How To Grade a Wrap Skirt With a Hemline Facing

The August pattern release from Seamwork is this wonderful Darcy wrap skirt! The Darcy wrap has several well designed details that give a minimalist pattern that extra special touch.

Darcy's special touches include lovely details at the waist. The pattern features three radiating pleats at a lined tie closure for a soft drape. It has a semi-fitted, straight cut with a curved, faced hemline, and darts create additional shaping at the back of the waist. The wrap is secured with a hidden twill tape tie inside, and the lined tie on the outside is sandwiched within the facing. This means you can move comfortably all day without worrying about the wrap flying open.

I have never made a wrap skirt before and I absolutley love wearing them, so I was very excited about this pattern. I am drawn to a wrap skirt because with my body shape and a very short waist, I prefer to wear skirts on my hips. Wrap skirts are perfect for this! This skirt was also a great way for me to try to use the fitting method that I have used for Cargo pants and Classic Shorts and Pants.

To determine which size I should cut for the skirt I used my hip and "Waist" measurement. My "waist" was determined by wrapping a tape measure around my high hip where it felt comfortable. Based on this measurement, I determined I would cut out a size 18 for all waistband pattern pieces. The side seam size 8 was based on my actual hip measurement. My challenge now would be to grade the pattern from a size 8 to a size 18. I also had to determine how to make adjustments to the hemline facings.

To grade across 5 sizes, I started at the bottom of the side seam, cutting out a size 8. My hips have no curve so I cut straight up through the size 8 and slowly cut over to alight with the size 18 waist in the top corner. For the left and right front curve I decided to cut out the size 18. This allowed me to cut out the size 18 hemline facing so that the curve of the skirt would remain consistent and easier to fit. I cut out the size 8 back hemline to match the size 8 back pattern piece.

My final adjustments were to the length of the skirt. The original pattern is based on a model that is 5'9" so I added 4" to the total length as I am 6 feet tall and I wanted the skirt to be a bit longer. There are a number of papptern pieces to length. Both the right and left side of the wrap needed to be lengthened, as well as the center back piece. It is important to remember that the hemline facings for the right and left front pieces will also need to be lengthened by the same amount.

Navigating all of these adjustments seems a bit complicated but it all makes sense if you think about the overall proportional fit of the skirt. Your pattern pieces are all marked with shorten/lengthen lines. Simply cut across the line and add the length you need. I like to add large numbers right at the lengthen line, one on each pattern piece so that they can be easily matched if you make the item again. If you are thinking of grading between sizes and using the fitting method you can read about all of the details here.

The Darcy is a wonderful pattern to sew. It sews up beautifully and the instructions are easy to follow. I used a light weight chambray to create this wearable muslin. It has the perfect amount of drape and the final product is te midi length denim skirt that is so on trend at the moment. Darcy wraps over just enough to wear it causally for summer wear with sandals or sneakers, and it will transtion perfectly into cooler weather to wear with a knee high boot.

Your best fabric choices include denim, twill, corduroy. Medium weight woven fabric are perfect- after all....

There is Sew Much To Design.

Happy Darcy Wrap Skirt Sewing,

Lou Sheffer

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