The blue wave is here! I had to use this blue wide wale corduroy this week to celebrate the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. So my second make of my #52StylesInSeams project is this casual corduroy mini skirt. I made the pattern by adapting my skirt block from week 1, focusing on functional changes to the design by adding pockets and a full fly front. The pattern I created is totally versatile and I see myself using this pattern for solids, prints and patterns of denim and twill.
This was my first experience with sewing corduroy and it went way better than I feared! I was first worried about destroying the nap when I washed it. That turned out to be totally irrational. It washed and dried perfectly in the machine on normal modes. It also cut easily, pressed perfectly fine and sewed like a dream. I’m so happy to add another fabric to my experience list!
I see this skirt becoming a staple of my handmade wardrobe. The deeply saturated royal blue color looks great with many of the cheerful tones in my wardrobe and can play nicely with neutral tones. I really need more wearable, casual garments and this answers that call. My next challenge will be to elevate this skirt by pairing a blazer. Keep your eyes peeled for the suit coming soon!
Corduroy Mini Skirt Pattern
- Self-drafted fitted short skirt with slanted front pockets and a full fly front
- Design process – I spotted a corduroy suit as inspiration and set out to make it
- Design considerations – I chose minimalist, angular design details to match with the vertical lines of the corduroy
- Did it look like my drawing – I didn’t create a sketch, but it’s exactly what was in my head!
- Fit difficulty – 1/5
- I used my new skirt block and didn’t need to make any fit changes
- Sewing difficulty – 2/5
- Corduroy was surprisingly a joy to sew!
- I love this skirt! I think it would look really cute in a variety of fabrics for every season.
Fabric and Notions
- Two-tone blue cut cotton corduroy from Metro Textiles
- Navy blue cotton poplin for pocket facing and fly facings
- I used a locking denim zipper for extra strength with the heavy fabric
- The waistband is finished with a hook and bar
Process for drafting this pattern
- Traced off my skirt block – created for this skirt using this YouTube tutorial
- The pockets are slanted in at a steep angle. The pocket has a facing piece and side front piece.
- I drafted a true fly frontΒ with a folded right front facing and single sided left front facing.
- After I had penciled in all of the design elements onto the skirt draft, I traced the pattern to make the 5 pattern pieces, plus the back which was unchanged.
- I sewed a full muslin to confirm the fit and practice the technique for the pockets and fly front.
- I decided to lengthen the skirt from a mini by adding 1.5″ to the hem when cutting. Below the hip line, I also straightened the sides when cutting rather than having it slightly pegged.
- The skirt has a straight waistband since it fits at my natural waist. I cut it longer than needed then cut off the excess.
What I learned from drafting and sewing this corduroy Mini skirt
- This was my first time sewing corduroy and I found it easy to press and sew with the same techniques I use with other cotton fabrics.
- The nap of my cut corduroy alternates with the stripes so there was no right side up with the fabric. Still, I cut all of the pieces in the same direction.
Techniques I used reduce bulk with the thick corduroy
- To reduce the number of corduroy layers at center front, I used a thin cotton poplin for the zipper and pocket facings.
- I pressed seams open and overlocked everything I could to reduce bulk in the seams of the thick fabric.
- I quickly finished the waistband by stitching in the ditch. On the inside, the seam allowance is overlocked and finished without folding under.
- Next time I will split the side front pocket into 2 pieces so I can sew the pocket bag with a thinner fabric.
- Next time I should also try grading the side seams where the pocket meets to avoid a thick spot right above my hip.
Resources
- For Craftsy members, this class discusses zippers and waistbands.
- I used Kim Dave’s method to draft the side pockets on my skirt block.
- This article from Threads Magazine has a wealth of information on sewing with corduroy.
