How to Make a Circle Skirt (Easiest Beginner Tutorial)

Learning how to make a circle skirt is easy and beginner-friendly. Circle skirts are cut in a circular shape, which creates beautiful fullness and movement. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to draft a circle skirt pattern, sew the seams, add a waistband, insert a zipper, and finish the hem.

Before you start, use my circle skirt calculator to quickly calculate your measurements.

How to Make a Circle Skirt

There are 4 main steps to making a circle skirt. This tutorial will go through all the steps so you can get a professional result every time.

How to Draft a Circle Skirt Pattern

I have a separate tutorial on how to make a circle skirt pattern using a couple of simple calculations, including your waist and the skirt lengths. Use my circle skirt calculator to instantly calculate your skirt measurements. You can make a quarter circle skirt, half circle skirt, or full circle skirt pattern.

This circle skirt calculator tool will give you a radius and fabric length based on your waist size and desired skirt length. It will show you how to cut out a pattern based on these values. (You will need your waist measurement, hip measurement and the desired length.)

So now you have the formula values. The question is, what do I do with them. Many tutorials have you drawing directly on the fabric, but I recommend you make a paper pattern first. The reason is that you will need to add seam allowances for the sides and waist and may have to split up your pattern if your fabric is not wide enough.

Make your pattern a quarter of the skirt. You will need a piece of paper that is square and at least 40 inches in size. Mark a quarter circle of the radius of the waist. Then a larger circle for the total length.

Drawing Curves – The easiest way to draw the curves of the circles is to pin a tape measure at the top point and rotate it at the required lengths. Make small marks every inch or so, and then join up the marks.

Cutting a Circle Skirt

Full Circle Skirt

Due to the fact that we have only drawn a quarter of the pattern on your paper, we will need to cut the skirt accordingly. Mirror your pattern to get half the skirt. You will cut 2 halves. Here is your new full circle skirt pattern.

It is unlikely you will be able to cut a full circle skirt from the width of most fabrics. Common fabric widths are 44 inches or 60 inches. This means that you will need to cut 2 semi-circles and join them at the sides. Your zipper will be inserted on one side. Seam allowances will need to be added to your waist if you are adding a waistband and also the sides of the skirt.

• Side Seams – Add 5/8 inch.
• Waist Seam Allowance – Add 5/8 inch at the waist if you are adding a waistband. This can be 0 for a double-fold bias tape finish.

Half Circle Skirt

Our original paper pattern is a quarter of a skirt and if we cut 2 of these out then we will get our half circle skirt pattern.

Seam allowances will need to be added to your waist if you are adding a waistband and also the sides of the skirt. The zipper will go on one side and the other will be a plain seam.

• Side Seams – Add 5/8 inch.
• Waist Seam Allowance – Add 5/8 inch at the waist if you are adding a waistband. This can be 0 for a double-fold bias tape finish.

Quarter Circle Skirt

Here we will use our paper pattern to just cut one piece of fabric for a quarter circle skirt pattern. There will be one side seam in which you will insert a zipper.

Seam allowances will need to be added to your waist if you are adding a waistband and also the sides of the skirt.

• Side Seam Allowance – Add 5/8 inch.
• Waist Seam Allowance – Add 5/8 inch at the waist if you are adding a waistband. This can be 0 for a double-fold bias tape finish.

4 Steps to Making a Circle Skirt

The 4 steps you will need to follow are sew the side seams, sew the waistband, add a zipper, and finish off with a hem.

Supplies

• INVISIBLE ZIPPER – 8 to 10 inches (20-25cm) is standard for most skirts. Zippers are measured along the teeth and not the actual tape.
• ZIPPER FOOT – In order to sew your invisible zipper, you will need a zipper foot or a specialized invisible zipper foot. Both give great results but you will get a little closer to the edge of the zipper with the specialized foot.
• FABRIC – The best fabrics to make a circle skirt have a drape. This means the fabric is soft enough to be flattering and to fall in soft gathers. Look for cotton and cotton blends, linen, rayon, and stretch fabrics. If you are making a full circle skirt, you will need to look for wider fabrics to avoid adding extra seams.
• SEWING SUPPLIES – Sewing machine, needles, thread, ruler or measuring tape and pins

1. Sew Circle Skirt Sideseams

1. You will be cutting 2 pieces from your pattern. Ensure your pattern has the seam allowances added at the side seams, hem and waist.
2. Place your pieces with right sides together and stitch the side seam. The other side will be left open for the zipper.

