As promised here are the instructions. I tried to be clear, but please ask questions if you have them.

-Get a good waist measurement.
- divide that measurement by 6
-add seam allowance to that measurement. I added a ½” and then sewed it using a ¼” seam allowance but add whatever you feel comfortable with for a seam allowance. This is the measurement for the top of the gore.

http://www.froggygarden.com/images/step1.jpg
- To determine length, just measure from waist to where you want the skirt to fall and add enough for a hem and casing. I added 2 ½”. 1” for the hem and and 1 ½” for the casing. Again, you can change the measurements.
- now you start to make your pattern, take a ruler and mark the length of the top of the gore and the middle point.
- Next draw a line from the middle point that is the length you need the pattern piece to be.
-You can choose any width you want for the bottom of the gore. On my knee length skirts, I made the bottom 3” wider on the top. On my longer skirts, I made it 5 or 6” wider.
- draw a line for the bottom of the gore whatever length you decided on
- Now finish your pattern piece by connecting the ends of the top and bottom lines. I used a yard stick to do it.
http://www.froggygarden.com/images/step2.jpghttp://www.froggygarden.com/images/step3.jpg
- to construct the skirt, sew your gores right sides together to form a circle and then do your hem and elastic casing. Cut your elastic to a length that is comfortable for you.

You can do a lot of variations with this. You can change the length of the gores, the width of the gores and the number. I am going to try an 8 gored skirt next.

and here is the finished skirt again:
http://www.froggygarden.com/images/mdgored.jpg

1st question...

What's a gore?

Originally posted by EdenAurora
1st question...

What's a gore?

I was wondering the same thing! Maybe I should just make one to find out. It looks nice in the pic!

A gore is just a panel. So this skirt is made up of 6 identical panels instead of a front and back piece.

Thank you! I was just about to figure this out for myself, but you did it for me! :thumbsup:
If this baby lets me, I'll have a s&s by the end of the week.

A gore is a shape like a slice of pizza with the pointy end cut off - like a really tall trapezoid. :)

after i saw this post, i have seen these darn skirts EVERYWHERE!!! i am going to have to make one now :rolleyes:
LOL any excuse to sew!

wait a sec, if i draft by waist meas, i won't be able to get it on. or is there a zipper i'm missing? i think i need butt meas, lol. :o

I love it I can't wait to try, :big hug:

wait a sec, if i draft by waist meas, i won't be able to get it on. or is there a zipper i'm missing? i think i need butt meas, lol. :o

Ummm, Shecki...it has elastic in it. Now I have hunormous (favorite word of Elisha's) hips and my hip to waist ratio is way out of porportion (sp?) but even I can stretch elastic over my hips and it fits fine at the waist.

I am so eager to make this skirt. Just looking for a fabric that will take 50 pounds off me. ;)

I hope I can make this exact same skirt for my trip to HA :)

i too am confused how, with a woven if I use a waist measurement, how I will fit it over my buttocks :)

cool! I'm guessing with a woven go by the booty measurement for the waist of the skirt & waist measurement for the relaxed elastic measurement. (btw, gotta love any thread that allows me to use the word booty).

you go by your waist measurement to make the top of the gore. You make the bottom of the gore several inches larger at least but more depending on how full you want the skirt. You then connect those lines with a long line that will angle out from the waist to the bottom. I promise there is plenty of room for hips etc. I made my pattern using the exact same instructions I gave here and have made about 6 skirts of varying lengths and they all fit really well. :)

Great instructions Kristi. I wanted to add another link with instructions:
http://patternsthatfityou.com/frskirtcl.htm
That way I can have them both in the FAQ together. I'll move it when it gets bumped a few pages down.

