Ruffled High-Low Skirt

Ruffled High Low Skirt

Difficulty Level = Beginner 

This knit skirt with optional pockets has five panels and two length options: knee and maxi. The high to low hemline creates a billowy train-like effect at the back. Add an optional frill to the knee length for a beautiful ruffled skirt.

Our Facebook group is a great place to get help, share your tips and creations! We are a friendly bunch, and we love to help and see what you have made.

Please read the full instructions before getting started.

Wash, dry, and press your fabric before starting your project. A bit of prep now prevents shrinking and means your garment will stay the same size you made it.

Never leave a child or baby unattended or allow to sleep in a garment made from one of our patterns with ties, snaps, buttons, or anything they could remove, choke on, or get caught on. Always use caution if you are unsure. We love our patterns, but we love your bundles of joy more!

Size Range

Womens XXS-5XL

Size Chart

This pattern is drafted to the sizes listed below. If you are between sizes, choose the larger size and adjust the pattern to remove the extra width to achieve the intended fit.

Finished Measurements (Inches)

The High Low Skirt has five skirt panels. The waist is finished with exposed or hidden elastic. The skirt is shorter in the front and longer in the back.

• Sizing – Sizing is different in different countries and stores, so please measure your model before picking your size. The ready-to-wear size your model normally fits into may be different from our size chart.
• Picking your size – Choose your size based on your waist measurement from the size chart as this skirt is semi-fitted at the waist. If you are at the bottom of your size range, you can adjust the waist by shortening the elastic in the back waistband. 
• Adjusting height – The Ladies skirt is designed for a height of 5 foot 6 inches. If you are taller/shorter you may need to adjust the skirt pieces. This is how we recommend making this adjustment:
  • Take each skirt panel pattern piece and measure a quarter way down from the waist of the skirt piece and draw a line horizontal to the grainline. Place the entire panel on top of another larger piece of paper and trace around it.
  • Draw a straight line, parallel to the grainline, from the waist down past the hem onto the piece of paper underneath. This line can be anywhere on the pattern piece, as long as it is straight. You’ll use this line as a balance line to keep your pattern piece aligned.
  • Take your pattern piece and cut straight through the horizontal adjustment line. Tape the top piece to the paper. Move the bottom pattern piece out the way. 
  • Draw the balance line onto the piece of paper, extending it from the line drawn on the skirt pattern piece. Place the bottom piece back onto the paper, matching the balance lines, and adding/removing height at this point. Trace around your new pattern piece. Repeat for all skirt pieces.
• Muslin – We recommend sewing a muslin (test garment) first so you can get the perfect fit:
  • Use a knit fabric similar in weight to the final fabric you plan to use.
  • Baste all the pieces together using a ⅜ inch seam allowance.
  • Try on. If you are happy with the fit, continue to your final garment.
  • If you feel the fit needs adjusting for your personal shape, turn the muslin inside out and try on again. Adjust the seams with pins/clips until you are happy. 
  • Shorten the elastic if it is too loose.
  • Trim your new seam allowances to ⅜ of an inch and pull out your basting stitches. 
  • These resulting pieces are your pattern pieces instead of the original pattern pieces. Continue to sew your final garment.
  • Make sure to keep your adjusted pattern pieces in case you wish to make more!
• If you get stuck with fitting, see our favorite resources on our Pinterest Sewing Fitting Advice board.  

Fabric needs to be a stretch / knit fabric. 2- or 4-way stretch fabric will work. Do not use a woven fabric. Suggested fabrics are – Cotton lycra 5%, rayon spandex, viscose spandex, bamboo spandex, ITY jersey, cotton jersey, French terry, hacci sweater knit, interlock, and ponte. 

Make sure to check the weight of your fabric to ensure it is opaque enough that you are happy with it when it is stretched slightly (some lighter weight knits can be slightly transparent or see through).

We recommend at least 20% stretch. To check how much stretch your fabric has, take a piece of fabric and pull along its stretch. If it allows you to stretch it at least 20% longer than its original length, then it has at least 20% stretch. I.e. A 2-inch piece of fabric (unstretched) should be able to be stretched to 2.4 inches.

The stretch recovery of your fabric is just as important as the stretch percentage. This will ensure your skirt maintains its shape and fit for as long as possible and does not become baggy. To test the stretch recovery (elasticity), simply check that when you stretch your piece of fabric it returns back to its original size.

* If you are using a narrower fabric, a directional print, or a fabric with nap you may need more.
** Make sure to wash, dry, and press all fabrics before cutting out in case they shrink.

You will also need:

• Elastic – Approximately 1.3mt / 1.4 yards will be sufficient for all sizes. 
  • Enclosed elastic OPTION – ⅜ wide
  • OR Exposed elastic OPTION – any width
• OPTIONAL Ruffle – You can add clear elastic to the seam for additional support. Approximately 2mt / 2.2 yards will be sufficient for all sizes.
• Thread to match

Tools needed are, sewing machine, pins, scissors, tape measure or ruler. Serger/overlocker is optional but not required.

Settings

The pattern is a separate download. Choose either the US letter paper, A4 paper, or A0 paper size based on the printer you wish to use. If you are in the US or Canada then your printer will likely use US letter paper. Other regions normally use A4 paper. Some people prefer to print their patterns at a print shop: A0 is best in this case.

