Sewing the Skirt

So again we're starting with the next easiest sewing - nice straight lines in the skirt. Now because our robe is sheer, we'll be using French seams - basically we sew each seam twice. Once wrong side to wrong side for 3/8", we then press and cut down the seam allowance, flip it round to encase the raw edge and sew 1/4" line and press.

1. Let's start with making the edges of our skirt front (short) pieces nice. I choose the simplest and most accessible way I found on the internet to do this - basically a line of stitches that form the edge. I did not use the full 5/8" seam allowance, as an extra is good here! Using a very small straight stitch (1 on my machine) I sewed a single line 3/8" in. Press.
2. Then cut the extra off right at this stitch line.
3. Then use a tiny zig zag stitch on your machine over this line. I felt this gave a nice sheer yet defined finish to the edge so it was not raw. Press and repeat on the other Skirt Front (Short) piece.

1) Sew 3/8" from the edge in a straight stitch.

2) Cut off the excess right on the stitching.

3) Machine set to a small zig zag stitch (C).

The finished edge.

To attach the panels of our skirt, we'll be using a French seam, here's how to do that.
 - Pin with WRONG sides together.
 ​- Stitch 3/8" seam allowance, press and trim it down.
 - Flip it over and sew 1/4" seam. Press the seam towards the back.

Seam pinned in place ready to sew 3/8".

Trim the excess from the seam.

Flip it the other way, and then pin, ready to sew at 1/4".

​4. Let's attach our shortest front pieces to the next shortest front pieces. So we have Front Skirt (Short)and Front Skirt (Longer) attached together and then the same on the other side. Press the seams towards the back.
5. Let's sew a Side Skirt Front to our Front Skirt (Longer). And the same on the other side. Press seams to the back.
6. Sew a Skirt Side Back to our Skirt Side Front. And the same on the other side. Press seams to the back.
7. Sew each side to our Skirt Back so we have one long skirt. Press seams to the back.
8. We are going to be gathering the skirt pieces, so run a gathering stitch (long machine stitch eg 4 on your machine) from the first side skirt piece all the way around the skirt to the other side front piece, one at 3/8" and one 1/8" away from the first.
9. Et viola! We have a skirt!