Drafting Sidonie á la Chanel (4146 Views)

This is the first of three mini-tutorials on making Sidonie á la Chanel, my variation on the free BurdaStyle Sidonie pattern. The result will be a skirt with alternating contrasting panels, as seen on the picture below. This tutorial is beginner-friendly, but you must already know how to download and print the Sidonie pattern. Of course, you can use this method to alter the look of other garment patterns too.

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Step 1 of 9

This is the finished result. Note that the top and bottom panels of the skirt have a suede texture, and the middle panel has a satin finish. This effect was created by incorporating both the right and wrong sides of the same fabric into the design.

Polyester moleskin was used to make this garment. It has a suede finish on the right side and a satin finish on the wrong side. If I had been looking for a dressier effect, I would have chosen crepe-back satin because it has a shiny right side and a matte wrong side. This could work well with denim too.
Step 2 of 9

Eco tip: When I printed the pattern from the .pdf file, I reused copy paper. I have lots of flyers and faxes that work well for this purpose.
Step 3 of 9

Trace the pattern in the size of your choice. It is only necessary to trace the front and back skirt pieces. This skirt will not have a waistband and is unlined. (If you wish to line your skirt, the only adjustment to the lining will be adding 5" to the length.)

I buy my tracing paper by the roll at my local discount office supply store.
Step 4 of 9

The first contrasting panel will start 9" below the waistline. Using a yardstick, measure down 9" from the top and mark at dot with your felt tip marker on the outer seam of the pattern. Now place your yardstick at the very bottom of the skirt pattern and make a note of how many inches there are between the bottom of the skirt and the mark you just made. Using that measurement, place additional marks on your pattern from the bottom on up at frequent intervals (a couple of inches apart is fine). Now, connect the dots (marks). This will be your cutting line. Note that it is not a straight line but has a slight bit of a curve.
Step 5 of 9

Cut the traced pattern on the line you just made. Make sure you label the pieces!
Step 6 of 9

When you cut your fabric, you will need to add seam allowances to the pieces you just cut. Write a note to yourself on all four pieces to add a 5/8" seam allowance. (A third panel will be added in a later step, making your skirt have a total of 6 pieces (3 front panels and 3 back panels).
Step 7 of 9

Sidonie á la Chanel has a detachable chain-link belt. This will allow you to remove the belt when you launder the skirt. It will also allow you to make additional belts so you can change the look. You can even wear it beltless, if that is your choice.

The belt will be inserted through a small slit in the side seams of the skirt. You will need to mark these openings on the pattern. I made my openings a scant 5/8" wide in order to comfortably support the 1/2" organza ribbon belting. If you make a larger belt, you will need a larger opening.

Your opening should start about 1" below the top edge of the skirt. (The picture does not accurately reflect this. I made the change during the construction phase.) Measure 1" down from the top edge on both the skirt front and back side seams. Make a mark there with your marker. Measure down an additonal 5/8" from the mark you just made. Make another mark. The space between your marks is the opening for your belt.

(The picture is shown with one of the belt links between the marked opening.)
Step 8 of 9

My original design was going to have a two-paneled look. After I made the skirt, I thought it would have more dimension and balance if I added a third panel. Furthermore, I wanted the skirt to be a little longer than the original Sidonie.

To draft the bottom panel, place the bottom edges of the skirt panel on your drafting paper. (Alternatively, you can do this directly onto the fabric as illustrated in the photo.) Using your yardstick and marker (or tailors chalk), extend the length of the skirt by 5" all the way around the edge of the skirt. Add a 5/8" seam allowance to the top edge of the new panel. (I did not add a seam allowance to the middle panel.)

*If you draw the third panel directly onto the fabric as I did, do not forget to place the pattern on the bias. All the pattern pieces are cut on the bias. This gives the garment a nice drape.
Step 9 of 9

You now have the complete pattern for Sidonie á la Chanel! Here is another view of the finished garment.

The next mini-tutorial in this series gives step-by-step instructions for constructing the skirt. The final tutorial gives instruction for making the detachable belt.