Dirndle Skirt

You don’t need a block to create the Dirndl skirt as it is just a plain rectangle. The waist and the hem of the dirndl skirt are the same width, and the waist is gathered into a waistband.  This skirt works best with very large rectangles, drafting the total hem/waist to be at least 70-78 inches (180-200cm).  This is distributed equally between the front and the back. You can create the dirndl skirt with less or more hem area than the suggested 180-200cm. The wider the rectangle the more gathers there will be in the the waist, and the more A-line the shape as the skirt will spread out at the base.  The narrower the rectangle, the squarer the shape of the skirt will be. Consider the weight of the fabric before creating a garment with a lot of gathers; lightweight fabrics work better than heavy fabrics.

Outcome & Instructions: Drafting the Dirndl

This dirndl skirt will be 70 inches in the waist and the hem.  The front and the back are both 35 inches.

• • • Draw a rectangle where the width is the value of the waist/hem – in this image 35 inches (89 cm).
    • The height of the rectangle is the length of the skirt – in this image 21 inches (53.25 cm).
    • The seam for the closure can be in the side seam, CF or CB.  In this case it is in the CB, so the back pattern piece is cut down the CB line.
    • Notch CF waist and draw the grainline.
    • Place at least one notch on the side seams; if you skirt is very long you may want two notches.
    • Seam Allowance needs to be added.