Camille Semi-Circle Wrap Skirt Pattern

Breezy summer style is fully embodied in this chic wrap skirt pattern from Don Morin. Based on a simple circle design, this DIY wrap skirt is made to your measurements and can be sewn in a variety of lengths, such as the maxi skirt in our sample. Sew your own summer skirt pattern in a beautiful light to medium weight fabric and pair it with the matching camisole (also found in this issue) for an elegant summer look.

Love this look? Be sure to check out Don’s coordinating camisole, also found in this issue!

Skill Level: Beginner – novice level

Seam Allowance: 5/8”

Hem Allowance: 1/2”

Designer Notes: A “plot-and-cut” circle-skirt adventure for confident beginners. Ever wished you could make a skirt that fits you perfectly, no PDFs, no tricky math, just you, a tape measure, and a big piece of beautiful fabric?

This no-pattern-required wrap skirt is your ticket to DIY joy. Based on a circle, it lets you create smooth, flowing curves directly on fabric for a custom-fit, ankle-length skirt that flatters every body shape. Mini, midi, maxi, or your own go-to, the choice is yours!

It’s quick, fun, and totally beginner-friendly. No formulas to memorize, no pattern pieces to wrestle with, just measure, mark, snip, and watch your fabric transform into a skirt made just for you.

Materials:

For this summer skirt, you will need:

• Light to medium weight woven fabric, 59″ (150 cm) wide.
  • (length of fabric = your desired skirt length + waist radius + 2 seam allowances)
• Fusible stay tape, 3/8” (10 mm) wide
• Single fold bias binding, 1/2” (12mm) wide for hem
• Measuring tape
• Fabric chalk or washable marker
• String and a pin (for drawing curved arcs)
• Universal sewing machine needle, 70/80
• Spool of matching all-purpose thread

FABRICATION:

For this summer skirt, search for a source of lightweight woven fashion fabrics with soft drape in your favorite color or mini print. Lovely choices are lightweight linen, viscose, rayon challis, cotton lawn, or soft chambray. Due to the panel layout, avoid any directional prints and textured napped fabrics.

For this tutorial, the designer has chosen a lightweight poplin with a beautiful floral embroidery resulting in a real eye-catching skirt.

Cotton poplin is the perfect natural fabric for creating light, airy, and comfortable summer garments. The smooth and compact texture of cotton poplin feels fresh and delicate on the skin, keeping you cool and comfortable even on the hottest days.  This material manages to combine breath-ability and durability, allowing makers to create garments that not only offer optimal comfort but also maintain their shape and quality, wear after wear. It is definitely easy-to-care for, but it is recommended pre-shrinking the fabric once before cutting and sewing, as fabrics made of natural fibers or with a proportion of natural fibers can shrink during the first time it’s laundered. Washing cotton in hot water is in principle – possible, but may affect the color intensity.  Cold-water wash to reduce the fading of colors and skip the dryer if you want to avoid shrinkage; hang them to dry in the sunshine keeps it in tiptop shape.

Thanks to these characteristics, poplin continues to be an essential fabric for makers who want to combine comfort, quality and versatility in their summer garments, letting you look and feel your best all summer long.

Note: For the sample model, Don used Cotton Poplin Embroidery Bouquets from fabfab™; cotton bias binding, Vlieseline fusible stay tape, and Gütermann™ C Ne 50 Cotton (5709).

MACHINE SET-UP:

Machine Needle – size 70-80 universal needle

Stitch Length – regular stitch length (2.5 of a possible 5)

Stitch Tension – regular tension (4 of a possible 9)

Foot Attachments – single-stitch or zigzag foot

Pressing – moderate heat temperature (steam iron — 2-dots)

TECHNIQUES USED IN THIS PROJECT:

Single Needle Flat Fell Seam:

The single-needle flat fell seam is a very strong, self-finished seam that wears well and is easily laundered because of its flat finish. Because it is a quality finish and more expensive to sew, the garment label frequently states “single needle tailoring”. It is suitable for all types of cotton sportswear and blouses but is used most frequently for setting sleeves on men’s shirts where it is sewn as an inside fell.

As the name implies, this flat fell seam is sewn on a single-needle machine with two passes. When used for setting sleeves on men’s shirts, the seams are finished 3/8” to 1/2” wide and the sleeve laps the shirt body.

