First: Major props to Dixiecat and paulhenry for contributions to the "flattering kilts for ladies?" thread, and to MeghanWalker for getting me going again with her "floor length womens kilts" thread!

Just in time for this weekend's Seaside Games in Ventura, here is my ankle-boot-length skirt in XMarks PV. I'll have photos of it in action next week, for now it hangs on the door:



I used a very simple 4-gore (that is, 4-piece) pattern with adjustments that I'll explain as we go.



The fabric was prewashed and carefully folded straight. Panels were laid out with the side seams following the straight grain, using the selvedge as seam allowance. Here I've added to the width of the panel to allow for pleats, which are not included in the original pattern.



I also had to add 4 inches to the hem for the length I wanted. After cutting, I chalked reference marks on the wrong side of each panel (here, CF for center front).



After cutting the front panel pattern piece, I laid it on top of the next section of uncut fabric and aligned the tartan elements along the selvedge. This showed me where to place the rear panel pattern piece (so front and back would match up at side seams). Here I've used a pin to mark the extra 4 inches at hem.



Pinned and sewed seams. Note that my pins go through "intersections" in the tartan, so I can align the top and bottom pieces.



Side seam alignment is not great (the lower panel will always move as you machine stitch), but as we say in my family "they'll never see it from a galloping horse!"



Center front (or maybe back) seam sewn.



Throw a 7-inch zipper in one side seam and it's on to the waistband. There is no matching a straight grain waistband to a somewhat bias-cut skirt, and in my case it will never be worn with a tucked-in blouse. If I were making this for someone who would leave the waistband visible, I would likely center a major element (such as the two vertical white lines) at the center front.

I divided the waistband into fourths and here I've pinned one panel to 1/4 of the waistband. You can see the excess fabric which will be formed into pleats.



[more]