Bluegrass Star Skirt Pattern

Based on the Lonestar Skirt

rewritten by: Kathy Somers
KathKwilts@KathKwilts.com

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lonestar Skirt * The directions to make these easy, flattering and dramatic skirts are below. These skirts are usually worn long (almost to the ankles), although directions to shorten them are below (see **). Strip-piecing is used for the star portion of the skirts. In the picture at right, View 1 is the lower skirt and View 2 is the upper skirt.

* For both views, follow the steps below:

  1. Wash and iron fabrics unless using fabrics that will ONLY be dry cleaned.
  2. Use a rotary cutter, mat and a good ruler with a 45 degree mark.
  3. Use 1/4" seam allowances throughout. Unless you plan to line your skirt, finish seams by serging or zigzagging.
  4. Decide your color arrangement, keeping in mind that the background should contrast. Your star fabrics should either blend from top to bottom or use "reverse repeat" (the pattern repeats itself, in reverse, on either side of the center of the diamond). Use gradated or watercolor fabrics for a really dramatic effect. Diagrams are below.

VIEW 1 (Lower Skirt):

Materials Needed:

Blended Reverse Repeat
 
bullet3-1/2 yds of background fabric
bullet1/3 yd fabric for waistband
bullet

If using gradated fabrics, buy a bundle of 13 one-yd lengths of gradated fabrics and make a vest or jacket from the leftovers.

.

bulletIf you are not using a gradated fabric bundle, you will need approximately:
bullet3/4 yd of fabric #7
bullet1 yd of fabrics #6 and 8
bullet2/3 yd of fabric #5 and 9
bullet1/2 yd of fabrics #3, 4, 10, 11
bullet1/3 yd of fabrics #1, 2, 12, 13
 
bullet3-1/2 yds background fabric
bullet1/3 yd fabric for waistband
bulletIf using gradated fabrics, buy a bundle of 8 one-yd lengths of gradated fabrics and make a vest or jacket from the leftovers.

bulletIf you are not using a gradated fabric bundle, you will need approximately:
bullet1-1/4 yds of fabric #6
bullet1 yd of fabric #5
bullet3/4 yd of fabrics #4 and 7
bullet2/3 yd of fabric #3
bullet1/2 yd of fabrics #2
bullet1/3 yd of fabric #1

Directions For Star Points

1) Cut fabrics into 3" strips (42" or the full width of the fabric) and sew into strips sets as shown (you may need to make two of each strip set, as you will need to cut eight 45 degree strips from each). Offset each new strip by 3" to avoid waste:

Blended Reverse Repeat
 

2) Press seams so they fall in opposite directions from strip to strip. Lay your 45 degree mark along a seam and cut strip sets crosswise at a 45 degree angle into eight 3" strips (you may need to make two of each strip set):

 

3) Sew strips into 8 diamonds as shown, being careful to offset each row by 3/8" so the seams line up when pressed:

Blended Reverse Repeat

VIEW 2 (Upper Skirt):

Materials Needed:

Blended Reverse Repeat
 
bullet3 yds background fabric
bullet1/3 yd fabric for waistband
bulletIf using gradated fabrics, buy a bundle of 8 one-yd lengths of gradated fabrics and make a vest or jacket from the leftovers

.

bulletIf you are not using a gradated fabric bundle, you will need approximately:
bullet1 yd of fabrics #4, 5, 6
bullet1/2 yd of fabrics #1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9
 
bullet3 yds background fabric
bullet1/3 yd fabric for waistband
bulletIf using gradated fabrics, buy a bundle of 6 one-yd lengths of gradated fabrics and make a vest or jacket from the leftovers

.

bulletIf you are not using a gradated fabric bundle, you will need approximately:
bullet1-1/4 yd of fabric #4
bullet1 yd of fabrics #3, 5
bullet1/2 yd of fabrics #1, 2
NOTE: On Blended version, left, fabrics are numbered 1 thru 9 BUT fabric #1 will not show after the waistband is cut, so use fabric #2 (or any other fabric) for #1.

Directions For Star Points

1) Cut fabrics into 3-1/2" strips (42" or the full width of the fabric) and sew into strips sets as shown (you may need to make two of each strip set, as you will need to cut eight 45 degree strips from each). Offset each new strip by 3-1/2" to avoid waste. ** NOTE: To make a shorter skirt, you can cut these strips 3" (note cross cutting directions below). This will shorten the skirt to about 27" to 28":

Blended Reverse Repeat
 

2) Press seams so they fall in opposite directions from strip to strip. Lay your 45 degree mark along a seam and cut strip sets crosswise at a 45 degree angle into eight 3-1/2" strips (you may need to make two of each strip set). ** NOTE: If you have cut your strips 3" to make a shorter skirt, you will need to cut these strips 3", as well::

 

3) Sew strips into 8 diamonds as shown, being careful to offset each row by 3/8" so the seams line up when pressed:

Blended Reverse Repeat

Completing the Star

When sewing diamonds together to make a star, stop and backstitch exactly 1/4" from the end of the seam and DO NOT sew into the seam allowance. Match seams carefully.

  1. Sew diamonds into four pairs.
  2. Sew pairs together to make two halves.
  3. Sew halves together to complete the star.

Completing the Skirt

Measure from the inside angle of each piece to the point. Add 3 or 4 inches to the average of these measurements and cut 4 squares that size from background fabric. Cut these squares in half diagonally to make triangles (triangles must extend about 3" beyond the points to make a circle).

To set the triangles into the inner angles, sew from the inner angles out to the points. Start the seams with a backstitch 1/4" away from the raw edges.

Round off the skirt, using a large compass or a string tied to a pencil (anchor the string to the center of the skirt). Allow at least 3/4" of the background beyond the points for hemming.

To determine the size of the waist opening, take your waist size and divide by 3.142 (pi - π). Example: If you have a 26" waist, divide by 3.142 which gives a figure of 8.280. Rounding off, draw an 8-1/4" circle (4-1/8" radius) for the waist opening. If drawing a different size opening for lengthening or shortening the skirt, you can multiply the diameter of the opening by 3.142 to know the circumference.

With the center of the star flat, place the point of the compass in the center and draw your circle. VERY IMPORTANT!! BEFORE cutting the waist opening that you have drawn, stay-stitch on the outside of the drawn circle so will not stretch out of shape.

** Before the circle is actually cut, measure the length of the skirt. If it is longer than you want, it will be necessary to cut a larger circle. If this is done, you will have an opening larger than your waist and it will be necessary to gather the skirt onto the waistband or gather with elastic if preferred (be sure to stay stitch again if it must be cut out larger). View 1 is shown with the waist slightly gathered. View 2 is not.

Adding the Zipper

Use a 7" skirt zipper. Open one of the seams seven (7) inches for the back opening. Sew in zipper using the instructions given on the zipper package.

Adding the Waistband

Preferably, use the fabric that matches the top of the skirt. Cut a 5" strip that is 3" larger than your waist opening and interface it. Fold in half and sew the ends with right sides together. Turn and press. Place the right side of one side of the waistband to the wrong side of the waist opening of the skirt. Pin and sew. Turn under the second side of the waistband and press. Pin to the front of the skirt and topstitch thru all layers. Add hook and eye or buttonhole and button for a closure.

Hemming

Press under 1/4" and turn up a 1/2" hem. Sew, easing in the fullness.

This is what my completed skirt looks like:

Gradated Skirt   Gradated Skirt

For further information, contact:
KathKwilts@KathKwilts.com

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Page Last Modified on: 12/13/06
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