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I made myself a DIY poodle skirt for Halloween. But maybe you have an actualperformance or sock hop to attend and need a costume.
My mom made one for me in yellow fabric for a dance in elementary school. I had so much fun in that skirt, twirling around on stage!
And meow! I put a cat appliqué on mine. I’ll tell you all about that, the patterns, materials, my process, and share my photos.
McCall’s M6101 Skirt Pattern
I bought McCall’s M6101 sewing pattern at Joann while shopping for the fabric. I thought this would be perfect to make my 50s-style costume.
It has a full circular skirt and petticoat and is labeled easy to sew. They have elastic waistbands, and both are pull-on.
It also comes with the appliqué templates. You can make a poodle, cat, guitar, or other dog.
McCall’s M8205 Skirt Pattern
Sorting through my pattern stash, I found McCall’s M8205. It’s a circle skirt pattern with inseam pockets and a back zipper.
It’s a level 2 in their Learn to Sew series. So this is good for advanced beginners.
This pattern is good for making poodle skirts, as it’s pretty much a circle skirt with an appliqué in front.
There’s a seam down the center front and back. So if you wanted to make a two-tone color skirt, that’d look cool.
Materials
Here are all the things I used for this project. And I actually had to run to the store for supplies!
Fabric
I bought pink cotton woven fabric from Joann. You’ll want to use a material that’s not too drapey, like silky material.
Anyway, you always need a lot of fabric for a circle skirt. So, I bought nearly 5 yards. This was way more than I needed.
I wasn’t sure how long I wanted to make it, though. It’s better to have a little extra than to come up short.
Some good fabric options are cottons and cotton blends, chintz, wool, chambray, sateen, poplin, gingham, flannel, and felt.
If you make a petticoat, you’ll need net or tulle. However, I used polyester lining fabric because I didn’t want so much volume.
To make the applique, you’ll want a contrast fabric. I used a cotton broadcloth, but a metallic fabric would really pop.
Notions
I used a nylon 7-inch zipper for the back closure. I also used a 1-1/4 inch (1.25-inch) knit elastic for the waistband.
For the applique, I got 1/4 inch (0.25-inch) wide ribbon for the collar and rhinestones for the eyes.
For the flat front waistband, I used lightweight interfacing.
Needle
When sewing the skirt, I used a size 80/20 universal needle. For the petticoat, I used a size 70/10 needle because it was a lightweight fabric.
Thread
For my sewing machine, I used pink and black Gutermann universal thread made of 100% polyester.
I serged the seams using Maxi-Lock serger spun thread. It’s also made of polyester.
Sewing My Skirt
I mostly followed the directions, but made a few changes along the way. It was time-consuming for sure!
Prepping
Initially, I was planning on only using McCall’s M6101 for my project. But then I changed my mind.
When I started prepping, I realized that this sewing pattern didn’t have pockets. And I needed pockets!
I also thought I wouldn’t wear a belt like they have on the models either. So, it’d be nicer to have a flat front elastic back waist.
I ended up cutting the pattern pieces using McCall’s M8205. Overall, this pattern had most of the options I was looking for.
When I compared the two patterns, the skirts were pretty similar. It’s just that one of them is designed for an elastic waist.
Construction
After cutting my fabric pieces, I sewed the skirt. Then I installed the zipper back as usual.
When I made the waistband, I made a partial elastic back. This was a little tricky because I first had to secure the ends and then stretch the elastic when sewing.
If you put elastic in the back, skip the interfacing where you put it. You don’t want it stiff and bulky there.
The reason why I had so much room to add elastic was that I had sized up. Your waistband will need at least a couple inches of ease to do this.
Adjustments
McCall’s M6101 comes with a petticoat pattern. Instead of making a full-blown separate one, I made a lining and attached it to my skirt.
I gathered ruffles to the bottom of the lining. This did make the skirt slightly fuller, but not super full. That’s the way I wanted it.
Finishing Touches
A small, but important thing to do is to make the appliqué for the front. And you don’t have to use a poodle either.
Well, I’m a cat person. So, guess which one I chose?
I used the appliqué templates in McCall’s M6101, and there are a couple to choose from.
So, after cutting out the appliqué in contrast fabric, I added interfacing to the back. You could also use webbing to stiffen it.
Then, I finished the raw edges by using a zig-zag stitch. My stitches were closer in distance. That’s so the fabric wouldn’t fray.
I used a ribbon to create a gold collar for the cat. Then I added some rhinestone eyes that sparkled against the black fabric.
Finally, I used a straight stitch to attach the appliqué to the skirt.
Voila! A (cat) poodle skirt with pockets!
Project Notes
My skirt might seem a little complicated because I combined two patterns. Maybe next time, I’d use either one and not both.
If you want your skirt to be more drapey, you can choose a sateen fabric. You’ll want your skirt to have some structure and not be too flowy.
So stick with wovens from the suggested fabrics above. If you’re only wearing yours as a one-time costume, you may not need the pockets like I did.
The pattern with the elastic waist would be the easiest and fastest version to make.
I prefer to make my own appliqué, and you could even sketch one. But if you find it’s too difficult to make, I saw some cute iron-on ones online.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I love the way my skirt turned out. It took about a week to make, just in time for the big day.
Well, I need to find a themed party to give this skirt another whirl. Or maybe just wear it to the store just for fun!
More Sewing Projects
- By the way, I’m wearing a T-shirt that I made, and it matches the appliqué on my skirt.
- Would you like to see my flat front elastic back skirt hack, similar to this one?
- I turned a pair of old linen pants into a new wrap skirt.
- I made a denim mini skirt and also hacked the waistband to have elastic in the back.
Originally published: September 27, 2024
