How to Make a Ball Gown Skirt

A simple style in a lovely fabric can make an elegant gown.

A quick look in a book of patterns will reveal a variety of ball-gown styles. Some patterns can be adapted to make a skirt only. But patterns can be expensive. An alternative is to make a simple flared skirt using a soft, elegant rayon or polyester fabric.

Things You'll Need

• Tissue paper
• Transparent tape
• Measuring tape
• Pencil and paper
• Scissors
• Fabric shears
• Sewing machine
• Fabric (see below)
• Matching thread
• Matching 7-inch zipper
• Interfacing
• Iron and ironing surface
• Velcro or other fastener

Instructions

Make a Pattern

1. Tape sheets of tissue paper together to make one large sheet. You will use this to make a pattern.

2. Measure your waist; then add 10 or 12 inches to the measurement. Divide the total by 12. (For a 30-inch waist, you would add 12, then divide 42 by 12 to get 3 1/2 inches.) Record the total.

3. Measure the length that you want your skirt to be and add 1 inch. Record the total. Decide how wide you want the bottom of your skirt to be and add 6 inches for seam allowances. Three times your waist size will make a skirt that will swirl gracefully. Anything more than 120 inches might require more fabric. Divide the number you choose by 12. Record the total.

4. Fold the tissue paper in half lengthwise. At the top, measure straight out from the fold to your first (waist) measurement (3 1/2 inches in the example above) and draw a line that will make a right angle with the fold. Measure along the fold to mark the length of the pattern. Measure directly out from the fold to mark the third (bottom width) total and draw a line. Draw a diagonal line to connect the waist and bottom width marks. Measure about 1/2 an inch below the top (waist) line at the fold and below the bottom line at the fold. Starting at the fold, draw a slight curve out to the ends of both lines.

5. Cut out the pattern, cutting along the curved lines and the straight diagonal line. Don't cut the fold. Open the folded pattern.

Make the Skirt

1. Purchase fabric for your gown skirt. If the fabric is 40 to 45 inches wide, you'll need three times the pattern length plus at least 3 inches for a waistband.

2. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise and lay it out on a flat surface. Place the opened-out pattern close to the top, making sure it is straight on the fabric by making the fold crease in your pattern parallel with the outside edge of the fabric. Cut around the pattern through both thicknesses of the fabric. These pieces are the side fronts. Place the pattern right below the cutout and cut out the side backs.

3. Fold the pattern along the original fold line and place it along the fold in the fabric. Cut around the outside of the pattern, but don't cut the fold; this piece will be the front. Place the folded pattern on the remaining fabric. Cut around all sides; these pieces will be the back.

4. Cut a waistband that is at least 3 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches longer than your waist measurement. Cut interfacing the same size and baste the interfacing to the wrong side of the waistband. Trim the corners from the interfacing. Press 1/2 inch of one long edge up over the interfacing. On the long edge that isn't folded, mark 1/2 inch from one end and 1 inch from the other.

5. Use a piece of the leftover fabric to check your sewing machine tension and stitch. Note on the machine where your fabric should lie to have a 1/2-inch seam allowance on all seams.

6. Sew the back seam, right sides of the fabric together. Use long stitches for the first 7 inches from the top, then use regular stitches for the rest of the seam. Insert the zipper according to the zipper instructions. Sew the side back pieces to the back. Sew the side front pieces to the front. Sew both side seams. On all seams keep the right sides of the fabric pieces together.

7. Adjust the sewing machine for long stitches and sew two rows about 1/2 inch apart around the top of the skirt. Don't backstitch or fasten the threads. Hold either the two top threads or the two bobbin threads and gently pull to gather both rows of stitching together to make the top of the skirt match the waistband between the two marks. Your gathers will barely show. Smooth the gathers throughout.

8. Pin the skirt to the waistband, right sides together and sew. Sew the short ends of the waistband. Turn the pressed edge of the waistband to the inside, and sew in place. Add a fastener--a button and buttonhole or Velcro strips, for example.

9. Try the skirt on and check that the botton is even. Trim if necessary. Turn 1/4 inch of the fabric to the inside all the way around the bottom and press. Turn the 1/4 inch over again and press. Sew the hem.

Tips & Warnings

• If your fabric is washable, wash and iron it before cutting it.

• If the cut edges of the fabric fray easily, finish the seam allowances with a zigzag stitch or use french seams.

• Avoid fabrics that are very stretchy or slippery, such as velvet, unless you have experience working with these materials.

References

• VOGUE patterns
• Sew Neau: How to Make Rolled Hems & Machine Stitched Hems

Resources

• Sew Neau: How to Make French Seams