For this tutorial, the skirt is unlined and often both sides of the cloth can be seen. The flat fell seam is used to join the skirt panels together while providing a neat clean seam finish with an outside fell.

How To Make A Flat Fell Seam

The fell may be created on the exterior or interior of the garment. For this example, an outside fell finished seam is 3/8” wide. The seam allowance is 5/8” wide.

With wrong sides together, match and align fabric pieces. Stitch seam and press open flat.

Trim one of the seam allowances to ~ 1/4 inch in width.

On the wider seam allowance, fold under a 1/4 inch turning and wrap it over the narrow seam allowance.

Fold both layers to the left to enclose the raw edges.

With the bulk of the seam towards the right and the seam allowance flat, lower the needle through all layers so the folded edge is aligned with the inside of the machine foot.

Fell the folded edge flat against the garment. Press seam flat.

To avoid a twist, stitch with the grain from the widest part to the narrowest part. Do not pull on the folded edge while stitching and use a stiletto to ease in the edge while stitching.

Cutting Instructions:

CALCULATE YOUR CUTTING MEASUREMENTS:

Step 1: Take Your Measurements

You only need two:

1. Waist circumference: the narrowest part of the torso, around where the skirt will tie.
2. Desired finished length: From the waistline down to where you want the hem (mini-midi-maxi).

Write those down; you’ll use them to find your cutting radius.

Step 2: Determining The Waist Radius

This skirt is made from identical quarter-circle panels.

Every size uses the same panel shape, as only the radius changes.

Depending on your waist measurement and available fabric width, you will need 2, 3, or 4 panels.

Use the Waist Radius Chart below to find your radius and number of panels.

If your waist circumference is a fraction, round up.

Step 3. Choose Desired Skirt Length

Your skirt length is the distance from your natural waist to where you want the hem to fall.

Use this quick guide chart for reference.

These lengths are starting points. Measure from your own waist to where you want the skirt to end, using the formula (L) below; it’s your design! You are the best person to judge what feels comfortable and what doesn’t for your body shape and your style.

Once you have a skirt length (L), add it to the value for r to determine the hem radius, R.

Design Note: “For women taller than 5′8″ who want ankle-length skirts, some of the larger sizes may require one extra quarter-panel to fit the longer length within standard 60″ fabric width. The quarter-panel shape stays the same; only the radius and number of panels may change. Alternatively, you can shorten the skirt by 2–3″ and still maintain a beautiful ankle-grazing  silhouette.”

Step 4. Determining Fabric Yardage

Each quarter-circle panel is essentially a sector of a circle:

• Radius = skirt length + waist radius
• Arc at waist = garment waist ÷ number of panels
• Width of fabric needed is essentially the largest radial distance from the corner/center.
• Default for this tutorial: based on a person 5’7” of medium build

Because the panels are cut with radial edges aligned along the fabric grain, the longest edge of the panel determines the fabric length needed in that direction.

Step 5. No Pattern Needed

Get ready to make a skirt that’s perfectly yours! No print-outs? No problem! We’ll plot it, cut it, and sew it, customized exactly to your size. This “plot & cut” approach can be done directly on the fabric, or drawn out on paper.  Think of your paper as a DIY stencil; it’s reusable and lets you relocate your hemline to mini, midi, or maxi, easily, anytime.

Plotting and Cutting Your Quarter-Circle Panels

A: Choose your waist radius

1. Measure your natural waist.
2. Find your measurement in the Body Waist column of the chart above.
3. Note your Waist Radius, r – this is the distance from the pivot point where the waist of the skirt will be.

B: Prepare your fabric

1. Lay your fabric flat on a large surface, with the grain running parallel to the selvage edges and corners squared.
2. Fold the fabric if needed so that you can cut multiple panels at once, keeping straight edges aligned with the grain.

C: Mark the waist curve

1. Choose a corner or center point on your fabric as the pivot point.
2. From that point, use your Waist Radius (r) to mark a quarter-circle arc.
   1. You can use a string tied to a pin and pencil to make a perfect curve.
   2. Or, use a tape measure and tailor’s chalk and swing out from the pivot point in a radial pattern.

