Step by Step Instructions on How to Make a Circle Skirt

Learning how to make a circle skirt can be one of the best sewing projects.

Circle skirts are the perfect round skirts that help your body look curvy. These skirts can transform your body shape into magic. 

Circle skirts were first introduced in the 1950s in western countries. These skirts have gained popularity both as vintage fashion apparel and as an inspiration for the upcoming trends.

This vintage fashion style is flowy and super comfortable to wear. Because of its shape, it swings in an amazing way, and if you are dancing, it can even fly high and help you look attractive.

Circle skirts are not just limited to teenage sets. They have a broad appeal to women of all ages. Poodle skirts, cotton, muslin, organdy, and silk are some of the popular choices for making circle skirts. 

With so much history and beautiful features, learning how to make a circle skirt at home is worth it. There are multiple skirt types to choose from but don’t worry. We are here.

In this article, we will help you learn everything about circle skirts and how you can make one for yourself at home in no time. 

How to Make a Full Circle Skirt Pattern: Types of Circle Skirt

There are three primary types of skirts patterns available. Depending upon the full or partial circle, you can decide the fabric and the fullness of the skirt.

Image Source: Cashmerette

Before you learn how to make a full circle skirt pattern, here are some types of circle skirts you should know. 

A Full Circle Skirt

Image Source: M&J Trimming

If you love a skirt that sits above your knee, then you should go for a full circle skirt. When you learn to sew a full circle skirt, don’t forget that the longer skirt will need to rejoin the fabric. 

A Quarter Circle Skirt

This skirt uses the minimum amount of fabric or any fabric/material found in your home, and you can also learn to upcycling clothes. 

Quarter-circle skirts are best if you want to learn how to make a floor-length circle skirt.

A Half Circle Skirt

Image Source: Beth Smith Textiles

This skirt is made by using a half-circle measurement and requires less fabric. 

How to Make a Circle Skirt: Measurement To Consider

Learning how to sew circle skirts is one of the best ways to make customized types of clothes. These skirts allow you to polish your sewing skills and give wings to the imagination. 

Having a customizable clothing item in your wardrobe which is made with lots of love and care is a wonderful addition. Do you need to learn how to make a circle skirt but are unsure about the measurement? 

Don’t worry. In this section, we will help you with the right measurement in an easy way so that you can make your desired skirt at home.

Your Waist

Use a measuring tape and wrap it around your waist to the point where you want to wear your skirt. Make sure the tape snug your body but don’t make it too tight.

Image Source: Michael Burrows On Pexels

Add one inch to this measurement for ease. This is the extra space you need, from body measurement to learning how to make clothes comfortable. Here’s a simple formula for you to consider:

Waist = Actual waist + 1 inch ease 

Your Desired Skirt Length

The next measurement you need to start making a circle skirt is the length of the skirt. To do that, hold the tape near to your waist and let it reach the floor. Depending on your style, you can choose the length.

Image Source: Anete Lusina On Pexels

Here’s a detailed chart for the skirt length:

Skirt length Inches	Skirt above knee	Skirt at the knee	Skirt below the knee	Skirt mid-calf	Skirt tee length	Skirt ankle
4	10.75	12.50	14.50	17.50	18	21.25
5	11.50	13.50	15.63	18.75	19.38	22.75
6	12.25	14.50	16.75	20	20.75	24.25
6/7	13.00	15.50	17.88	21.25	22.13	25.75
8	13.75	16.50	19.00	22.50	23.50	27.25
10	14.50	17.50	20.13	23.75	24.88	28.75
12	15.25	18.50	21.25	25.00	26.25	30.25
14	16.00	19.50	22.38	26.25	27.63	31.75

You need to add half an inch for a narrow hem, resulting in a double fold hem of ¼ inch. Do not forget to add a seam allowance at the waist before you finish sewing.

How to Make a Floor-Length Circle Skirt: Skirt Calculator

This section covers the math involved in making a full circle skirt. Having an understanding of math will be helpful.

Circle skirts need to have the right measurement and the circle. Here are some essential formulas and calculations you need to understand before learning how to make a floor-length circle skirt.

This calculation will also help you when learning

• • How to make a tutu skirt
  • How to make a clothing line 

What is Pi?

