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How to make a simple Lolita Style Skirt without a pattern.
I love the Lolita look. Some of the clothes are very expensive and hard to get if you don't live in China or Japan. So I decided to make my own version of the classic Lolita styled skirt. I did not use a pattern. It is pretty easy if you have some basic sewing skills.
Try to pick cute fabrics that go together. I used pink cotton with tiny white polka dots as the main fabric and another cotton fabric with pink hearses as my second fabric.
For most of my seams I use a 1/2 inch seam allowance. I don't know why, it is just what is comfortable for me. Feel free to use whatever seam allowance you are comfortable with.
If you are a bit more voluptuous you might need to use more then 3 yards of fabric for the main portion of the skirt. I recommend trying it out with cheap fabric before trying this on expensive fabric.
Please excuse my messy studio. I use my garage to sew in and it is not very neat and tidy!
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Step 1I used 3 yards of the pink fabric for the base of the skirt. I measured down 15 inches and cut. Make it any length you like, just remember to add your seam allowance to the top and bottom.
You can put this piece aside for the time being.
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Step 2I then took my hearse fabric (bought on etsy.com) and measured 8 inches for my ruffle. Since this fabric only went one way, I cut 5 separate sections of it, each section was 8 inches high by the width of the fabric.
I sewed all the pieces of the hearse fabric together to form one big long piece.
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Step 3Hem the edge of the hearse fabric (or whichever pattern your ruffle will be). I rolled it under 1/4 inch once and then pressed it. Then went back and rolled it under again and pressed it again for a nice clean hem.
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Step 4While sewing the hem I decided to add a bit of lace. I sewed the lace and hem at the same time. If you don't feel comfy doing this you can first sew the hem, then go back and sew on the lace. You don't have to use lace if you don't want to. But the classic Lolita look has lots of lace.
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Step 5You will then want to take your ruffle fabric piece and make two rows of basting stitches at the top (opposite end where you hemmed).
Before gathering the stitches fold the entire piece in half along the long side. Mark with either tailors chalk or a pin. Think of this as 'notches' when using a pattern.
Fold in half again and mark.
Do this with the Pink fabric as well.
You should now have 3 marks and 4 sections that are the same width apart. This will help in keeping your gathers even.
Now you can gather the basting stitches.
After making the gathers place the two fabrics right sides together. Match the pin / tailor marks (notches) on the ruffle fabric to that of the pink fabric.
Disperse the gathers evenly.
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Step 6Stitch the two pieces together
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Step 7Gather the upper edge of the pink fabric with two rows of basting stitches.
Put aside.
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Step 8
Measure your waist.
Cut a piece of your fabric (choose which pattern you want to use. I used the pink fabric) the measurement of your waist plus 1.5 inches.Determine how wide you want your waistband to be, then double that and add an extra .75 inches.
Cut out. Interface. Turn under on one long side 1/4 inch.
Fold in half along the long side, mark. Fold in half again and mark as we did for the ruffle with the hearse fabric.
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Step 9
Sew the skirt closed along the side seam. Keep it open from the top down about 8 inches for the zipper to go.
Install the zipper per the zipper instructions.
Gather top edge of skirt.
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Step 10Pin with rights sides together the gathered edge of the skirt to the unpressed length on the waistband making sure to match up the pins/marks (notches), but leaving about an inch overhang of the waistband on the left side, and about 1/2 inch on the right side.
Disperse the gathers so that they are evenly distributed.
Sew the waistband to the skirt.
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Step 11Just a quick note on gathers and sewing them.
For some reason I like to sew my gathers with the gathers facing up. I do this so I can make sure that they get sewn nicely and so that I don't get any puckers.
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Step 12Sew the waistband closed on both of the shorter sides with right sides together.
Trim and turn.
Press.
Now turn the skirt so that the wrong side is facing you.
Carefully press the side of the waistband that we pressed under 1/4 inch over the seam with the gathers and pin in place.
(note: the photo was taken before I sewed the two ends of the waistband closed. The photo only demonstrates how to pin the pressed under edge of the waistband over the gathered seam)
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Step 13I always do this next step with the right side of the waistband towards me. This ensures that I don't mess up the front of the skirt.
Sew a line using the edge of the presser foot as a guide and lining it up with the waistband seam. Sew across the entire length of the waistband. Look underneath occasionally to make sure you are sewing through all layers and including the other side of the waistband with the pressed edge.
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Step 14Try on your skirt. Make sure it fits.
Add hook & eyes to the waistband.
I made a bow out of leftover hearse fabric and added it to the waistband for some extra girly fun!
Press the entire skirt and clean up any loose threads.
The skirt looks a lot better if you wear a petticoat under it!
Now go and have some fun with your new skirt!
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Step 15The skirt looks a lot better if you wear a petticoat under it!
Now go and have some fun with your new skirt!
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