Burda Style For people who sew

Recently, a beginning sewing student came to my class with a great first project — an easy, pull-on skirt with an A-line shape. Only problem was, she needed more room in the garment than the printed pattern would allow. Here's how we solved the problem.

Technique Materials

printed pattern for the garment, extra pattern paper, yardstick, water-soluble markers

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5 Comments

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  Mar 6, 2012, 09.49 PMby Michael McGrath

  @Mary Littlefield, a girdle is just about the sexiest thing you can wear in a man’s eyes!
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  Jan 31, 2012, 05.34 PMby Mary Littlefield

  Speaking of vintage patterns, here is where I get stumped. Where the HECK did they get the waist sizes? By wearing girdles??? Vintage or not, I am trying to find a good way of adapting pants/ shorts/ riding wear patterns so that the waist is not set for 22-24 inches in order to get the needed 33-34 inch hip measurement- and without losing the look of the pattern. If the waist is right, the hips are 3-4 inches too big, both with vintage and my equestrian patterns. Any suggestions for adding 2-4 inches ( or as needed) inches to a waist size so I won’t need a girdle, lol? I have quite a few patterns that would not fit in the waist. ( To get a fit for 26-28 waist, 33-34 hip)
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  Jan 30, 2012, 01.57 AMby BIV58

  I have a similar problem to this one. The skirt pattern is more flared, but I need several more inches in the waist and hips. Would the same instructions work? Thanks
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  Jan 11, 2011, 02.06 PMby Roseana Auten

  Thank you for your compliments! I have also used this quick ’n dirty method on vintage patterns. Seems like every skirt pattern I own like that has a size 26 waist!
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  Jan 10, 2011, 09.21 PMby ruthw

  Yes, that is a really good way of doing it, so you slash and spread where you actually want the fullness. I do this to skirts all the time because I like long skirts and I like room to walk but I don’t want to look like a great big equilateral triangle! It can make your skirt much more flowy and swishy without huge side projection. Great photos, too. Very helpful.