Circle skirts are beautiful, versatile skirts that rose to popularity in the 1950’s. They swirl nicely when you spin and are great for dancing.
Sewing circle skirts can be a fun, yet mildly challenging craft – if you’ve never sewn your own clothes before. If you’re looking to try your hand at this challenge, you might wonder what fabrics are ideal for it.
What are the best fabrics for circle skirts? Cotton fabrics tend to work well for sewing circle skirts. Poly-cotton blends, linen, and even polyester fabrics which offer a compromise between holding shape and giving drape are also great choices.
Of course, you can experiment with different types of fabrics to find the one that works best for you.
Before we take a look at some of the best fabrics you can buy for sewing circle skirts, let’s learn more about circle skirts and what it takes to make them.
What is a Circle Skirt?
Circle skirts are full, flowy skirts that hang smoothly from the waist without gathers or pleats. Circle skirts get their name from the circular shape they form when spread out. They’re quite easy to sew and make for a great beginner’s sewing project.
The common types of circle skirts are the quarter circle skirt, half-circle skirt, three-quarter circle skirt, and the full circle skirt.
A quarter circle skirt has few or no folds and a flared shape. On the other end of the spectrum, a full circle skirt has lots of folds across its hemline.
The fuller a circle skirt is, the more fabric you’ll have to flare out when you spin. Full circle skirts are much fuller than the other types and thus, consume a lot more fabric. Half circle skirts and three-quarter circle skirts provide a nice balance between fullness and fabric consumption.
Circle skirts can be very versatile pieces of clothing depending on the fabric you use. You can sew circle skirts with most common fabric types. But to take advantage of the folds and fullness of the circle skirt, you’ll want to go with a fabric that has a good amount of drape.
Quilting cotton fabrics and linen-cotton blends tend to work nicely when used for sewing circle skirts. If you get a washable fabric like linen or cotton, make sure that you wash and iron the material before you use it to enable it to shrink.
When buying fabric for your circle skirt, you’ll need to keep in mind that the length of your circle skirt will be limited by the width of your fabric. You should also make sure to have enough material left over to cut a waistband for the skirt.
In most cases, 60-inch wide fabrics tend to work best for sewing circle skirts. These usually give you just enough room to cut out your circle pattern. You’ll need about 1-2 yards of fabric in length.
But if you only have 45-inch wide fabric available, or if a 60-inch wide fabric isn’t big enough, you can cut and join two semi-circles to make a circle skirt.
If you haven’t sewn a circle skirt before, you might find the math in the measurements to be a little intimidating. However, it’s quite easy once you get the hang of it. Let’s take a brief look at how to put together a simple circle skirt.
How to Measure, Cut, and Sew a Circle Skirt
The first step is to measure your waist or the waist of the person you’re making the skirt for. Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to calculate your waist radius. To do this, simply divide the waist measurement by 6.28.
Now, you’ll need to draw one-quarter of a donut circle to enable you to cut the circle skirt. To do this, fold your fabric in half once and then fold it in half in the opposite axis to make a square. Next, take a fabric marking pen or some chalk and mark out a quarter of a circle using the radius you got from calculation.
Place your ruler or tape measure at one folded edge of the square and measure out the radius length and mark it. Pivot the ruler or tape and mark again. Do this until you reach the other folded edge while making sure that the tip of the ruler or measuring tape stays fixed on the corner edge.
Having marked the waistline, it’s time to mark the length of the circle skirt. Now, place the tape at the waistline you just marked and place a mark at the desired length. You also need to move the tape along the waistline to keep the length even across the circle.
Now you should have ¼ of a donut. All you now have to do is cut along the marked lines. Once you’ve gotten to this point, you can then simply finish the top of the skirt by adding a waistband which could be elastic or the same fabric as the skirt.
When you’re done adding the waistband, hem the edges of the skirt. After you finish the hem, trim away any excess or loose threads and your circle skirt should be ready to wear.
