Replies

1. 
   user-60627 | Mar 21, 2008 06:59pm | #1

   Well, you are only out 1/2" in the front skirt piece. So you have to make this up somewhere else. There are a couple things that come to mind that you could do:
   1. cut your back skirt piece out with and extra 1/4" on the side seams, to make up for the loss of the front.
   2. cut the back as it is (no extra) and make a slot seam on the sides with an extra strip of fabric. You would cut this extra strip on the straight grain, same length as your skirt front and back, it would be 5/8" + whatever width you want it to be + 5/8" for the back seam. You could use a contrasting fabric if you want, so it would look like you have a stripe or a ribbon down your side seam. You might even want to take out the 1/4" seam in the front and do the same thing in the front and make the whole thing a design statement.

1. 
   MaryinColorado | Mar 23, 2008 10:24am | #12

   Great creative suggestion!  As they say "there are no mistakes, only opportunities!!!"  Mary

2. 
   Ralphetta | Mar 21, 2008 07:16pm | #2

   The first thing to do is to hold it up to you and find out for certain if you even have a problem. Maybe you're fretting unnecessarily.

1. 
   1sew | Mar 21, 2008 08:10pm | #3

   the back piece is bigger than the front. The front piece "was supposed to be on the fold. but i cut the fold. I havent yet cut the back piece. So I can still use that back fabric. so what do ya think

1. 
   Ralphetta | Mar 21, 2008 08:30pm | #4

   I understand. But, have you actually held the "new" front piece up to your body to see if it too small, or are you just assuming it is? I'm asking because skirts with an elastic waist are often designed to fit more loosely. If that's the case there may be enough room with out having to do anything tricky. If it looks like it might work, go on and baste the 3 pieces together and see if it's comfortable.

   Edited 3/21/2008 1:40 pm ET by Ralphetta

1. 
   1sew | Mar 21, 2008 08:36pm | #5

   ok. I sewed the piece (front) down the middle. Now I have a seam down the front. it fits, to answer your question (smile). But I still have not cut the back piece yet.

1. 
   Ralphetta | Mar 21, 2008 08:59pm | #6

   Can you measure at the hip line from side seam to side seam of your "new" front, and then from seam to seam of the back pieces that you haven't cut? If it's close, I would just take 1/2" rather than 5/8 seams when putting it together and it would work. Wouldn't that give you back the material you subtracted with your new seam? (Actually, it would give you more.) Your side seams wouldn't be exactly where they belong, but I doubt very much that anyone would even notice. Or, if your C B seam is perfectly straight, I would just add 1/4" to both pieces to make up for the 1/2" you removed in the F.We've all done things like that and I'll bet you never, ever, make that same mistake! (Been there...made MANY mistakes)

2. 
   denise | Mar 22, 2008 01:00am | #8

   When I cut my skirt out that have elastic in the waist I sometimes put them on back the front, by mistake,  I checked my vogue skirt pattern and it was identical, so if it fits just put your flap in the front and and of course wear the  flap at the back.

   If it is too small  the other suggestion sound very good.

3. 
   Teaf5 | Mar 21, 2008 11:24pm | #7

   If it has an elastic waist, the skirt probably has quite a bit of wearing ease built in. Using old front as the back and cutting a new front on the fold will probably work fine.Or, you could put the kick pleat in the front, do some decorative topstitching, and have a reason for a center front seam. Even though kick pleats are often cut out with the pattern, they are easy enough to add after the fact.I agree with other posters; pin the piece you've cut to the pattern tissue of the one you have left and try it on!

1. 
   1sew | Mar 24, 2008 11:51am | #17

   I think your right. But I have 42 inch hips. I really didnt wanna mess with the back piece by making it smaller. So I'm going to get the ribbon and be done with it. Great suggestions.  Thanks.

    

4. 
   Kathelaine | Mar 22, 2008 03:16am | #9

   If you have enough fabric to recut the front out of the material for the back, probably you could cut the back out of the fabric for the front.    That way you won't have to have a seam down the center front.

5. 
   starzoe | Mar 22, 2008 03:30am | #10

   If you have an unwanted seam down the front one of the things you can do is to use small buttons, sewn on the seam. It ends up looking like a design feature, not a mistake. Little buttons sewn about an inch and a half apart or closer look very nice.

1. 
   MaryinColorado | Mar 23, 2008 10:27am | #13

   Creative idea, thanks! 

2. 
   1sew | Mar 24, 2008 11:48am | #16

   thats the third best idea i've read. I'm not as creative as I would like. I would have never thought of the buttons. Thanks so much.

    

   Aj

6. 
   susannah_sews | Mar 23, 2008 10:19am | #11

   Hi

   If the 1/4 inch seam takes too much out of the skirt, here is something you could try...

   When I was about 10 years old, my mother was making a dress for me and by accident placed the centre front on the selvage rather than the fold, resulting in the same problem you have.  A seam on this particular item would have made it too small, so she inserted a strip of grograin ribbon down the front (using about 1/4 inch seams, but the width of the ribbon meant that the fabric fitted the pattern.)  The fabric was a floral pattern with yellows and green, plus some brown, and the ribbon was a rich chocolate brown.  It actually ended up being quite a feature in the dress, which I don't think I would have liked much otherwise. 

   So, if the front is too small - might be worth thinking about?

   good luck

    

   Susannah

1. 
   MaryinColorado | Mar 23, 2008 10:28am | #14

   Wow, everyone has such wonderful recommendations on how to work this out!  Mary

2. 
   1sew | Mar 24, 2008 11:42am | #15

   THANK YOU SO MUCH! THAT IS THE BEST AND EASIEST TO UNDERSTAND I HAVE YET. ITS PERFECT BECAUSE THE COLOR IS LIME GREEN A SOLD COLOR. IT WOULD BE WONDERFULLY SIMPLE TO BUY SOME RIBBON AND ADD IT DOWN THE FRONT OF THE SKIRT FOR CONTRAST. I COULD EVEN FIND THE SAME COLOR SINCE IT SUCH A POPULAR SPRING COLOR NOW. I'M MAKING A SKIRT AND JACKET SUIT. wHICH I WAS SUPPOSED WEAR FOR EASTER. I CAN CARRY THE RIBBON AROUND THE END OF THE SLEEVES AND IT WOULD LOOK NICE. THANKS SUSANNAH

    

    

1. 
   susannah_sews | Mar 26, 2008 08:13am | #18

   Glad to be of help.  The thing that I like about this site is that so many people are generous with their ideas and experiences - we can all benefit from the different and varied approaches!

   regards

   Susannah