Gathered Midi Skirt with Patchwork Pockets

Anneliese of Aesthetic Nest loves the midi skirt trend! Especially full midi skirts, because they are so easy to wear. Comfortable and figure flattering. Linen makes a gathered midi skirt perfect for summer—lightweight and breezy. It can be casual paired with a tee shirt and flipflops, or dressed up with some strappy heels and a blouse. It’s so versatile!

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Finished

This tutorial is based on a few of your own measurements, which means there is no pattern to draft and cut out, so you can have a new skirt in no time. And with pockets for your keys and phone you’ll be reaching for this skirt all summer long.

Midi Skirt with Patchwork Pockets Tutorial - Finished

To make a gathered midi skirt with patchwork pockets you’ll need to start with a few measurements and then cut your pattern pieces accordingly.

  • Your waist measurement “W”
    • Cut 1 waistband piece measuring W + 1.75″ x 8″
  • Your desired length “L”: measure from natural waist to mid-calf, or where you prefer the skirt to fall
    • Cut 2 skirt pieces L + 1″ x  58″- 60″ width of fabric.
  • Cut two pieces of fabric for your patchwork pockets measuring 7″ x 11.5″ (finished pockets are 6″ x 8″)

Materials to sew a gathered midi skirt with patchwork pockets:

  • About 2 yards 58″- 60″ wide lightweight linen (for a skirt measuring 29″ in length)
  • Lightweight fusible interfacing for waistband
  • Coordinating thread
  • 10″ zipper
  • Scissors or a rotary cutter
  • Your BERNINA sewing machine, I sew on a BERNINA 580 

Instructions to sew the midi skirt with patchwork pockets

Steps 1:

Fold the waistband piece in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press. Open it out and press one of the long edges in wrong sides together .5″ towards the center fold.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Fold the waistband piece

Step 2:

Cut a piece of interfacing and fuse it to the wrong side of one-half of the waistband as shown in the photograph below. (The half of the waistband that is not interfaced will act as the waistband facing.) Set the waistband aside.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Cut Interfacing

Step 3:

Place the two skirt pieces right sides together and pin along one of side seams. Stitch this side seam using a .5″ seam allowance.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - cut skirt pieces

Midi Skirt Tutorial -s stitch side seam

Step 4:

Gather the top of the skirt pieces.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Gather the top of the skirt pieces

Step 5:

Fold the waistband in half so the short edges meet and mark the center fold with a pin. Use two other pins to mark .5″ in from the ends of the waistband. Pin the skirt to the interfaced side of the waistband, right sides together, matching the stitched side seam with the center pin on the waistband and the raw edges of the skirt pieces to the pins marking .5″ in from the ends of the waistband. Adjust the gathers to fit.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Midi Skirt Tutorial - Gather the top of the skirt pieces

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Adjust the gathers to fit

Step 6:

Stitch the skirt to the waistband using a .5″ seam allowance. Press seam allowances up towards the waistband.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - titch the skirt to the waistband

Midi Skirt Tutorial - press seam allowance up toward waist band

Step 7:

Pin the second side seam of the skirt matching the waistband seam. Using a .5″ seam allowance, baste from the top of the waistband to 10″ below the waistband seam, using your zipper as a guide for the length, and then stitch to the bottom of the skirt. Iron the seam allowances open.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - stitch to the bottom of the skirt.

Step 8:

To install the zipper, lay the zipper right side down on side seam aligning the top of the zipper with the fold of the waistband. Pin along the side seam. Using a zipper foot or the BERNINA Zipper foot #4, baste the zipper in place. Then on the right side of the skirt stitch the zipper in place, pivoting at the bottom of the zipper to square the stitching. Use a seam ripper to unpick the basting stitches.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - installing the zipper

Midi Skirt Tutorial - baste the zipper in place

Midi Skirt Tutorial - stitch the zipper in place

Midi Skirt Tutorial - unpick the basting stitches

Step 9:

Fold the waistband facing down, wrong sides together, along the pressed fold and pin the waistband facing along the zipper. Be sure to have the seam allowances on the waistband facing tucked in. Stitch following the existing stitching lines.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - pin the waistband

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Stitch following the existing stitching lines

Midi Skirt Tutorial - inserted zipper

Step 10:

Pin the waistband facing in place along the waistband encasing the seam allowances. Stitch the waistband facing down close to the waistband seam.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Pin the waistband facing in place

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Stitch the waistband facing down

Step 11:

Hem the skirt by turning the bottom edge under .25″ twice and stitching.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Hem the skirt

Step 12:

To create the patch pockets, take fabric you cut to 7″ x 11.5″ and fold under the top and bottom edges of the pockets .5″. Press

Midi Skirt Tutorial - create the patch pockets

Finish the sides of the pockets by turning the edges under twice a scant .25″ and stitching

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Finish the sides of the pockets

Midi Skirt Tutorial - finished sides of pockets

Fold the bottom edge of the pockets up another .5″ and pin. Fold the top edge of the pockets down 3″ and pin. Stitch.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Fold the bottom edge of the pockets up

Midi Skirt Tutorial - the top edge of the pockets

Step 13:

Try on the skirt to determine the placement of the pockets.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - determine the placement of the pockets

Pin the pockets in place wrong sides of the pockets to right side of the skirt.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Pin the pockets in place

Stitch along the sides and bottom of the pockets.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Stitch along the sides and bottom of the pockets

You’ve done it! You’ve sewn an on-trend skirt to wear this summer. I hope you enjoy it.

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Finished Skirt with patchwork pockets

Midi Skirt Tutorial - Finished Skirt

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5 comments on “Gathered Midi Skirt with Patchwork Pockets”

  • Does this skirt require 2 yards, or 4 yards of fabric? I read the supply list & purchased my fabric accordingly. Now that I’m cutting the skirt pieces, I’m reading that I need two pieces 60″ wide, not one. Do I need to go purchase 2 more yards of fabric to make this work? Thanks!

    • @Samantha: No, you do not need to purchase more fabric. If you have two yards, you have enough to cut the waistband and then 2 pieces each about 30″x60″ for the skirt. Each of the two pieces is about half your yardage, or 1 yard. I hope that makes sense! Enjoy sewing your skirt!

  • Do you smooth out the gathers to add the pockets? It looks like at the top of the pockets the gathers are Integrated into the pockets and then the fabric is smooth where the pocket attaches midway to the bottom of the pockets.

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