Top 5 Fabrics For Circle Skirts
Circle skirts can be made with different types of fabrics. Nonetheless, the wide variety of products available on the market can be overwhelming. So, we have done our research and chosen our top five.
Rank | Product | Description |
---|---|---|
1. | Ben Textiles Poly Cotton Broadcloth Fabric | Polyester-cotton (65-35%), mult. colors |
2. | COTTONVILL Cotton Quilting Fabric | 100% cotton, mult. colors |
3. | Textiles français White Linen Fabric | 100% linen fabric, white |
4. | Fabric Bravo Red Cotton Blend Fabric | Polyester-cotton (65-35%) broadcloth, red |
5. | Fabric Gift LA Red Satin Fabric | Charmeuse polyester satin, red |
Here’s an in-depth look at our top picks for the best fabrics you can use to sew circle skirts:
1. Ben Textiles Poly-Cotton Broadcloth Fabric
The Ben Textiles Poly-Cotton Broadcloth fabric is a nice fabric for sewing circle skirts. The fabric has a width of 58 inches, which should be ideal for most lengths of skirts, and sold by the yard.
The fabric is available in a number of colors including baby blue, black, coral, flag green, and pink. It also has a nice full-bodied drape and can be used for other purposes such as table-top decor and duvet covers.
The fabric is made of 65% polyester and 35% cotton. It’s tightly woven and very lightweight. The fabric comes in at a decent price and is an excellent product to consider.
2. COTTONVILL Cotton Quilting Fabric
The CottonVill 20Count Quilting Cotton fabric is another product that you definitely should consider getting if you plan to sew circle skirts.
The fabric is made from 100% cotton fibers, for an airy, all-natural feel. While it’s particularly good for quilting, it’s also great for sewing and other crafts.
The fabric comes in two sizes: 3 yards long and 10 yards long. It has a width of 44 inches and weighs about 145 grams per square meter (4.28 ounces per square yard).
The product is available in a variety of colors ranging from soft pink to forest green. The colors are beautiful and the fabric has a premium feel to it. It offers good value for money and it’s hard to beat.
3. Textiles français 100% Linen Fabric
Next up, we have a pure linen fabric with a nice soft feel and a width of 54 inches. This high-quality plain solid fabric makes for a great material for sewing circle skirts.
The fabric is made from 100% linen and has a medium weight of about 245 grams per square meter (7.23 ounces per square yard). This linen fabric has very good drape and is very versatile.
It can be used for different crafts, such as drapes, bedcovers, and for home decor purposes, so you may want it for much more than circle skirts.
In addition to white, the fabric is also available in shades of black, grey, red, aubergine, lavender, and yellow. It’s a beautiful fabric to consider if you want an alternative to cotton fabrics.
4. Fabric Bravo Red Cotton Blend Broadcloth Fabric
This cotton blend broadcloth fabric is another nice product to consider. It measures 60 inches in width and is sold by the yard, so you can get as much as you need.
The fabric is a blend of premium polyester and cotton in a ratio of 65% to 35%. The fabric is a comfortable, durable, and soft poly-cotton fabric that can be used for a wide variety of purposes.
The fabric comes in a striking red color and is quite affordable. It’ll make an excellent fabric for sewing circle skirts, as well as other sewing projects such as blouses, shirts, and uniforms.
5. Fabric Gift LA Red Satin Fabric
Next up, we have another beautiful red fabric. This time, it’s a satin fabric with a width of 60 inches and sold by the yard.
As a satin fabric, this product has a nice drape and a glossy surface. Thus, it has a very premium look despite being quite affordable.
The fabric has a medium weight and is not too heavy. It’s nice and soft. It’s also versatile and can be used for different purposes.
As it’s quite glossy and slippery, it might prove challenging to sew with. However, if you can master working with it, it will serve as an excellent fabric for sewing circle skirts.
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