Line Your Favorite Skirt With an Easy-to-Make Half-Slip

Truth: there’s nothing fun about having your skirt cling to your body. Not only can it feel uncomfortable, but it also prevents the skirt from hanging as intended. But with a simple handmade slip you designed yourself, you can rock any skirt with style — meaning this old classic just became a wardrobe must-have once more.

Good to Know: Because this slip is made with simple rectangles, you don’t need to use a pattern. That said, you can use all these techniques with a slip pattern you already own.

Half-Slip

Level: Easy

What You Need

Good to Know: You can also use silk fabric for your slip, but silk retains a lot of heat and can become warm under your garment. Rayon, on the other hand, stays cool to the touch.

Instructions

1. Measure

Measure your hips, add 1″ of ease and 1¼” for the seam allowance. This is the width you’ll cut for the slip.

Measure from your waist (where you want the slip to begin) down to your desired length.

Pro Tip: Because this slip doesn’t have a slit, it’s best to keep the length at the knee or above.

Add ¼” for the top hemming and the desired hem amount for the bottom. We hemmed ours ⅜” twice (1″ of fabric used in total). So the length to cut for our slip is: the length from waist to the desired end + 1″ + 1″.

2. Cut the Fabric

Cut two rectangles using the width and length measurements calculated in step 1.

3. Sew the Side Seams

There are a few different ways to sew side seams, but because we’re using a semi-sheer fabric we opted for French seams.

To sew a French seam, pin along the side seam, wrong sides together, and sew with a ⅜” seam allowance.

Pro Tip: Be sure to use the right type of pins for your fabric. We used silk pins so the rayon wouldn’t be damaged.

Trim the seam allowance down to ⅛” and press to one side. Use a press cloth for all pressing steps, if necessary.

Flip the fabric over and press the opposite side of the seam. Then press the seam flat.

Pin along the side seam once again, keeping the seam sewn in step 3 centered. Sew along the side seam at ¼”, totaling the ⅝” seam allowance you figured in when cutting.

Press the seam on both the inside and outside of the French seam. Repeat steps 3-5 on the other side seam.

4. Hem

Hem the bottom of the slip as desired. Many slips have lace attached, but we simply folded the slip ⅜”, pressed and repeated once more.

Pin the hem in place and stitch close to the upper fold. Press again once sewn.

5. Add the Elastic

Use your waist or hip measurement from step 1 (depending on where you want the slip to sit) and add ½”. Cut to this length and wrap it around you. It should feel snug, but not tight.

Pin the elastic, right sides together, and stitch along the ends with a short and narrow zigzag stitch. Trim off the excess elastic and press the seam allowance to one side.

Divide the elastic and the fabric into quarters. Align these points and pin together.

The right sides should be together and the flat edge of the elastic should be in line with the top of your fabric at the waist.

Sew on the elastic with a short and narrow zigzag stitch. Sew just above the trimmed edge and gently pull the elastic as you go so it matches the skirt.

Trim the excess fabric inside of the waist to ⅛”. This can be a little tricky, so be careful not to cut your elastic.

Flip the elastic to the inside and stitch on the right side of the waist with a wider zigzag stitch.

Keep the stitch on the elastic so they’re fully attached to each other. As you did the first time, stretch the elastic to fit so you are not sewing over any bumps.

Stem the elastic with your iron.

6. Add a Bow

Hand sew a bow (or any other detail) to the center front of your slip with a needle and thread. Now it’s ready to wear!