2. Add the Circle Skirt Waistband

There are 2 main ways you can finish the waist – either with a waistband or with bias tape.

Finishing the Waist with Bias Tape

Using double sided bias tape is easy for the waist. Best of all, it allows you to add a pop of color or a flattering match. If you added seam allowance at the waist when making your pattern, then you will need to remove it. If you didn’t add any seam allowance then you are all set to go!

Purchase 1/2 inch (12mmm) double-fold bias tape or make your own with my easy how to make bias tape tutuorial.

1. Press the bias tape in a gentle curve. This will help it sit smoother around the curved waist.
2. Open up the wider side of the bias tape and pin it to the raw waist edge on the wrong side of the skirt fabric.
3. Stitch in the first groove.
4. Fold the tape over to the right side and pin it in place.
5. Stitch along the edge of the fold.

Cutting a Separate Waistband

• LENGTH – You will need to cut your waistband the same size as your waist including the ease and with seam allowance added.
• HEIGHT – For the height of the fabric, cut it 2 times your desired waistband height plus 2 times the seam allowance. For a 2.5 inch waistband, the height will be 6 inches (this is with 1/2 inch seam allowance).

Sewing a Separate Waistband

This is the simplest way to add a waistband to your circle skirt. For a method where the seam allowance is encased, see my tutorial on how to sew a waistband.

1. Fold the waistband in half with wrong sides together.
2. Match the waistband raw edges with that of the skirt and stitch with the appropriate seam allowance.
3. Finish the seam with a serger or zigzag stitch.
4. Press the seam open.

3. How to Sew a Circle Skirt Zipper

The best type of zipper to insert into your circle skirt is an invisible zipper. You can use this whether you have added a waistband or using bias tape along the waist.

In order to finish the waist you would have stitched one side seam and left the other side seam open. We will insert the invisible zipper into this open seam.

If you are new to sewing an invisible zipper I have a full tutorial with pictures for this. Here is a summary of the steps.

1. Neaten each of the raw edges of the skirt. Use either a serger or a zig-zag stitch on your regular machine. If you have a waistband added, you will be finishing along the side of the waistband.
2. Mark your seam allowance in the section where you will be inserting the zipper.
3. Open the zipper and place it wrong side up. Put your iron on a very low setting and gently press the sides of the teeth so that they lie slightly flatter and less curved. By doing this you will be able to sew closer to the edge of the teeth.
4. With the zipper still open, put it right sides together with the skirt seam. Align the top of the teeth with the top of the skirt waist. This means the tape will extend past the top of the skirt.
5. Start at the top and stitch the zipper close to the teeth. Once you reach the bottom of the zipper, stop at the end of the teeth. There will normally be a metal stopper there. Be careful of your needle.
6. Open up the zipper from the seam and put it with the right sides together with the other side of the skirt. Stitch the same way from the top, stopping at the bottom of the teeth.
7. Put the skirt seam with right sides together and stitch the seam from the hem all the way up the zipper bottom. Overlap the stitching at the bottom of the zipper slightly.
8. Press the side seam and the edges of the zipper seam.
9. Fold in the top of the tape and hand stitch it in place.

4. How to Make a Circle Skirt Hem

Circle skirts have curved hems that need specialized techniques so they don’t wrinkle or bunch up. The best type of hem to use is a narrow round hem.

Narrow Curved Hem with a Serger

Using a serger to help set your circle skirt hem is quick and gives smooth results every time. It cuts down on time and is especially good for cotton and crisp fabrics.

1. Serger around the rounded hem, cutting off just a small amount of seam allowance.
2. Press up the serged edge. Stitch on top of the serger stitches with a straight stitch in a medium length.
3. Press over the hem by the serger stitch width and stitch again on top of your previous stitches.

Narrow Curved Hem without a Serger

If you don’t have a serger, you can still get great results and a smooth hem.

1. Straight stitch around the hem 1/4 inch (6mm) from the edge.
2. Press the hem up along the stitches. The stitches will form a perforation making it easier to press the curve accurately.
3. Press the hem again by the same amount. Stitch the hem.

Making a Circle Skirt FAQs

In Conclusion

Now you know how to make a circle skirt, from drafting the pattern to sewing the waistband and hem. Circle skirts are easy to customize and flattering to wear. To make the process easier, use my circle skirt calculator to get accurate measurements before you start sewing.

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