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The Last Minute Skirt

(1 customer review)

6.6710.00

The Last Minute Skirt offers a simple yet extremely flattering cut: it’s the perfect little skirt to show off your figure while using your most beautiful fabrics. Metallic brocade, leather, glittery fabric… on this skirt, you can dare anything! Create a chic casual look by wearing it with a loose sweater, with or without tights depending on the season.
Now, why did we choose this name? Because it’s our easiest and quickest pattern to make (less than 2 hours). It’s also the one that will require the least amount of fabric, perfect for using up your scraps or finally giving life to that coupon you found at a designer’s dead stock and didn’t dare cut. This is the pattern that Blandine, our designer, always uses when she opens her wardrobe just before New Year’s Eve and realizes she doesn’t know what to wear!

  • Format: layered A1, A4 and US letter PDF (one layer per size).
  • Pattern pieces do not overlap.
  • A 5/8” (1.5cm) seam allowance is included.
  • A fully illustrated, 20 pages booklet is provided with the pattern, with highly detailed illustrations.
  • This pattern and its instructions are in English. You can purchase French version here.
  • A step by step video tutorial is available below.
  • Sizing, fabric choice, notions: see below.
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Description

Fabric choice

Main fabric: woven fabrics in medium to heavy weight such as: brocade, tweed, suiting, denim (jeans), wool fabrics such as boiled wool, heavy non stretch velvet such as corduroy, leather and fake leather… Some woolen coating fabrics may also work (you may need to size up if your fabric is thick and your measurements are close to upper size).

Note: if the fabric you like is too lightweight (a nice metallic jacquard for example), you may still use it with this pattern after fully interfacing the pieces. In that case, choose a very soft and lightweight fusible interfacing (try on a small piece of fabric first: it should add body and weight without making your fabric stiff) and interface the whole skirt with it. 

Lining: lightweight and silky fabrics such as satin (polyester, viscose, silk…), rayon, tencel, cupro…

Lining is optional and can be skipped if your main fabric has a soft surface inside and is tightly-woven (not recommended for loose tweed for example). Personally I prefer to add a lining for comfort and to prevent the skirt from riding up when moving or walking.

Notions

1/4 yard (20cm) of fusible interfacing for the waistband (unless you chose to interface the whole skirt because your fabric is lightweight: in that case, you will need as much interfacing as your main fabric), matching thread for your fabric, scissors, pins, a marking pen, a machine needle that fits your fabric type, an invisible zipper about 8 inches (20cm).

Sewing level

Unlined version: confident beginner (2/5). If you have already sewn a garment and know how to read a pattern and its explanations, you will have no trouble making this skirt. The only technical step is the invisible zipper. You can find here a video tutorial explaining how to install an invisible zipper.

Lined version: intermediate (3/5). All steps are explained in a 20-pages illustrated booklet.

Required fabric length

The amount of fabric required is calculated with a small safety margin of 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm). Increase quantity for pattern matching if your fabric has a pattern on it. Pieces shown in white are placed wrong side up. 

Main fabric

International sizes XXS to M L to XL
French Poetry sizes (size guide) 0 to 8 10 to 16
55” (140cm) width 0.55 meter 0.65 meter
43” (110cm) width 0.55 meter 1.2 meter

Lining

International sizes XXS to M L to XL
French Poetry sizes (size guide) 0 to 8 10 to 16
55” (140cm) width 0.4 meter 0.5 meter
43” (110cm) width 0.4 meter 1.05 meter

Main fabric

International sizes XXS to M L to XL
French Poetry sizes (size guide) 0 to 8 10 to 16
Required length in 55” wide fabric 0.6 yard 0.7 yard
Required length in 43” wide fabric 0.6 yard 1.3 yard

Lining

International sizes XXS to M L to XL
French Poetry sizes (size guide) 0 to 8 10 to 16
Required length in 55” wide fabric 0.44 yard 0.55 yard
Required length in 43” wide fabric 0.44 yard 1.15 yard

Finished garment measurements

You can find your French Poetry size based on your measurements or ready-to-wear size (US, EU, UK, AU, international) using the Size guide. This skirt sits about an inch (2.5cm) below natural waist and is quite loose at waist and fitted at hips. If in between sizes, I recommend choosing the one indicated for your hips circumference and adjust the skirt to your waist and back curve using the darts, side seams and back seam as explained further in the instructions booklet.

