16 Panel Skirt with Frill

This pattern is modified from the multi panel skirt.
Download PDF instruction for Multi Panel and 16 Panel with Frill. 

You will need about three metres of fabric for this design.
You can break this down into two metres for eight panels, the frill and waist band and one metre for eight feature panels.
It can be broken down further into half a metre per four panels to create more variation.

You create the base pattern in the same way as the panel skirt but you shorten the panel length to a little under 50cm. You can adjust the overall length to suit.

The frill is not cut from the remaining curve pictured. The frill is cut in straight strips with the width of the strips being the remaining distance between the panel length and the full length you want the skirt to be.

Remember to add a bit for seam allowance and hem. To make the most from your fabric, you can cut with or against the grain. Just make sure all strips joined together are all cut the same way.

The full length of the strip needs to be the distance around the very bottom of the full circle skirt pattern.

You can do this by measuring around the bottom of the quarter panel and multiple by four. The full strip can be made with very long sections or in four parts with an added seam allowance to join them together.
A longer frill can be cut if you want a more gathered, frilly finish.

Panels

Start with the panel pieces.
Layout the panel pattern on folded fabric to cut two at the same time or just cut one at a time.
If the fabric allows for it you can alternate the direction of the panels while still keeping them all lined up with the grain.

Cut 16 panels in total. You can cut them all from the same fabric or alternate colours or designs to create feature panels.

Pin and sew the panels together. 

When you get to the last two panels to complete the circle, consider there are two ways to attach the frill by darting or gathering the frill to match the bottom circumference of the main body of the skirt. 

1. You can join the panels to complete the full circle and join the frill in a flat circle. 

    This is something like the approach to joining the waistband.

• Mark the frill with pins into sixteen even divisions. Pin these points to each of the sixteen seams of the panels. Evenly gather the extra fabric of the frill to create darts between those points and pin before sewing. 

• Alternatively sew around the top of the frill with two rows of gathering stitch ( the longest stitch length you can set your machine to). Leave a tail of thread at both ends. Hold the end of the top threads and pull the fabric along the stitching to gather the frill in to the required length to match the circle skirt. Pin and sew together. 

The above video shows how to gather fabric with a sewing machine using the two stitching row method and two variations.

2. The other method is to leave the last seam open until the frill is attached. 

• Start at one edge and dart the fabric in as you go around the entire edge. It can be tricky to estimate how close and how much to dart so depending on how much you gather, you may end up using more fabric to complete the frill. When you get to the end of the skirt, leave extra fabric to allow for a final dart and seam allowance. The final side seam can then be made the full length of the skirt.

• Alternatively gather the frill fabric with machine stitching here too. This gives you the ability to control the gathered length before pinning to the skirt.

Once you have the frill attached to the skirt you can add the waistband.

Measure the opening of the skirt top. Cut a strip of fabric to that length with a bit extra for the seam. The width of the fabric should be able to fold over the elastic you will feed through, and leave a seam allowance on both sides.

Join the strip ends to make a flat loop. 

Fold in half down the length and sew together to make a flat tube. Leave a section open to feed elastic through later.

Mark the band with pins into sixteen even divisions. 

Pin these points to each of the sixteen seams of the panels at the top of the skirt. Sew the band to the skirt, removing the pins as you go. Start and finish on either side of the band opening for the elastic.

Next cut a length of stretched elastic to fit your waist. 

The elastic will need to fit tight enough to hold the weight of the skirt.

Attach a large safety pin to one end and feed through waist band.

Make sure the elastic is not twisted and sew ends the together.

Sew the waistband opening closed.

Check the length of the skirt and hem the finished product.

In this design, as a final touch, I have added a lace ribbon over the join between the panels and the top of the frill.

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