D.  Choose Desired Skirt Length

Your skirt length is the distance from your waist to where you want the hem to fall based on how tall you are. Mini, midi, or maxi? It’s so hard to choose! You should probably just make one of each.

1. Add your desired skirt length (L) to your waist radius (r) to find the hem radius, R.
2. From the same fixed pivot point, swing another arc across the fabric to create the hem curve.

Your quarter-circle panel is ready to cut out.

Step 6: Cut your panels

1. Keep panels stacked carefully if cutting multiple at once to avoid shifting.
2. If your fabric is narrower than 59″ or you want a longer skirt, check radial space before cutting; you may need one extra panel.
3. Cut 2 x 4” wide strips across the width of the fabric for the waistband and ties.
4. Carefully cut along the straight radial edges first, keeping the grain intact.
5. Cut the waist curve and hem curve last.
6. Repeat for all panels.

You now have your quarter-circle skirt panels ready to sew. 

Sewing Instructions:

Note: Before sewing panels together, stabilize the waist arc with fusible stay tape or stay-stitching to prevent stretching the waist seam.

SEW THE PANELS TOGETHER:

Match the straight sides and sew to form one big half-circle. Remember, the skirt is made of pie-shaped wedges, so it swings and twirls effortlessly: your favorite part of DIY!

Join Panels with Flat-Felled Seams:

1. Align and match the straight edges of each panel carefully.
2. Sew a vertical seam using a flat-felled seam: 3/8” finished.
3. Sew wrong sides together with a 5/8″ seam.

SHAPE THE FRONT WRAP EDGES:

With wrong sides together, fold skirt body in half. Pin or clip edges together to prevent shifting.

On the open sides of the wrap skirt:

1. Measure approximately 1/3 of the skirt length from the waist along the open edge.
2. Swing a gentle curve from that point down to meet the hem line smoothly.
3. Blend the curve gradually so it flows into the hem.
4. Mark with chalk and cut along the curved line.

FINISH HEM:

1. With right sides together, align bias binding tape to curved edge of skirt.
2. Stitch a scant 1/4 inch along the curve from left side of skirt to right side of skirt.
3. Careful not to stretch or twist the bias tape.
4. With right sides up, understitch turned edge of bias tape.
5. Turn under bias tape to wrong side of fabric and press bias tape flat to follow curve of hemline.
6. Topstitch in place. DONE!

The skirt is ready for the waistband.

MAKE WAISTBAND AND TIES:

The waistband and ties are made by cutting and joining 2 fabric strips together.

1. The left-hand side of waistband section equals 1.5x waist circumference + 15” for tie in length x 4” wide.
2. The right-hand side of waistband section equals 1/2 waist circumference + 15” for tie in length x 4” wide.
3. With right sides together, machine-baste the 2 strips together. Press seam open. Top-stitch on both sides of seam.
4. With right sides together, apply waistband to top edge of skirt. Beginning by matching the seam on the waistband to the right-hand side of the skirt, approximately 1/3 of the garment’s waistline from the front edge. Working outward in both direction, left and right, pin/baste waistband strip to waistline of skirt. Machine-stitch in place, using a 1/2” seam allowance.
5. With right sides together, fold waistband strip in half length-wise and align/match layers together. Machine-stitch the tie ends along the raw edges and sew a diagonal seam at each short end of the strip. Trim ends and grade seam allowance.
6. Turn waistband and ties right-sides out. Press waistband and ties flat.
7. Turn under 1/2” seam allowance on inner section of waistband. Align folded edge to previous row of machine-stitch at the waist and slip-stitch closed the turned edge to encase and neaten inner section of waistband.
8. With face side up, outline the seam on the right-hand side of waistband with top-stitching. Carefully cut out the seam to form an opening for the waistband tie’s pass thru’.

TRY IT ON AND STYLE:

Wrap, tie, and twirl! Adjust the overlap until it feels secure and comfortable.

This skirt pairs beautifully with cropped tops, summer tanks, or bias-cut camisoles (see Don’s tutorial, also in this issue). Once you make one, you’ll see how easy it is to customize.

“Now grab your fabric, give it a twirl, and remember, this skirt isn’t just sewn, it’s designed by you. Every hem, every curve, every spin is a little celebration of your creativity this summer!”