International size XXS XS S M M L L L XL
French Poetry size (size guide) 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Waist 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96
Hips 86 90 94 98 102 106 110 114 118
Length 40.6 41.4 42.2 43 43.8 44.6 45.4 46.2 47
International size XXS XS S M M L L L XL
French Poetry size (size guide) 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Waist 25 27 28.5 30 31.5 33 34.5 36 38
Hips 34 35.5 37 38.5 40 41.5 43.5 45 46.5
Length 16 16.5 16.5 17 17 17.5 18 18 18.5

Finished garment measurements

You can find your French Poetry size based on your measurements or ready-to-wear size (US, EU, UK, AU, international) using the Size guide. This skirt sits about an inch (2.5cm) below natural waist and is quite loose at waist and fitted at hips. If in between sizes, I recommend choosing the one indicated for your hips circumference and adjust the skirt to your waist and back curve using the darts, side seams and back seam as explained further in the instructions booklet.

Intl size French Poetry size (size guide) Waist (cm) Hips (cm) Length (cm)
XXS 0 64 86 40.6
XS 2 68 90 41.4
S 4 72 94 42.2
M 6 76 98 43
M 8 80 102 43.8
L 10 84 106 44.6
L 12 88 110 45.4
L 14 92 114 46.2
XL 16 96 118 47
Intl size French Poetry size (size guide) Waist (inches) Hips (inches) Length (inches)
XXS 0 25 34 16
XS 2 27 35.5 16.5
S 4 28.5 37 16.5
M 6 30 38.5 17
M 8 31.5 40 17
L 10 33 41.5 17.5
L 12 34.5 43.5 18
L 14 36 45 18
XL 16 38 46.5 18.5

Video tutorial

You will find here a video tutorial to guide you through all the steps in making this skirt (hit play then click on the symbol in the bottom right corner to display the video in full screen). A fully illustrated step-by-step instructions booklet is also included with your purchase. Please note that the video was made several years ago, instructions may differ slightly from the booklet (follow one method or the other).

Do you need more explanations on how to insert a zipper, make a narrow hem for example? Many other video tutorials are available on the tutorials page.

Your makes on Instagram

Tag your makes with #thelastminuteskirt or #frenchpoetrypatterns hashtag to share them with other sewists 🙂

A young brunette woman wears a glittery silver and gold mini skirt with a grey loose sweater. She stands in a brightly lit living room, decorated for the holidays.

Cyrielle made her Last Minute skirt in a glittery fabric for the holidays. She paired it with a grey sweater for a very French chic look. She made this skirt hours before the party: this is such a quick and easy skirt sewing pattern, she was able to finish right on time!

A blonde woman with long hair is wearing a matching set in a black and white houndstooth fabric: a fitted mini skirt and bombers. She paired them with a small red handbag and black sunglasses.

The last minute skirt sewing pattern was made here in a very chic matching set: we love the black and white houndstooth, and casual chic look paired with bombers!

A young brunette woman with long hair is wearing a brown tartan mini skirt with a white aran sweater.

Elise made her Last Minute Skirt in a very chic prince of Wales fabric. Paired with an Aran sweater, this is a perfect casual chic outfit, showcasing legs in style!

A woman with long curly hair is wearing a fitted mini skirt made of a golden brocade with a black sweater and tights.

We love this gold jacquard miniskirt. Tsafra styled it with a black sweater and tights to bring out the gold of the skirt and emphasize her silhouette.

Reviews (1)

1 review for The Last Minute Skirt

  1. Mélina (verified owner)

    Very nice, easy to make model.

    This review was posted on our Etsy shop.

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