Easy and Free Circle Skirt Pattern Tutorial

Tools and materials:

• Curtain or cotton/cotton mix fabric
• Elastic for waistband
• Fabric marker
• Measuring tape
• Pins
• Scissors
• Iron
• Safety pin
• Sewing machine

1. Draft the quarter circle

Cut off the top tape and bottom hem of your curtain. Put the hem aside to use later as the waistband.

Trim your fabric into a square and fold it in half diagonally, with the right side on the inside.

For a circle or part-circle skirt, you need to draw two curves - one for the waist and one for the hem.

This skirt has an elasticated waist, so it needs to go over your hips.

Measure around your hips at their widest point and divide the measurement by 1.57 (or half pi) to get the radius of the waist curve.

Mark the length of the radius from the point at one end of the longest side of your fabric triangle and draw a curve with that radius.

Decide on the length you want your skirt and add that figure to the length of the waist radius, plus an allowance for the hem. 

Draw a second curve from the same point to mark the hemline of the skirt.

2. Make the pockets

Cut along the fold to separate the two sections of the skirt. 

Draw a pocket shape on to the scrap fabric. You can draw it freehand or print off a pocket pattern from the internet.

Make sure it’s wide enough for your hand and cut it out.

You’ll need four pocket pieces in total, so use the first one as a template for the other three.

3. Insert the pockets

Finish the raw edges of the skirt and pockets with a zigzag or overlock stitch.

Press all the skirt pieces.

Pin each pocket piece to a skirt side seam, 8 inches (20 cm) from the waist edge and with the right sides together.

Make sure all the pocket pieces line up and sew them in place.

Press the pocket sewing line on the right side.

Open the skirt and pocket pieces out flat and place them together with the right sides facing.

Pin the side seams and pockets together.

Sew the side seams together up to the beginning of the pocket, sew around the pocket bags and continue down the rest of the side seams.

Repeat on the other side.

4. Elasticated waistband

Cut the original curtain hem to fit the top edge of your skirt. If necessary, trim it to the width you want - mine is 4.75 inches (12 cm).

Overlock or zigzag stitch around the raw edges and join the short edges into a circle.

Insert the top edge of the skirt inside the waistband and top stitch it in place, leaving a small opening for the elastic.

Cut the elastic to fit comfortably around your waist. Use a safety pin to thread it through the waistband.

Overlap the ends of the elastic and sew them securely, then sew the opening closed.

5. Hem the skirt

Turn up the bottom edge once or twice and sew in place.

DIY circle skirt

I love quarter circle skirts because they’re full enough to be feminine and relaxed but not so full that they require loads of fabric.

I actually thrifted the entire outfit I’m wearing - the skirt material, the sweater, the jewelry and the shoes - and I’m pretty proud of myself.

If you know how to sew, combining that with thrifting means you can have really unique clothes that go beautifully together.

I’d love to know what you think of the skirt and the rest of the outfit. Would you be kind enough to leave me a comment, please?