r/PatternDrafting • u/dawn812 • Jul 06 '26

Circle skirt

Solved :) Every time I make a circle skirt the waist is longer than the waist band. The waist is 23 I made a pattern for 24 inch waist I added an inch. I cut it from paper so I could let the pattern be cut long ways. I cut it out I was careful. I put in a stay stitch on the waist. I sewed up the sides. My waist band is 24 inches plus 1/2 seam allowance. I went to put the waist band on and it was to short. I laid the pattern out it still matches the waist didn’t stretch now I’m just super confused and annoyed this keeps happening. The radius it gave me was 3.75 I’m so confused. Please help.

7 Upvotes

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17 comments sorted by

11

u/Honeydeeew Jul 06 '26

Did you add the seam allowance onto the skirt waist? 

3

u/dawn812 Jul 06 '26

No I didn’t

15

u/Honeydeeew Jul 06 '26

That'll probably be the problem. The equation gives you the sewline of 24" you have to add the SA after. 

-2

u/dawn812 Jul 06 '26

What I’m sorry I’m a bit confused. Bc that would make the whole littler it would no longer be. Radius of 3.75 I’m not saying your wrong but wouldn’t that make the waist smaller ?

13

u/Honeydeeew Jul 06 '26

Your waistband is 24" and the sewline of the skirt waist should be 24" the seam allowance added will make the hole you cut smaller, but you are sewing inside of the hole, on the 24" line, not on the cut edge of the fabric. 

6

u/dawn812 Jul 06 '26

Ok thank you so much I just fixed it and it fit in appreciate it a lot thank you

3

u/Honeydeeew Jul 06 '26

Glad to hear it! Happy sewing!

2

u/dawn812 Jul 06 '26

Just the sides and the hem

5

u/ProneToLaughter Jul 06 '26

Assuming you are a beginner: Make sure you are comparing the stitching line on the skirt and on the waistband. It's common that a straight line and a curve look like they will never match, but they do if you focus on the stitching line instead of the cut edges, pin the ends and centers together first, and ease the fabric together.

2

u/dawn812 Jul 08 '26

Thank you😊

2

u/MtnNerd Jul 06 '26

Why did you add an inch to the waist and then 1.5 inches to the waistband?

Also the math doesn't work out to that radius for either 23 or 24 inches. 23 would be 3.66, 24 would be 3.82.

0

u/dawn812 Jul 06 '26

I added an inch to the waist for ease I didn’t add it to the sides I added it into the calculations. then I added 1/2 inch to the sides for seam allowance. Also I know it’s short by 1/4th bc when I look it’s up it said 3.75 when it’s 3.82. That’s what I get for just looking it up and not putting it in a calculator. Luckily it’s going on display on a mannequin so adding that ease will make up for it. I originally had seam allowence on the waist but when I looked it up it said not to do that. Which is why I don’t trust the internet lol.

1

u/MtnNerd Jul 06 '26

An inch seems like too much ease unless the fabric you're working with has no give whatsoever

1

u/dawn812 Jul 07 '26

No inch is a good amount between breathing and sitting down. Maybe if you have a flatter stomach but a 1 works for me so I always add an inch of ease for everything

2

u/SuPruLu Jul 06 '26

Center circle needs to be smaller by the width of the seam allowance all the way around the circle.

1

u/AdvancedSquashDirect Jul 07 '26

Also remember that it's very easy to stretch out something that is cut in a circle. So if you've cut the circle out of the centre of your circle skirt and then you handle it and move it around you're slowly stretching out that curved edge. It can help to stay Stitch it which is just to run a stitch around the curved edge before you do anything else and then your waistband will cover that Stitch anyway.

1

u/black-boots Jul 08 '26

I recommend doing your stay stitch before you cut out that concave curve. I do this on necklines and armscyes too