Print at 100%.

On the second page, you will find a 1-inch and a 3-inch square test box. Print this page first, on its own, and measure these squares.

Once you are happy that the test box is accurate, print the rest of the pattern pages.

Please follow this video for information and assistance on assembling this pattern.

Also, please note that some Rebecca Page patterns and projects also come with cut files and a printable design page which you can use to plan your project if you wish. These are provided in a separate section below to avoid any confusion!

Cut each of the pieces according to the directions on the pattern piece. Seam allowances are all included so just cut them as is.

Cutting Charts – All pattern pieces are included, however if you prefer to cut using a cutting chart, the dimensions for the rectangular pieces in the table: 

 Cutting Checklist: 

• Front Skirt – Cut 1 on fold
• Side Skirt – Cut 2 (1x mirror image pair)
• Back Skirt – Cut 2 (1x mirror image pair)
• OPTIONAL Pockets – Cut 4 (2x mirror image pair)
• OPTIONAL Ruffle:
  • Front – Cut 1 on fold
  • Side – Cut 2 on fold
  • Back – Cut 4 on fold

NOTE – To cut fabric on the fold, fold your fabric over parallel to the selvage edges. Align the pattern piece so it is on the fold of the fabric. Cut around the edges, leaving the fold. If you have folded your fabric correctly the fold will be parallel to the two edges of the fabric that are finished. The raw edges (e.g. the ones you could pick at and threads would come off) will be at a right angle to your fold.

Tips for Sewing with Knit Fabrics

Using a serger is not a necessity to sew with knit fabrics! Here are a few tips to get the best results on a regular sewing machine:

• Use a ball point needle of a size appropriate to your fabric when working with knits – The ball point needle has a slightly rounded tip and will prevent from damaging the fibre. Use ball point pins or clips and, if you can’t, use regular pins into the seam allowance and you should be just fine.
• Use a stretch stitch – You can use either a short and narrow zigzag or a stretch stitch (lightning bolt stitch) for construction. Test on a scrap of fabric to find which stitch and tension settings work best for you. You don’t want the fabric to pucker under your stitches.
• Your machine might have many fancy stretch stitches and you are welcome to play with them, but often the basic zigzag or stretch stitch are just right.
• Use a walking foot – Using a walking-foot is not a necessity but it is highly recommended when working on a stretchy knit. The walking-foot helps to prevent one layer of fabric from stretching out while sewing. Both layers of fabrics are fed at the same time under your needle.
• Reduce your presser foot tension – Some machines will allow you to change your presser foot tension. Check your manual to see how to reduce your presser foot tension. Reducing tension will prevent your fabric from stretching while it goes through the machine.
• Use a ball point twin-needle (double needle) for top stitching – Using a twin-needle will give you a regular double line of straight stitches on the right side and a short and stretchy zigzag on the wrong side. Alternately, if you don’t own a twin needle, you can use a medium size zigzag stitch for hemming and topstitching. I like to lengthen my stitch a little when top stitching with the twin needle. Test on a scrap of fabric to find what works best for you.
• Finishing the seams – Because knits don’t fray, it isn’t strictly necessary to finish your seams. That being said, you will achieve a more polished and durable look if you do an overcasting or zigzag stitch on your raw edges. 

Here is an example of some of the stitches you could use.
From left to right: Ballpoint twin-needle, narrow zigzag, stretch stitch (lightning bolt), overcasting

⅜ inch seam allowance included – Topstitching ⅛ inch – Basting ¼ inch

Preparation – 

1. MARKINGS – Transfer all pattern markings to the fabric using a disappearing ink pen or tailors chalk.

Sewing –

1. SKIRT PANELS – Stitch each of the Side Skirts to the Front Skirt piece. Press seam to side. Stitch the two Back Skirt pieces at the center back seam. Press seam to one side.
2. OPTIONAL POCKETS – Stitch a Pocket to either side of the Side Skirt. Repeat with the Back Skirt using the mirror Pocket pieces.
3. SIDE SEAMS – Stitch the Front Skirt to the Back Skirt at the side seams, going around the Pocket pieces if added.
4. OPTIONAL RUFFLE – Stitch Front and Back Ruffle together. Press seam. Gather stitch top of Ruffle. Mark quarters on Ruffle and Skirt. Place right sides together. Gather in between each quarter. Stitch. Press seam up. Remove gathering stitches.
5. OPTIONAL EXPOSED WAIST – Stitch elastic in a circle overlapping ends by ½ inch. Mark quarter points on elastic and Skirt. Place elastic over Skirt, right sides together, matching quarters. Stitch. Press seam down.
6. OPTIONAL ENCLOSED WAIST ELASTIC – Stitch elastic in a circle overlapping ends by ½ inch. Mark quarter points on elastic and Skirt. Stitch elastic in a circle overlapping ends by 1 inch. Mark quarter points on elastic and Skirt. Place elastic over wrong side of Skirt, matching quarters. Stitch. Fold over by ⅜ inch to wrong side. Stitch.
7. HEM – Turn the hem ½ inch toward the wrong side and press. Repeat and pin in place. Topstitch the hem in place.

Congratulations, your Ruffled High Low Skirt is done. Enjoy! 

We would love to hear how you got on and see photos of your finished project!

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