Sewing Tutorial: Easy Basic Mini Skirt with Front Splits

An easy basic mini skirt tutorial with panel seams and front splits on each leg. Splits are 7cm in length for all sizes.
Fastening is a center back invisible zipper.
This skirt does not have a lining, top edge is finished with a self-fabric facing.
This style is great for a beginner sewer learning to sew an invisible zipper while fabric usage is minimal.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions in the comments below if you need. I’m here to help. So let’s get started.

To begin you will need the following things

Materials

• Mini skirt paper pattern
• 0.6-0.9m fabric
• 0.1m lightweight fusing (optional)
• 15-20cm Invisible zipper
• cotton thread (enough to also thread your overlocker)

Tools

• scissors
• pins
• sewing machine
• overlocker
• iron

Tips

• Ensure your fabric is washed, dried and pressed before you start cutting. For instance, there is nothing worse than washing your beautiful garment and it shrinks, or even more annoying the lining shrinks and the main doesn’t so its all pulled out and shape and is unwearable.

Step 1 

Cut all main and lining pieces accurately on the correct grain, ensuring all notches are clipped.

Beginner tip* If you can afford to purchase a rotary cutter and cutting mat, I find this more accurate and time-efficient. 

Step 2 

Fuse main fabric of waistband to interfacing (optional).

Beginner tip* Double check your interfacing is facing the correct way or you will glue it straight to your iron. Believe me, I’ve done it and its a pain to clean.

Step 3 

Overlock vertical edges of the skirt and facing pieces (sides and panel edges)

Step 4 

Sew front and back darts, press towards CF and CB.

Beginner tip* If needed you can draw the dart lines onto the fabric with dressmaker’s chalk to ensure you sew a neat straight dart.

Step 5 

Sew facing side seams together, press open.

Step 6 

Sew front panel seams together down to the split notches, press open.

Step 7 

Fold and top stitch the opening of the splits.

Step 8 

Then sew side seams of the skirt together and press open.

Step 9 

Next insert the invisible zipper into the CB seam, bagging out between the main and facing.

If you need extra help sewing the invisible zipper, there is a more in-depth tutorial here.

Step 10 

Sew facing to the top of the skirt, clip the corners, turn through, pinstitch the seam allowance to the inside of the waistband and press.

Step 11

Sew CB seam closed up to the zipper point. Then press open CB seam.

Step 12

Overlock hem, then double turn and single needle stitch.

Your mini skirt is complete. How did you go? Let me know in the comments below where you struggled or unpicked or needed extra help. Invisible zippers can be tricky but you will get better the more you sew them, so don’t be disheartened.

I actually made this basic mini skirt tutorial using an old men’s shirt. To see how you can cut your pattern pieces you can find the post here.

We also have a number of other skirt patterns available for purchase here.

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