The Pi symbol is π. It has numerous values attached to it. Here’s a Pi formula:

Pi is = 3.141592653589793238462

This number will help us to figure out the radius of the waist. Consider Pi = 3.14 for all the calculations. 

What Is Radius, And Why Do We Need Them?

Before we talk about the radius, you need to know the diameter.

The diameter is just the measurement of the circle from one side to another, in the form of a straight line that crosses through the center. 

The radius is the half of diameter, and as we are learning,

• • how to make a full circle maxi skirt
  • how to make a swing skirt
  • how to make a wide skirt

We will need the circumference, which is the measurement of the outer edges of the circle – the perimeter.

Image Source: Pinterest

Here’s a simple formula to find the radius

Diameter = Circumference divided by pi (π = 3.14)

Where the diameter is the radius x 2!

Radius for the Full Circle Skirt

Here’s a simple formula to find the radius when learning how to make a long full circle skirt.

Radius = waist/6.28 

Radius for Half Circle Skirt

Want to make a half-circle skirt? Use this formula to find the radius.

Radius= 2 * waist/6.28 

Image Source: Pinterest 

Radius for Quarter Circle Skirt

Going for a quarter circle skirt and wondering how to get the radius? Here’s your ready-to-use formula

Radius = 4* waist/6.28 

Instructions for How to Make a Circle Skirt

Circle skirts are versatile clothing items. Making your own skirt at home can be an excellent way to personalize and customize your wardrobe. 

You get plenty of options to choose from. Right from fabric, color, pattern, and measurement, you get an opportunity to design something unique for yourself.

Image Source: Pinterest

Your DIY circle skirt is not just any normal apparel. This is your personal, unique style made in the best way by expressing your thoughts/ideas.

Wondering how to make a circle skirt at home that expresses your creativity and allows you to polish your sewing skills?

Check out this step-by-step guide on how to sew a skirt. 

Supplies You’ll Need

Here’s a list of supplies or materials you will need to begin this tutorial on how to make a circle skirt.

• • Thread
  • Interfacing
  • Zipper
  • Button
  • A fitted skirt
  • Fabric
  • Sewing Machine
  • Sewing needle
  • Scissors
  • Pins 

Choose the Fabric

Before we deep dive into the steps of learning how to make a circle skirt, it is essential to know the right fabric for making the skirt.

Image Source: Kenza Benaouda On Unsplash

Various types of fabric are available in the market, and choosing the right one for your sewing project requires some additional effort.

Here are some popular types of fabric used to make circle skirts.

Rank	Description
1.	Polyester-cotton (65-35%), mult. colors
2.	100% cotton, mult. colors
3.	100% linen fabric, white
4.	Polyester-cotton (65-35%) broadcloth, red
5.	Charmeuse polyester satin, red

Fold the Fabric

Start folding your stretch or cotton fabric in half to even the shortest edges. Fold them again so that the longest edges are also even.

Pro tip: Make sure the print is facing in for printed fabric. Lay your fabric flat on a surface and fold the edges facing you. 

Cut the Fabric for the Waistband

At this stage of how to make a circle skirt tutorial, you need to get a few fabric strips for your waistband. 

Image Source: Fit For Art Patterns

Start cutting them straight and a few inches away from the narrow edge of the open part of your fabric. Make sure you are not cutting the folded edges. Once done, keep those strips aside for some time. 

Use a Fitted Skirt as a Reference

Take your desired fitted skirt and follow its pattern. Start folding this skirt four times lengthwise and place the waistband over the edges of your folded fabric corner. 

Use the width of the fitted skirt as a guide for how to make a high-waisted circle skirt tutorial.

If you want to know how to create a waistband, read our completed guide on how to sew an elastic waistband. You’ll be able to create a perfect waistband for your circle skirt.

Pro Tip: It is recommended to cut the waist a little smaller if you have a stretchy fabric. 

Cut the Bottom of the Skirt

To cut the bottom part of the skirt, you need to first measure from the waist and cut the length on both folded edges. Don’t forget to mark the spots with a pencil, or you can use pins. 

Now, you need to draw a curved line between the marks you put. Take your scissors and cut along the curved line.

Image Source: Sew Way

If there are a few jagged edges left, then don’t worry. You will hem the bottom edges to cover the minor imperfection. 

