Glad to see you’re starting with our skirt pattern Coco!
Coco is a winter skirt that stands out with her playful drape on the front. This interesting detail makes her just that little more special than a regular skirt and adds a fun variation to your wardrobe! Do you prefer to go more basic? Then you can just as easily make Coco as a simple, straight skirt. Both versions have mid-length and short variations. For the fabric, you have so many choices with Coco: stylish in a plain or striped fabric, and elegant in a checked fabric or print. Coco is lined and closes with an invisible zipper in the center back seam. Pair her with a warm sweater or elegant blouse and you’ve got the perfect winter outfit!
Let's go!
Version with drape
Finish the top and bottom of the left side piece with an overlock or by zigzagging. Press these seam allowances to the wrong side.
Make the pleats at both side seams by placing the markings together. Stitch in place at 1 cm from the edge. Make sure to make the folds in the right direction, as indicated on the pattern piece!
Pin the side seam of the left side piece to the side seam of the front, wrong side of the side piece on the right side of the front. Pin the top of the side piece, where ‘waist’ is marked on the pattern piece, at 1,5 cm from the edge of the waist and make sure that the pre-pressed seam allowance stays in place. The bottom of the side piece matches the upper marking in the side seam of the front (pre-pressed seam allowance still in place). Stitch at 1 cm from the side seam.
Grab the middle of the left side piece and twist it around twice in a screw motion, to bring the right side of the fabric back to the top. Now pin the short side to the side seam of the front, just underneath the other part. Stitch in place at 1 cm parallel to the side seam.
Pin the outside fabric of the wrap to the lining with the right sides together. Stitch the three sides as marked on the drawing. Trim the corner. Turn the fabric to the right side and press.
Finish the top and bottom of the right side piece with an overlock or by zigzagging. Press these seam allowances to the wrong side.
Turn the wrap inside out and slide the right side piece in it, so you can place both short ends together, right side of the wrap and side piece together. The wrong side lies at the lining. Stitch the short side at 1,5 cm.
Turn everything to the right side and press.
Fold the pre-pressed seam allowance of the right side piece back open and pin to the waistline until the marking. At this marking, fold the seam allowance back to the wrong side like you pressed it. Stitch at 1 cm from the edge until the marking. Pull the wrap through the opening of the left side piece, right side of the fabric still facing you.
Pin the side seam of the right side piece to the front and make sure that the lower seam allowance is folded like pre-pressed. Pin the side seam of the wrap to the front, with the lining on the right side of the front. The top of the wrap matches the lower marking in the side seam of the front and overlaps the side piece about 3 cm. The bottom of the wrap ends just a little over 4 cm from the hem.
Stitch in place at 1 cm from the edge.
Version with & without drape
Finish the center back seam and the side seams of front and back with an overlock or by zigzagging.
Stitch the back darts. Fold the dart in half along the central line - right sides of the fabric together - matching up the markings in the waist. Pin in place. Stitch the dart, starting from the edge of the fabric towards the point of the dart. Stitch off the edge of the fabric, don’t back tack the stitching at the point. Instead, tie the threads together with a double knot. Press the dart allowance towards the center back.
Fuse the center back seam with a piece of interfacing from the waist until the marking, where you’ll add the zipper. Pin both back pieces right sides together and stitch the center back seam from the hem until the marking. Backstitch and then continue stitching with the largest stitch on your machine until the waist, without backstitching. Press the seam open. Open the top part from marking to waist with a seam ripper.
Open the zipper and pin the left part on the left seam allowance of the opening, right sides together. Place the beginning of the zipper teeth at 1,5 cm below the waist. At the center back seam, the teeth of the zipper need to lay at the fold you pre-pressed. Baste the zipper in place. Don’t forget to change the presser foot on your machine to an invisible zipper foot. Start stitching at the waist until the marking. Open or ‘roll over’ the zipper teeth while stitching.
Close the zipper and pin the right part provisionally to the right seam allowance of the center back. Open the zipper and pin in place in the same way as the left part. Work as precise as you can. Baste in place and stitch from the waist down as far as you can. Close the zipper to check if it’s inserted well.
Pin front and back right sides together and stitch the side seams. Press the seams open. With the drape, you can also press the seam allowances towards the back.
This is the best time to try on the skirt, so you can still make some adjustments if necessary to the back darts or the side seam. Keep in mind that the skirt feels just a bit larger without the waistband.
Finish all short sides of the waistbands with an overlock or by zigzagging. Pin the waistbands of the back to the front waistband, right sides together, and stitch the side seams. Press the seams open.
The lining
Stitch the back darts. Finish the side seams and middle back seams with an overlock or by zigzagging.
Pin the center back seams right sides together and stitch from the hem until the marking. Pin and stitch the side seams. Press all seams open.
Pin the lining to the waistband, right sides together and stitch. Finish the seams together with an overlock or by zigzagging and press towards the lining.
Assembling the skirt and lining
Pin the waistband to the skirt, right sides together and stitch the waist. Make sure that the seam allowance of the right side piece is nicely folded in between at the marking. Finish the seams together with an overlock or by zigzagging.
Pin the center back seam of the lining to the skirt, right sides together, and stitch in place next to the stitching line of the zipper, until the marking. Do the same on the other side of the zipper.
Trim the corners at the waist and turn the skirt to the right side.
Press the seam allowances towards the waistband. Understitch the seam allowances to the waistband at 2 mm from the stitching line. Start and finish as far as you can. Press the waist.
Finishing the skirt
Finish the hem of the lining with an overlock or by zigzagging. Press the hem 2 cm to the wrong side. Stitch just next to the edge.
Finish the hem of the skirt with an overlock or by zigzagging. Press the hem 4 cm to the wrong side. Pin in place and sew with a blind hem stitch.
Give the skirt a nice press.
All done!
We wish you a lot of fun with your new skirt! Show your creation on Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag #atelierjupeCoco or share it in our Facebook group ‘Atelier Jupe - Create & Share’.
Got a taste for it? Have a look at www.atelierjupe.com to discover more patterns and our fabric collection.