Shecki,

I was thinking much the same thing for myself!
She added a 1/2" seam allowance to each piece and only took 1/4" seams, that adds 3" to the waist measurement right there. Thinking I might need to get out the tape measure and play with this, how much to add w/o getting the waist too big.

wait a sec, if i draft by waist meas, i won't be able to get it on. or is there a zipper i'm missing? i think i need butt meas, lol. :o

The top of the skirt still has to be big enough to go over your hips when you pull the skirt on though. :)

Edited to say that I think the skirt looks great BTW!!!!! Thanks for the sew along instructions!

you go by your waist measurement to make the top of the gore. You make the bottom of the gore several inches larger at least but more depending on how full you want the skirt. You then connect those lines with a long line that will angle out from the waist to the bottom. I promise there is plenty of room for hips etc. I made my pattern using the exact same instructions I gave here and have made about 6 skirts of varying lengths and they all fit really well. :)

I added a 1/2" to each piece and used a 1/4" seam allowance because you need a seam allowance on each side.

Mamas this really does work without the need to play with it. I think the link Allison posted explains it better and I am going to remove my instructions for that reason. I will leave the pics up for awhile though. I'm sorry this was so confusing and I think I will refrain from sew alongs for a long while. I don't think I am good at explaining things clearly.

oh hon I'm sorry - I was just trying to wrap my brain around it (like I do everything). You did a great job adn I really want to use your instructions.... please don't take them down!

oh hon I'm sorry - I was just trying to wrap my brain around it (like I do everything). You did a great job adn I really want to use your instructions.... please don't take them down!
No need for apologies Allison, I just think mine were no clearly written and I apologize for that. The link that Allison posted has the same instructions but I think they are easier to understand. If I can help, lmk.

I think you should leave them up. I find that different people have different direction needs, that is why I posted another. Some people are going to get more from yours.

Shecki,


She added a 1/2" seam allowance to each piece and only took 1/4" seams, that adds 3" to the waist measurement right there. .

I don't think it will- because you need 1/4" on each side of the panel. 2 sides of the panel = 2 1/4" seems = 1/2 inch total
(just like doing patchwork!!)
thanks kristi for putting it back up. i am going to give this one a whirl!

Great instructions Kristi! I love that skirt too :)

Jessica,

I thought she meant she added a 1/2" seam allowance to each side seam. My misunderstanding! :)


I don't think it will- because you need 1/4" on each side of the panel. 2 sides of the panel = 2 1/4" seems = 1/2 inch total
(just like doing patchwork!!)
thanks kristi for putting it back up. i am going to give this one a whirl!

Jessica,

I thought she meant she added a 1/2" seam allowance to each side seam. My misunderstanding! :)
well, I am just glad that I understood it! LOL...usually, being such a sewing newbie, I am the one not getting it! :hahaha:

I made my "Kristi skirt" last night (well actually 2 the muslin and the real one lol) and they turned out great and went together so fast! I think I drafted the pattern, cut and sewed 2 mama skirts in well under and hour lol. I'll post a sns soon, but I forgot to have dh take pics before he went to work lol.

I think I'll try this with one of my less-liked fabrics and then make it out of my Mother's Day fabric after that. It'll take me that long to make it anyway ;)

I'm going to try this tonight while DH is playing ball....I think.

NAk

bumping this up...

I couldn't find it in the sewalong forum so I did a search

Is this going to be moved over there?

Okay, I have a question. I want to make my 12 yr old this skirt and I still don't understand how this is going to fit over her hips if her waist measurement is 8" less than her hip measurement, unless she is going to pull it over her head??? I made one for myself, and it barely goes over my hips, but I don't really have any figure, and my waist measurement is almost the same as my hip measurement? Maybe I didn't read the directions correctly, but I though it was your waist measurement, plus seam allowance? Did I miss something? Please help :)

Okay, I have a question. I want to make my 12 yr old this skirt and I still don't understand how this is going to fit over her hips if her waist measurement is 8" less than her hip measurement, unless she is going to pull it over her head??? I made one for myself, and it barely goes over my hips, but I don't really have any figure, and my waist measurement is almost the same as my hip measurement? Maybe I didn't read the directions correctly, but I though it was your waist measurement, plus seam allowance? Did I miss something? Please help :)
nak
If there is a large difference between the waist, use the hip measurement for the top of the gore.

Thanks!!! I think she will really like this skirt :)

What I did for mine... I have waist of like 32, and hips 40. I took and just did 36. And then added the 1/2in seam allowance. It's still smaller than my hips are.... but it fit over anyway. Maybe cause it was a stretch poplin? Dunno. It just fit lol