5 Skirt Patterns Perfect for Summer

By April Franklin

The warmer weather is here to stay, and it’s time to evaluate your summer wardrobe before the temperatures get hot, hot, HOT. Fun and feminine, skirts are the perfect addition to your summer wardrobe. No matter what your body type, you can find a pattern that is flattering, cool, and comfortable.

Additionally, skirts are great projects for the novice seamstress. Many patterns are quick and easy to stitch up, and depending on the pattern and size, you may be able to sew a skirt with as little as a yard of fabric. Here we’ve collected five of our favorite tutorials perfect for crafting your very own summer skirt wardrobe.

1. Drawstring-Waist Strip Skirt

drawstring-waist strip skirt

Suppose you want to sew a skirt, but you’re lacking elastic for the waist, and you don’t want to waste precious sewing time running to the store to pick it up? This skirt tutorial by Jessica Giardano will show you how to make a flattering drawstring waist skirt. This skirt takes Ellen March’s pattern (featured below) and tweaks it, adding a pair of triangular patch pockets as a fashion accent along with a drawstring waist. Additionally, Jessica explains how to use the blind hem foot on your machine, helping you complete your skirt in record time with no pesky hand-stitched hemming.

Related Article: Sew a Sassy Strip Skirt with Drawstring Waist


2. Summer Swim Skirt

summer swim skirt

Don’t be intimidated by sewing swimwear! Stitching up a swim skirt is the perfect way to step into sewing swimwear. In this video, Ashley Hough shows you how to do just that. She also includes many helpful tips for sewing with knits, including the type of needles you will need and how to properly set your stitch length. If you can’t find a cute skirt to match you suit this summer, you can just make your own!

Related Video: How to Sew a Swim Skirt


3. Easy Strip Skirt

easy strip skirt

Many seamstresses are intimated at the thought of drafting their own patterns and creating a garment of their own personal design. However, in this helpful video Ellen March shows you how to make a six-gore skirt pattern with your own body measurements. You can choose the length of the skirt and adjust the pattern to fit your body.

Related Video: Make a Strip Skirt


4. Knit Pencil Skirt

knit pencil skirt

Pencil skirts are perfect for the office, and the properties of a stretchy knit fabric make sewing a flattering pencil skirt easy. In this helpful video, Aurora Sisneros demonstrates how to measure yourself properly, translate those measurements into a well-fitting pattern, include seam allowances, and use a conventional sewing machine or serger to create an elastic-waist, professionally-finished garment. She also includes helpful hints for sewing knits, like how to figure out the correct side of a solid colored knit fabric.

Related Video: How to Sew a Knit Pencil Skirt


5. Flirty Circle Skirt

flirty circle skirt

With its flared silhouette, a circle skirt is flattering to almost every body type. If you have great legs, you can show them off with a shorter length, or camouflage some trouble spots with a longer length. Circle skirts are cool and comfy for hot summer days because of the way that the fabric stretches and flutters in the breeze. In this video tutorial, Beth Bradley takes you through the process of stitching up a lightweight circle skirt in the fabric of your choice. She also includes fabric selection tips in case you are not sure about what type of fabric will be best for this project.

Related Video: How to Make a Circle Skirt

If you have a body type that’s hard to fit, love stitching your own clothes, or need a special garment for an important occasion, try sewing a summer skirt. If you sew all five of these patterns, you will be well on your way to overhauling your closet for the summer!

Happy sewing!

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22 Responses to “5 Skirt Patterns Perfect for Summer”

  1. Susie Goldman

    Make skirts for grandchildren

  2. Marti Polacik

    Nice and looks like easy patterns.

  3. Luigina Quaino

    very smart!!!!

  4. Linda Watts

    Skirt patterns

  5. Venita Bradley

    I can’t afford to buy clothes. Can I get the patterns?

  6. Millie

    I'm logged in and the film quits half way through to tell me to sign in or become member which I am.

  7. Laura Clem

    I want to make a skirt would great if iI could put shorts under to be a skirt dress. My mother for all her girls there were 5 girls and 3 brothers . She sewed all the time , they only thing she didn’t make were jackets. Moms gone 4 years now. The last thing I made and she told me exactly how to cut and to make it round. I made a Christmas tree skirt. There’s been times I wanted to call and ask her a question.

  8. LeslieAnne Chanona

    I’m so much interested in learning from your pattern

  9. Patricia Taylor

    I’m happy to have these patterns for skirts for summer. They will for sure be used in the hot summers.

  10. Sue Crockett

    Love to make and wear skirts. This will help me design my own!