Sew a Flounce Hem Skirt :Sewing pattern & tutorial

A flounce hem is one that flares. This skirt has a flounce attached to the hem. This gives a very attractive silhouette and an added prettiness and femininity to the otherwise plain skirt. 

How to sew the Flounce hem skirt

You need two fabric pieces for the front and back, extra fabric to cut flounce, strip of fabric for waistband and matching invisible zipper.

Step 1

Cut out two fabric pieces (on fold) for the front and back pieces – following the dimensions in the pattern given below.

The front piece and back piece are different slightly at the waist. So cut separately. 

Step 2

Sew the darts for the front and back. Dart width is 1 “. Pinch 1/2 inch to either side of the middle dart line and sew the dart. Press. Learn how to sew a dart here.

Cut out the flounces. I used a 34 inch square piece to cut out 5 1/2 inch wide flounces. I had a lot of extra flounce.

Step 3

Cut the flounce. I have taken a 34 inch square piece of fabric to mark and cut the flounce – this gave me a little extra flounce than I needed for the skirt.

Mark a big circle first and then draw the flounce as in the picture below. Those sections should be the width of your final flounce plus seam allowance on either side. I have used a 5.5 inch flounce. 

Cut the flounces.

Cut out the flounces to match the bottom edge of front and back – length should be equal to the bottom edge of the skirt pieces.

Finish the hem of the flounce with a hemmer foot – rolled hem edge is the only suitable hem stitching for the flounce. Check out this post on sewing with hemmer foot.

Step 4

Join the flounce pieces to the front and back pieces of the skirt.

Step 5

Join the front and back of the skirt at the side seams.

Keep the two fabric pieces right sides together. Sew the sides; but for one side side you need an opening for adding zipper . Leave a 8″ space at the top of one side un-stitched.

Step 5

Cut out waistband piece of width 3 1/4 inch ; length equaling the top edge of your skirt.

Cut the invisible zipper to 10 inch. When you cut ensure that zipper pull is where you want it to be ( I am speaking my experience of cutting zipper with the zipper pull somewhere in the section which I cut away. You are more intelligent, of course; but just in case)

Place the skirt right side out in front of you. Keep the waistband piece right side down on the top edge of the skirt. Stitch in place joining the top edges of both pieces.

Open it up and press. Press the seam allowance inside up.

Step 6

Keep the invisible zipper face down on the opening 1 3/4 inches from the top edge of the waistband. 

As for aligning the zipper, keep the zipper 1″ to the inside ( this is the seam allowance, you have added).

Pin in place.

Sew with invisible zipper foot. Start stitching 1/4 inch from the top of the zipper (ie do not stitch the first 1/4 inch of the zipper).

When you sew with the invisible zipper the zipper teeth will be inside the groove of your invisible zipper foot. And your needle should be adjusted so that it is falling just inside the zipper teeth to the left. (Look at the picture above)

After stitching the whole zipper in place start pinning the other side of the zipper to the other side of the opening.

Pin in place. Actually making hand sewing basting stitches are better. Because removing pins as you sew is a pain. 

This is how it looks on close up – the zipper is twisted so that inside edge of the invisible zipper is exposed and pinned.

Sew in place. Start stitching 1/4 inch from the top of the zipper, as you did with the other side.

This time the needle will have to be moved to the left to accommodate the zipper teeth through the groove on the left of the invisible zipper foot.

Turn the top edge of the zipper to the inside and sew in place – use hand sewing needle and thread for this.

Step 7

Fold the waistband to the inside – turn under the extra seam allowance 1 inch to the inside. Pin in place. Ensure that when you will start sewing from the other side the fold will be caught in the stitches. 

Now stitch in the ditch on the waistband seam from the right side of the skirt – this will catch the fold on the back . 

If you want to sew this skirt with pockets you can follow this tutorial to make a gathered skirt with pockets.

Related posts : How to sew skirts ; How to sew a fitting elastic waist skirt; How to sew a mermaid skirt ; How to sew an A line skirt.