Circle skirt: fashion meets math - adult version / zipper edition
As the Netherlands is recovering from a Polar Vortex I am thinking about circle skirts. Because why not.
I found a gorgeous fabric online that I wanted to use for a circle skirt, but it was really expensive. As I was contemplating it, I also found out it was much smaller in width than regular sized fabrics. So what I initially thought to be an expensive skirt would be even more expensive, but how expensive would it excactly be? That made me think: What is a quick way to figure out what and how circle skirts can be cut from different sized fabrics. So hopefully this will make a bit sense to you.
First question: How large does the circle need to be
What skirt can I make from existing fabric or how much fabric I need depends on a lot of factors:
- waist circumference or (half)hip circumference depending on where you want to have the skirt hang
- added circumference if the skirt needs to fit over your hips or chest if you don't want a zipper but an elastic band.
- skirt length
- fabric dimensions
Let start with the waist circumference. I use the name waist circumference, but if you want to have the skirt hang on your hips or halve way on your hips use that size. I also talk about adding a zipper to put the skirt on and of. If you want to use an elastic band, measure the widest part of your hips or your chest depending on what part you will put your skirt on. I talk more about that in the kids version:
Note: add some extra for seam allowances and wearing ease.
For example: waistsize is 90 cm. I cut my fabric with three seams of 1 cm each (means a total of 6 cm). And I add a 4 cm of wearing ease. That totals to 100 cm. I will use a zipper, so I don't have to worry about my hip size.
I take 100 cm and divide by "pi" or 3,14. That gives me the diameter of 32 cm. I divide that by 2 which gives me the radius of 16cm. That is the radius of the smaller circle I need to cut to fit my waist.
How I cut my fabric
I cut my fabric this way:
Note: If there is an obvious print with an upside and a downside a circle skirt might not be a good option. Lines can be a lot of fun as they kind of turn over themselves in a circle skirt.
Question 1: I have a piece of fabric and I want to get the longest possible circle skirt.
I do it like this. I start with the fabric folded in half length-wise like above left. I draw the diagonal with chalk and I draw a mid-width-line running over the length. Both lines in grey. Where the lines meet will be the maximum radius of your circle. So: some examples.
If I have a piece of fabric of 110 cm (43 inches) wide and a 200 cm long. I fold it in half, draw the diagonal and the mid-width-line. Measuring from one corner to the meeting points of the two lines is 74 cm. I do the same for a fabric that is 300 cm long. This time my radius is 93 cm.
Note: This is the radius of the circle not the length of the skirt. You need to take off the radius of your waist and a couple of cm for a hem.
The same goes for a fabric that is 140 cm wide (55inch) For a fabric that is 200 cm long the radius is 86 cm. The fabric that is 400 cm long the radius is 122 cm.
Question 2: I have enough fabric and want the most economical cut.
Or: I want the longest possible skirt: how much fabric do I need to buy.
The largest circle you can cut this way is a radius from selvedge to selvedge. Meaning in these examples either 110 or 140 cm.
If you have the fabric: draw a quarter circle over the width of the fabric. Draw the mid-width-line dividing the width in equal parts. Where the circle and the mid-width-line meet, that is a quarter of the fabric length needed. So a fabric of 110 cm needs 4 times 95 cm of fabric. A fabric of 140 cm wide needs 4 times 122 cm.
If you don't have the fabric, but know how wide it is: draw it to scale on a piece of paper, like above.
Question 3: I know my waist size, I know my desired skirt length. How much fabric do I need.
Okey, so you know excactly what you want. Make sure you have added all the extra's. So start with waist (or hip) circumference. Add the skirt length, add seam allowances for waistband and hem allowance and there you go.
I want a skirt that is 80 cm long, my waistsize is 90 cm. I cut a waist circle of a 100 cm because 6 cm is used for 3 seams and the rest is wearing ease. A waist circumference of a 100 is a radius of 16 (see above). I use a waistband on the top so i need 1 cm seam allowance for that and I will add a hem to the bottom of 3 cm.
So my circle is folowing: 16 cm (waist) + 1 (sa) + 80 (skirtlength) + 3 (hem) = 100 cm.
If I were to cut it from a 110 cm wide fabric it would take 336 cm fabric and in a 150 cm wide fabric it would take 288 cm.
The best way to go about this is to draw it to scale. Draw the width of the fabric, your circle radius and the mid-width-line. Where the mid-width-line and the circle radius meet is a quarter of the length you need.
Additions:
You might want to add a waistband. Unless the fabric is very light, the skirt can be very heavy and without a waistband it can get uncomfortable quick enough. You might want to use the scraps of the circles to make a waistband, or buy a couple of cm more to cut a waistband in one piece.
The other scraps can be used for pockets. There are two side seams so perfect for some teardroped inseam pockets.
Example
Full circle maxi skirt (no review)
Other posts.
Circle skirt daughter: review click on photo
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