Super Easy
3. Slip Skirt Pattern – Free Pattern for Beginners
4. Gathered Skirt Pattern – Super Easy Skirt Tutorial
5. Simple Skirt Pattern – Easiest Skirt to Make
6. How to Make a Tutu Skirt – FREE Pattern
7. Skirt Lengths – Style Guide for Hemlines
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10. Circle Skirt Calculator
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