Three Quarter Circle Skirt

 

Fashion flat - 3/4 circle skirt
Figure A: Three quarter circle skirt

No Blocks are needed to draft the circle skirts, you only need your waist measurement, including ease.

Example: Outcome

Figure B shows the end shape of garment in yellow, like a circle with a quarter wedge removed. The white shows the final pattern piece, which is a quarter of the yellow shape. 

Outcome - final pattern (no seam allowance)
Figure B: Outcome, final pattern (no seam allowance)

Instructions: Drafting 3/4 Circle Skirt - Figure 1

  • Draw a horizontal line from A to B1: the length of this line is your waist measurement (including 1 inch ease), divided by 4.71*
  • Measure from B1 to C1, your desired skirt length
  • Measure the same distances vertically down from A, to B2 and C2 making sure that the vertical line is at right angles to the horizontal.

*The waist measurement I am using (including ease) is 27.38 inches.  My skirt length is 24.5 inches. 

Instructions Figure 1
Figure 1

Instructions: Drafting 3/4 Circle Skirt - Figure 2

We want to draw a line at 45 degrees to the A~C lines:

  • Square down and across from points B1 & B2 to make a perfect square: A, B1 and B2 are three points of the square.
  • Mark the fourth point of the square D.
  • Draw a line from A and through D.  Make this line the same length as the length A~C1 & A~C2.  Mark the end point C3.
Instructions Figure 2
Figure 2

Instructions: Drafting 3/4 Circle Skirt - Figure 3

We now want to draw a line that will create a 22.5 degree angle down from the horizontal A~C1 line.

  • Draw a straight line between points C1 and C4, and mark the half-way point.
  • Draw a line from A through the halfway point and mark the end point C4.  The length of this line is the same as A~C1, A~C2 & A~C3.
  • Measure from A along this A~C4 line and mark point B3.  The length of A~B3 is the same as A~B1 & A~B2.
Instructions Figure 3
Figure 3

Instructions: Drafting 3/4 Circle Skirt - Figure 4

  • Draw a semi-circle shape from B3 to B2.
  • Draw a semi-circle shape from C4 to C2.

The way to create the correct circular shape:

  • Measure the A to C distance with a tape measure, then swing the tape measure around (pinned at A) and mark that measurement at various points.   Blend with a curved ruler.
  • Repeat for A to B to create the curve for the waist.
Instructions Figure 4
Figure 4

Instructions: Drafting 3/4 Circle Skirt - Figure 5

  • This is the final (working) pattern piece (i.e. seam allowance, cutting instructions still need  to be added, etc).
  • You could cut 4, or cut two on fold.

The grainline can be placed a number of ways, depending on where you want the flares to be. 

Instructions Figure 5
Figure 5

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