A DIY White Button Front Midi Skirt Sewing Tutorial

When it comes to Summer clothes, the simpler the better. Light colors, easy silhouettes, and lightweight separates are what you reach for for vacations and hot afternoons. The most versatile item of them all is a white, cotton skirt.

The beauty of white is that it goes with everything and makes any outfit feel fresh. Pairing a white tee with jeans always makes for a classic look, and it figures the same goes for a white skirt. It can be dressed down with a graphic tee, or dressed up with heels and a satin tank. Keeping the length to a classic midi style makes the skirt extremely comfortable, and the buttons make it versatile so that it can be kept fully closed for a more conservative look, or unbuttoned when it's really hot and you're looking for a bit of a breeze.

For the construction of this skirt, two layers of the white fabric were used for the skirt portion to avoid needing a slip. Some special materials used included fusible interfacing on the waistband and button portions of the skirt in order to stabilize the fabric, as well as brown buttons and a hook and eye. Though the buttons may look intimidating, it's not that much extra work! The hook and eye is used as a hidden closure at the waistband. Skirts with one button at the top can pull and pop open easily, so adding a tab design that has a hidden button and a sliding hook and eye make it secure.

Supplies:

• 2-3 yards 60" Wide Cotton Polyester Broadcloth
• 1/3 yard Fusible Interfacing
• 6 Brown Buttons
• 1 Clear Button
• 1 Sliding Hook and Eye Set
• White Thread
• Sewing Machine + Button Hole Presser Foot
• Scissors
• Measuring Tape
• Pins
• Iron + Ironing Board

Time:

5-6 hours

Difficulty:

Medium

LET'S GET STARTED!

1. Start by measuring your waist. Take this measurement and double it to get the width of your SKIRT piece, and also use this measurement plus 4.5" to get the width of your WAISTBAND piece. Cut out two SKIRT pieces and one WAISTBAND piece per the instructions as shown. Also cut out two pieces of fusible interfacing for the buttons that are 3" by 32" and one piece of fusible interfacing for the waistband that is the same size as the waistband. 
   
   
   

2. Create your waistband by ironing your fusible interfacing to your WAISTBAND fabric. Fold your WAISTBAND in half lengthwise and sew the two short sides together on both ends. On one side, also sew the bottom edge together for the first 1.5" of the fabric. Turn the WAISTBAND right side out and iron so that it has a crisp edge.
   
   
   
   
   

3. Create your skirt by taking each of your SKIRT pieces and sewing a basting stitch along the width about 1/4" from the edge of the fabric. Repeat at about 1/2" from the edge of the fabric to make two rows of stitches. Pull the lose end of the thread while holding the fabric to ruch the edge to about half its original length (your waist plus about 4" for the buttons). Leave 3" on either end that are free from ruching. Sew the two layers together along the basting stitches.
   
   
   

4. To create the button areas, lay your SKIRT down with the lining facing up. Iron down your fusible interfacing 0.5" from the edge of the skirt on the left and right. Fold the 0.5" edge of the fabric over on to the fusible interfacing, and then fold the fusible interfacing in half so that you have a 1.5" wide strip. Iron the edges to create a crisp line. Sew 0.25" from the edge of the strip on both sides.
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. To attach the SKIRT to the WAISTBAND, slip the ruched edge of the SKIRT into the pocket of the WAISTBAND with the tab on the right side of the skirt with the right side of the fabric facing up. Fold the bottom edges of the WAISTBAND in and pin the fabric together so that the seams on the SKIRT are not showing. Sew along the bottom edge of the WAISTBAND to attach it to the SKIRT.

6. Now it's time to add the buttons. Pin the skirt together with the button strips overlapping and the tabbed side underneath the other side. Mark where you want to add your buttons (3-4" apart starting about 3" down from the waistband). Use your buttonhole presser foot to create vertical buttonholes on the right side (top side) of the skirt. Then sew the buttons on the left side (underside) of the skirt to match.
   
   
   
   
   

7. Finish the waistband of the skirt by adding a horizontal button hole to the tab and sewing the clear button to the back side of the front of the skirt where the other buttonholes are. Sew the sliding hook and eye to the overlapping section of the button strips with the eye on the tab and the hook on the back side of the front of the skirt.
   
   

8. Finish the skirt by hemming the bottom of the skirt. Fold the skirt up 1/4" and iron down. Then fold the skirt up another 2" and iron. Sew right on the edge of the 2" fold to complete the hem.
   
   
   
   

YOU ARE ALL DONE!