How to Calculate the Yardage for a Gathered Skirt

eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.
A gathered skirt can be as long or short as you like.

A gathered skirt is one in which a full length of fabric is pleated to a waist band. This type of skirt is very simple to make, and it typically consists of two rectangles, one for the waist band and one for the skirt portion itself. One of the first steps for any sewing project is to figure out how much fabric is required. Determining the amount of fabric necessary for a gathered skirt is a straightforward task.

Advertisement

Step 1

Determine how long you want the gathered skirt to be. A gathered skirt is very full, and you may choose a length that falls slightly above the knee to one that falls to the ground.

Video of the Day

Step 2

Add 2 inches to the length of your skirt. This is the width of your fabric.

Step 3

Measure around your waist using a measuring tape and multiply this number by three. This tells you how long your fabric needs to be.

Tip

Gathered skirts are very full, so use a light material to avoid bulkiness.

Create your waistband by cutting two strips from the end of the fabric. This method of determining how much fabric you use for your gathered skirt is very generous and creates a very full skirt.

Advertisement

references

Report an Issue

screenshot of the current page

Screenshot loading...