Turn a 1940's skirt pattern [a line] into a "Classic Lolita" style skirt

You can use this mod on any style skirt. I used a typical a line skirt that was a 6 gore style pattern.

 

Here's the skirt pattern, just a 6 gore skirt.  I made the length about 21-22", just  above the knee, it gives the skirt a more Junior/childlike appeal that I love in Victorian children's clothes.

After you finish or find a skirt to alter here are the steps to make Victorian style gathers for skirt hem.

I wanted the fabric for the gathers to be 3 to 4 X's the circumference of the skirt.

 After over locking the edges while stretching the fabric [a Lycra cotton blend] to create the curling finish I marked 1" away from both edges for the entire length where the basting stitch will go to create gathers.

 Here you can see I use a very long hem, I like the extra weight, it gives the skirt nice movement.

Here you can see I've attached the middle mark of the trim that has been divided to the middle mark on the skirt.  The illustration below describes this.

Above is a simple way to ensure your gathered trim matches up to your skirt. After the skirt was hemmed I matched up the division marks, pinned them, then gathered the divided sections, after that I would hand baste each gathered section to the matching section of the skirt.


I am using two basting needles to do both edges at once.

You can see the pins that mark the divided sections, I have gathered one section at a time.

 Now I have used a basting stitch to secure the gathers to the skirt hem to sew later.

Here you can see the white thread I used for hand stitching the gathers to the skirt and the wide hem.

Here is a closeup of the hand basted gathers.

Here is the finished skirt.  I used a super wide hem to add extra weight to the skirt, it gives the fabric a lovely movement the more weight it has.

Finished skirt with petticoat and bloomers.