How to Draft and Sew a Skirt Pattern with a Baby Lock Serger

Hi Friends, I’m Diana, and I love sewing clothing! One of my favorite machines for garment sewing is my Baby Lock Accolade because of all its amazing features. For this project, I’ll be using the Safety Stitch on my serger.

Today I’m sharing how to make a simple self-drafted skirt that is beginner-friendly, customizable, and fun to sew!

• Fabric of your choice

• 2-inch elastic

• Measuring tape

• Scissors or rotary cutter

• Pins or clips

• Iron/steamer

• Sewing machine or serger

  • Baby Lock Accolade (optional, but highly recommended!) or any 4-8 thread overlock serger. 

Diana's video tutorial is above, and the written tutorial is in the blog below. 

First, measure yourself to determine the size of your skirt.

Skirt Width
To calculate the width of your skirt, multiply your waist measurement by 1.5. (if this measurement ends up being smaller than your hip measurement multiply it by 2 instead of 1.5)

Skirt Length
Measure from your waist down to your desired skirt length, then add hem allowance.

Waistband
For the waistband, cut a piece using:

• Width: Waist measurement × 1.5

• Height: 6 inches

Optional Slits
If you'd like side slits, measure down from the waist to where your slits will start. You’ll use this measurement when sewing the side seams. If you’d like two slits, cut a front and back skirt panel. Take the skirt width measurement and divide it by two to create each panel.

Place the skirt front and back right sides together.

Using a straight stitch, sew the side seams. Stop sewing where you want the slit to begin.

Finish the raw edges using one of the following:

• Serger

• Zigzag stitch

• Baby Lock Accolade Safety Stitch (if using this stitch, you don't have to first do a straight stitch. It saves so much time!)

After finishing the edges, sew the straight stitch about 1 inch farther down than the serged edge. This helps secure the slit opening and give you an allowance for hemming.

Fold the waistband right sides together and sew the short raw ends together to form a loop.

Next, fold the waistband in half lengthwise (hot dog style) and press with steam.

Find the quarter points of both the waistband and skirt:

• Match front to back to find sides

• Mark all four quarter points

Place the waistband and skirt right sides together, matching quarter marks.

Sew around the top edge, leaving a 2-inch opening to insert elastic.

Cut a piece of 2-inch elastic that is 3 inches shorter than your waist measurement.

Thread the elastic through the waistband opening.

Sew the elastic ends together using a zigzag stitch.

Then close the opening in the waistband.

Fold the hem up 1/4 inch, then another 1/4 inch, and sew all the way around. Making sure to go up the sides where you left seam allowance for the slit.

Your custom self-drafted skirt is complete!

I hope this tutorial was helpful and inspires you to create your own version. If you’d like extra help, please visit my YouTube channel where I share a full sewing tutorial for this skirt and more beginner friendly tutorials! Happy sewing! ✂️