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Well, made a DIY poodle skirt for Halloween, and meooow. I put a cat appliqué on mine!
It’s a good 50s-style costume for a performance or sock hop. My mom made one for me in elementary school, and I had so much fun twirling around on stage!
McCall’s M6101 Skirt Pattern
I thought McCall’s M6101 sewing pattern would be perfect for making 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
In my 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 a seam down the center front and back.
So if you wanted to make a two-tone color skirt, that’d look cool too.
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. For the waistband, I used lightweight interfacing and a 1-1/4 inch (1.25-inch) knit elastic.
For the applique, I got 1/4 inch (0.25-inch) wide ribbon for the collar and rhinestones for the eyes.
Sewing the Poodle Skirt
I mostly followed the directions, but made a few changes along the way. It was time-consuming for sure!
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 them!
I also thought I wouldn’t wear a belt, so, it’d be nicer to have a flat front elastic back waist.
So, I ended up cutting the pattern pieces using McCall’s M8205 because it had most of the options I was looking for.
When I made the waistband, I made a partial elastic back. I had room to add elastic because I had sized up.
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.
Well, I’m a cat person. So, guess which appliqué I chose?
So, after cutting out the appliqué in contrast fabric, I added interfacingto the back.
Then, I finished the raw edges by using a zig-zag with close stitches. I used a ribbon for the gold collar and rhinestone eyes that sparkled.
Finally, I used a straight stitch to attach the appliqué to the skirt.
Voila! A (cat) poodle skirt with pockets!
Notes
Next time I might choose a satin fabric, but the skirt should have some structure and not be too flowy.
I prefer to make my own appliqué, but if you find it’s too difficult to make, I saw some cute iron-on ones online.
Overall, I love the way my skirt turned out. It took about a week to make, just in time for the big day!
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