Project 001: Q&A

A zero-waste layout and how to make a swayback adjustment to the Elastic Waist Tiered Skirt.

Hello sew-friends! Today, I'm going to answer a couple of questions on our Elastic Waist Tiered Skirt project. If you missed any posts, you can read them here.

Question #1

Is there a cutting layout to make this skirt zero-waste?

TBH, this is my own question/puzzle! But, I thought it might be interesting to all of you. Sewing with rectangles is a great way to minimize fabric waste, mostly because it’s easy to leave no space between pattern pieces and the leftovers are in very useful shapes.

Above is my solution for cutting this pattern zero-waste. In this layout, I’m using a Gathers Multiplier of 2. So, Tier 3 is twice as wide as Tier 2 and Tier 2 is twice as wide as Tier 1. Tier 3 uses the full width of fabric (WOF) and Tier 2 uses 1/2 the WOF. Tier 1 is 1/4 the WOF.

On sizing The really tricky thing with zero-waste is working with different fabric widths and how that changes the finished size of the garment. I would look at this layout as a starting point that you can adjust to get the size you’d like.

In this layout, the waistband and Tier 1 are cut from 1/4 of the width of fabric. If you followed this exactly, the finished skirt circumference (at the hip) would be 1/2 the width of fabric (minus the seam allowance). If you would like your skirt a little bigger, you can stack the waistband on top of Tier 1 and cut both pieces longer.

For the pockets, you can use whatever is leftover to make rectangular patch pockets. Or, follow this tutorial from Liz Haywood for zero-waste in-seam pockets.

Question #2

How do I make a swayback adjustment to this design?

(Note: Talking about different body shapes and pattern adjustments can be a sensitive topic. I will try my best to answer sensitively and in a non-judgmental way. Just know that there are no wrong or bad body shapes. When designing patterns, it's pretty much impossible to design for every shape (or style/fit preference). Most people will need to make multiple pattern adjustments to get a fit they like.)

This question came in when I first introduced this project and I did a little research to find what I think is a good solution. (I found this video from Studio CE helpful.)

The question has to do with how do you make a pattern adjustment to accommodate a bigger slope in the buttocks than in the abdomen.

The hardest (and coolest) thing about designing patterns is taking a two dimensional shape and making it fit a three dimensional shape. Many patterns are designed with minimal shaping that assumes pretty flat plains in the front and back. Sometimes that fits well and sometimes it doesn’t. For example, if a body has more curves than the pattern is designed for, then the hem of the pattern may look uneven. This can be seen with a full bust or a curvy bum.

Mathematically, these curves are longer than a straight plane, so we need to add more fabric to make everything line up.

Side note: In calculus we measure a curve using Arc Length. Fortunately for sewing, we can use a flexible measuring tape. When I was in college, I worked on a project with a professor that tried to reduce wait times for emergency vehicles by measuring the arc length of the road.

In the diagram above, are two examples of the side view of the skirt. On the left, the side seam hangs perpendicular to the floor and the horizontal seam lines and hem are parallel to the floor. This is our fitting goal. On the right, a curvier back side has lifted up the horizontal seam lines and pulled the side seam towards the back. This is happening because the length of the backside is greater than the length of the front.

How to make a swayback adjustment in a tiered skirt

Step 1: If you think you need this adjustment, I would first draft the numbers for the pattern. Then add up the finished waistband and finished Tier 1 Lengths. Create a stable horizontal line on your body using a loop of elastic. (Use a mirror to help you.) Position the elastic at the bottom of Tier 1.

Measure your center front and center back from the waist to the elastic. See the dashed pink line in the diagram above. If the back measurement is significantly longer, you'd probably benefit from this adjustment.

Step 2: Take the difference between the front length and back length measurements. This is the amount you need to adjust the pattern.

Step 3: We are going to add a curved section to the bottom of the pattern piece for Tier 1 Back. The Tier 1 Front will remain the same. You can draw the pattern piece on paper or directly on your fabric. I think it’s easier to do this adjustment on a folded pattern piece so that each side is the same.

At the center back, extend the pattern piece down (B—F). Then, draw a curved line to the side seam. You want to keep the side seam the same length as the front pattern piece.

This adjustment increases the length at the center back so that there’s more fabric to cover the curve of the fuller bum. This added length, should adjust the seams to look more like our goal. As with all pattern adjustments, you may need a bit of trial and error to find the best fit.

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Thank you so much for following along with the FIRST project of Sewing With Numbers. If you have any feedback, please let me know. I really the lessons to be as clear as possible. If you enjoyed this newsletter, you can support by sharing or clicking the heart at the top or bottom of the post.

Happy mathing!

Beth

P.S. These resources are FREE to use for the time being. I am planning to turn on paid subscriptions for Substack in the future and will likely archive this post. At that time, it will only be available to subscribers.