Hello sisters!
Today I want to share how to sew a simple aline skirt. I have shared a few other options for sewing skirts you can make and I include a link to those at the bottom. But us godly women are often faced with the fact that we cannot just go into any clothing store and easily be able to find what we need. Maybe in days gone by we could have when most all women dressed closer to biblical commands. But that's not the case today so sewing our own is often a good option though they definitely can be found elsewhere with diligent search.
So we would want to sew skirts that are long and loose and in shamefaced plain colours not doing things that draw attention to us by adorning ourselves. We want God to get all the glory don't we and this life in Christ is really a simple one.
So for this skirt I used a 2 metre (approx 2 yards) piece of brown polyester fabric.
So to begin, here is some math. It's really not very complicated.
As usual you need your waist, hip, and desired skirt length measurements. I am making this to the measurements shown on this paper.
So take the hip measurement first and here I added a generous 20cm (8 inches) onto the hip measurement. You could definitely add a bit less and still have a comfortable not too tight skirt. You could add more too for more fulness if you like.
I added 5cm (2 inches) onto the desired skirt length for waistband and hem allowances.
(We will only use the waist measurement for working out the elastic length later.)
I fold the fabric in half lengthwise and divided that hip plus extra measurement of 130cm by 4 which is 32cm. This is the top of the skirt to mark out.
One thing I find that is perhaps the hardest to work out is the skirt circumference at the bottom to allow ease of walking. If you already have some simple skirts that don't limit your walking then you can measure around the bottom of those. And divide by 4 to get your measurement for cutting the fabric at the bottom. As a rough guide I wouldn't go below 2 metres/yards circumference. But that's for an adult and so would be less for smaller sizes. Obviously you're limited by the natural fabric width which is usually something from 112 to 150cm or so (44 to 60 inches). My skirt hem circumference is 212cm and divided by 4 is 53cm as you can see on my pictures. As this is a generous fit you don't need to add anything extra for side seam allowances.
Cut on the fold (less cutting and marking that way). Cut two of these.
To test the fabric to see if it needs a lining I double it and hold it up to a bright light. As you can see, it could do with a lining (or of course you could wear a slip and skip this step). But I will include how to sew a lining in too.
You cut the lining the same except 10-15cm (4-6 inches) shorter than the outside fabric. I am using a similar black polyester fabric for lining.
Clip/pin and then sew lining side seams right sides together. Of course some fabrics don't have a right or wrong side so don't need to worry about that.
Finish raw edge with a zig zag stitch on a sewing machine or just use a serger to do both steps.
Do the same with the main fabric side seams, sewing right sides together...
Add a hem (to the lining and to the main fabric) of whatever you like. Either just finish the edge and press up, or double fold the fabric, then stitch.
Now you will join the two fabrics together at the top. With main skirt right side out, insert the lining fabric inside out into the middle of the skirt and join at the top with side seams matching (wrong sides should be together).
Either stitch and finish the raw edge or serge the two fabrics together at the top.
Now for the elastic waistband. You will want to cut the elastic a little smaller (an inch or so) than the waist measurement. (There's several different types of elastic, some stretchier than others. So the stretchier it is the shorter you will want to cut it.)
Fold the top of the skirt down to the wrong side allowing room for the elastic to whatever width of elastic you choose to use.
Stitch all the way around but leave a small opening big enough to insert the elastic into.
Attach safety pins to both ends of elastic and insert one end into the casing until you're back to the opening. (You only really need to put a safety pin on one end but you don't want the other end dissappearing inside without one on so it's best to.)
Overlap the elastic about an inch and securely stitch the ends of the elastic together, making sure it isn't twisted inside the casing. Stretch the waist to pull the elastic inside, and then adjust gathers evenly.
Now stitch the casing gap closed, careful not to catch the elastic. You may need to stretch the elastic to make the fabric flat. (You can just see I have a piece of extra loose elastic on the left to stabilize the presser foot as it can be challenging sewing with the elastic underneath it on one side.).
And there you have it, a simple aline skirt to help clothe your temple in biblical shamefaced manner.
Hope this might help someone. Feel free to ask any questions if any of this doesn't make sense. I may not have explained it clearly but you can contact me if you need any help.
Most importantly make sure you have been made new by the Spirit and washed clean in Christ as no matter how much clothing we put on it can never cover an evil heart in the sight of God. We could fool men but not God! Let our hearts be pure and our outside actions, including what we put on, come from our heart and we want them pure in obedience to God's Word. You can find more on the path to eternal life here.
You can also see more of my previous sewing posts here with another skirt option as well as a shirt (once there click on older posts). You can find my sewing shop here where I sell ready made clothing and headcoverings and also take custom orders. I love to help godly women clothe themselves biblically.
Hold fast to the Lord and His truth sisters! Let your light shine in all your ways including your simple biblical clothing (which includes headcovering too). May we glorify our great God in all we do!
Love in Christ,
Sister Michaela