Make sure you keep one inch while cutting the skirt so that you can allow space for seam allowance and a small hem. 

Check the Width of the Waistband

It’s time to unfold your beautiful half-made skirt. Take your fitted skirt and unfold it also. 

Now hold the waistband of the fitted skirt against your DIY circle skirt so that you can determine the correct waist size. 

Measure the Fabric for the Waistband

Now you need to collect the fabric strips that we created in a couple of steps above. Place them next to the waist of your DIY circle skirt. 

Keep the stripes near the waist and start cutting the strip’s edges so that you still have the fabric for hemming the waistband. Make sure you have two strips on top of each other, and the pattern should face each other.

Image Source: U Create

As the waist is a half-circle and the strips are straight, you will have to take some measurements here or just cut a little more fabric than the exact amount you need. 

Sewing the Waistband

By this stage of how to make a circle skirt, you will have your circle skirt in different pieces. Take those waistband pieces and line them.

Choose two waistband pieces and start sewing them together on the short edges. Start hemming the long edges by folding them a half-inch of the fabric over and sewing the edges of this fabric.

Image Source: Cottonbro On Pexels

Pro Tip: Make sure you set up regular stitches on your sewing machine for sewing the waistband. 

Pin the Waistband to the Circle Skirt

Start opening your circle skirt and lay it on a flat surface. Take your waist and pin it onto the waistband of your fabric/skirt. 

One thing that needs to be kept in mind is that the print side of the waistband should face the print side of your DIY circle skirt. 

The DIY circle skirt edges and waistband edges should be even. To do that, you can start by pinning one edge and pin the opposite edge. In the next step, pin on the halfway of the waistband and right between the two pins. 

Attach the Waistband

Once you have pinned your waistband in place, you need to sew it along the circle skirt’s waist. Use a zigzag stitch when attaching the waistband, and remove the pins as you proceed.

Do not stretch the pieces of the fabric as you sew. They need to be smooth and even.

Once you are done, you can flip the waistband fabric and tuck it into the waist. 

Image Source: Pinterest

Fold the Edges of the Skirt’s Bottom

Before you start hemming the circle skirt, it’s essential to fold the edges over. If you want the hem to be even, you need to ping the edges and fold them as you proceed. 

Start creating a fold about half an inch from the skirt’s bottom edge. Another way is to start with a basting stitch and mark the hem fold. 

Sew baste stitch about half an inch away from your DIY circle skirt and use it as a base to fold the material and sew the hem. You need to fold along the stitch and either remove or fold the baste stitch over the edge and sew at last.

If you want to achieve 100% accuracy, you can try sewing a ribbon on the inner edge of your skirt’s bottom. 

Here, the ribbon will provide some structure and add a body to your DIY circle skirt. Fold the ribbon and sew again.

Hem the Skirt

It’s time to do the most awaited task. Use a regular stitch and start sewing the hem.

If you think you might make some mistakes, then you can start with a basting stitch, and when you are happy with the outcomes, you can proceed with the regular stitch.

Image Source: Cucicucicoo

You also need to have a lot of patience when hemming a skirt as there are some curved edges involved. You can iron the edges before you proceed to sew, as it will decrease the fabric’s chance of puckering. 

Give Finishing Touch and Wear Your Skirt!

Wonderful! You have just followed all the steps and have created an amazing circle skirt for yourself. Some finishes will make your skirt look more beautiful.

Once you finish the hem, remove any excessive or loose threads on your waistband and the hem. With this step, your circle skirt is ready.

Image Source: Sewing Machine Plus 

So now you can see that learning how to make a circle skirt is easy. So next time, don’t waste your money purchasing ready-made circle skirts from stores. Make one for yourself at home with the pattern and fitting size you need.

Do not forget to give your DIY circle skirt a personalized touch. Use woven labels, hang tags, and care labels from the Superlabel Store.

Get ready to receive the best compliments from your friends and family members. 

Conclusion

This was all about the popular circle skirt. These skirts are the types of clothing aesthetics that can help you look stylish while giving you the utmost comfort. They are super easy to make and take less time.

With the above-listed information and step-by-step guide, anyone with basic sewing skills can make a beautiful circle skirt for her.

Take new sewing projects and sewing patterns and polish your sewing skills. 

Happy sewing!