Girl Charlee Fabrics + Janome Sewing Tutorial :: Patriotic Color Block Pencil Skirt

In keeping with the upcoming patriotic summer holidays, I am going to show you how to take my popular Girl Charlee Fabrics Easy Pencil Skirt Sewing Pattern, my Janome serger, my Janome sewing machine, and my Cricut Maker, to transform the patternless self-drafted pencil skirt instructions into a color-blocked sewing pattern and create the Patriotic Color Block Pencil Skirt!

Supplies:

• rotary cutter
• scissors (for paper)
• pins or pattern weights
• pattern paper - I use 8 lb tracing paper
• pen or pencil
• 1/2 yard each of three different 95/5 solid cotton spandex knits
• easy pencil skirt pattern - Purchase pattern here!
• Overlock/Serger – Janome 1100D Professional
• Sewing Machine – Janome Skyline S9

Step 1 – Make Your Pattern

Follow step 1 of the Easy Pencil Skirt Sewing Pattern to determine your skirt measurements.  Take your ruler and pattern paper and draw your skirt rectangle onto the paper.  To create your three color-block pieces just follow the image below.

1. Mark your waist 3" from the top on the left, and your hem 1 1/4" from the bottom on the left.
2. Measure the remaining length between those two measurements and divide that amount by 3.
3. From the waist mark at the top, mark your 1/3 measurement on the left.
4. From the hem mark at the bottom, mark your 1/3 measurement on the right.
5. From the waist mark at the top, mark your 1/3 measurement + 2" on the right.
6. From the hem mark at the bottom, mark your 1/3 measurement + 2" on the left.

With your ruler and pen/pencil, draw a line from the 1/3 measurement on the top left to the first 1/3 measurement + 2" on the right.  Then draw a line from the remaining 1/2 measurement on the right to the 1/3 measurement + 2" on the left.

Follow the pencil skirt instructions to create your tapers on the top and bottom of the pattern, then cut along your drawn lines with your scissors to create your three pattern pieces!

Step 2 – Cut Your Fabrics

With your three different fabrics fold them right sides together, selvedge to selvedge.  Determine which color you want on which section of the pattern and then place the pattern on the fabric of choice with weights or pins.  Using your rotary cutter cut around the pattern.  For each of the three colors, you will have two mirror pieces for the front and the back of the skirt.

Step 3 – Add Vinyl Embellishments (Optional)

If you have a Cricut Maker and you want to add some iron-on vinyl embellishments click here for a quick tutorial on how to do it.  If not skip and move to Step 4.

Step 4 – Sew Skirt Pieces 

Lay out each of your skirt pieces (top, middle, and bottom) to check that you have them all right side up and the angles are all going in the right directions.  Double check again (or you will have to cut new pieces like I did the first time lol)!!

Layout the top piece right side up, and then lay the middle piece wrong side up over the top piece, lining up the bottom of the top piece with the top of the middle piece, and sew them together with your Janome Overlock/Serger set up with the 4 thread safety stitch.

Now repeat with the bottom piece onto the sewn middle piece.

Repeat with the back piece.  Press the panel seams to neaten them.  Follow the rest of the instructions in the Easy Pencil Skirt Sewing Pattern to finish your side seams, attach the elastic, and you are DONE!

Because you only need a 1/2 yard of each fabric for this project, I recommend starting your search in our pre-cut Half Yards Category.  Below are the 3 fabrics I used in my skirt, and we have colors for all occasions and holidays ::

We hope you enjoy this tutorial! We love to see what you sew up so please tag us on our social media #girlcharlee #girlcharleepencilskirt #janome #janomeartisian.

Happy Sewing & Happy 4th Of July!
~ Heather