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The 261 Paris Promenade Dress dates from the second decade of the 20th century, when a revival of the 1795-1800 Directoire fashions produced loose, flowing gowns reminiscent of Classical Greek costumes. This style of dress liberated women's bodies from the punishing constraints of the Victorian corsets.

Our sewing pattern is based on this elegant dress style from the 1918-1920, and is made from just three main pattern pieces. The very full main dress is defined at the waist by a self-fabric sash that passes underneath the bib-shaped overdress in front and ties in the back. In the 1910s and 20s, the accessories of choice were long strands of pearls and cords with tassels or beaded pendants.

The large area around the lower skirt is perfect for creative embellishments, as well as the shaped overdress, or even along the bateau neckline. Add embroidery (machine or hand), beading, piping, or applique.  Plus, the different sections of the dress are perfect for putting together coordinating prints and/or colors, stripes, or textures. You can even add a vintage touch with decorative tassels or beaded pendants at the elbows of the dress (and the bottom of the handbag).  Instructions are in the pattern for making tassels.

261 Paris Promenade Dress also includes the perfect period accessory pattern -- a drawstring handbag. The bag features free-hanging tabs that complement the airy drape of the dress.  The tabs can be embellished to match the dress or made of contrasting material for an interesting accent.  

Here we will list some resources you can use to make your own Paris Promenade Dress:

A note on sizing, this pattern has tons of ease, so many people find they like it made in a size or two smaller than they normally would.

See what two customers made with this pattern, and what they had to say about it on our blog: Sew and Tell and Personalizing my Folkwear patterns.

A blog post on constructing the Paris Promenade Dress.  This dress is not made as typical dresses are -- the construction is very different from what you might be used to.  We made this post so you could visualize how the dress comes together.

We also have a video to show how the dress comes together.  We used small pieces of tracing fabric to show how this works, so that it would be easy to see.  The pattern uses a lot of fabric and showing that much fabric can be difficult. So the small paper pieces are perfect.

If you decide to use velvet for the overdress, Tips for Sewing with Velvet.

If you decide to use lace or sheer fabrics: Tips for Sewing with Lace or Sheers.

If you are using a slippery or silky fabric, this post on sewing with bias fabrics can be helpful.

Again, we were blown away by all the amazing entries we had for our Summer Sewing Contest (June 2025), and today we are sharing round 2 of the submissions (because there were so many great ones!).

We could only pick 2 winners, but there were so many that were really impressive, and beautiful, and practical -- garments that we loved seeing.  We hope these will inspire you as well!  If you missed the first round, go here!

First I will start with the other winner!

We were blown away by all the amazing entries we had for our Summer Sewing Contest (June 2025), and we just had to share these amazing garments.  We could only pick 2 winners, but all these were really impressive, and beautiful, and practical -- garments that we loved seeing.  And we hope they will inspire you as well! We are going to do two posts of entries because we had so many.  

First I will start with one of the winners!

by Twyla Clark (Folkwear fan!)

I did not grow up sewing from a young age and despite being a graduate of the now defunct Sewing Training Academy (STA) where we learned production sewing on industrial sewing machines; I am not confident in my sewing ability. Yet when I look closely at things I’ve sewn after not seeing them for a while, I’m surprised at the nice quality of the work. Perhaps some of you are like-minded? We all know someone who seems to sew better than us. We can all be our own worse critics.

With that in mind, the Folkwear Sunset Wrap pattern #271 might be a confidence booster. This elegant one-armed shawl in a lightweight linen could show off “fancy” French seams or an easy serged edge. (Speaking of which, who doesn’t know someone who was so terrified of their serger that they never even took it out of the box!) And three mitered corners to showcase! I’m always taken aback at how impressed non-sewers are with mitered corners and this pattern makes them simple to sew because the instructions are well written.

As a student at STA, I “discovered” Folkwear patterns while shopping at Textile Fabrics here in Nashville. The black & white illustrations were so captivating, I just had to buy one or two! My first Folkwear make was the Swing Coat # 254 (see a couple examples below), made from Home Depot drop cloth which became softer after washing yet the weight was perfect for a light coat. Then I saw the Sunset Wrap pattern photographed in plain white which seemed elegant but, to me, like a wallflower – it needed a little make-over and some color.

I’ve sewn the Sunset Wrap now literally dozens of times, so many that my friends nick-named it the Twy-Light Shawl (my name is Twyla but friends & family call me Twy or sometimes even Twylight) but I’ve never made it in plain white. Mostly I use it to collage statement-making fabrics; often using a gorgeous piece of drapery or upholstery fabric for the front panel and maybe the sleeve. Often, I may use a large dramatic print for the front panel and a fabric using like-colors but a smaller print for the sleeve. The longer pattern piece for the shawl drape is often a solid color that pulls the front & the sleeve together. Using three different fabrics for one shawl gives me the opportunity to go through my fabric stash and dream up fun combinations and to use up odd remnants.

The Sunset Shawl is, in my mind, an unsung hero as it’s the pattern that keeps on giving. This is not an item that will go unused in your closet and absolutely will be treasured as a gift. Consider these uses: At the beach as a cover-up from the ocean breeze it looks “old-Hollywood” stylish with a swimsuit or shorts.

For new moms, the shawl can be a way to hide a nursing infant. I haven’t made it in a French Terry yet, but wouldn’t that be great? I made one in a large plaid cotton for my daughter, Robin, tho’ I added a button and a couple of loops so she could drape it as needed. She sent me the cutest picture of her and baby Alden (see below).

For friends & family young and old, who may be wheelchair reliant, this shawl with just one sleeve is easy to take on and off while adding a feeling of dressed-up elegance. Keep in mind too that the sleeve itself can be sewn to fit the left or the right shoulder – just flip the pattern in the very first steps. I did this accidently once and it was a nice surprise – a mistake gone right.

I’ve made the Sunset Shawl in a quilted black fabric with a floral print on the reverse side and the result was charmingly like a “puffer” jacket that is so trendy now.

Rolled up in my oversized purse it’s easily accessible when the movie theatre, restaurant or wherever is too cool. Friends have told me it’s perfect on a cruise because it’s simple and elegant and dresses up most any outfit - including jeans.

Yup, it works in lightweight wool, feels sophisticated in linen, is down to earth in cotton and uses up odd remnants, helping to keep scraps out of the landfill. And, when my fabric for the length of drape was not quite long enough, I’ve shortened the drape by up to six inches and it still worked just fine. 

One of the reasons I like the 128 Russian Settlers' Dress so much is the simple options for finishing the dress that can give it so many different looks.  I explored the pleated back option on a heavier weight Guatemalan cotton dress with my last dress, and this week I wanted to try the simpler gathered back with the classic 1/4" ribbon.

I started with a floral cotton lawn that is lightweight and perfect for this dress.  This fabric has been in my personal stash for a long time and I do not know where I got it, but it has a similar Liberty of London Tana lawn look so I loved it.  By the way, we have some gorgeous Liberty Tana Lawns in our shop now that would also be perfect for this dress!

One small issue with my fabric was that it was actually quite narrow.  The pattern needs fabric that is at least 40" wide to fit the entire front/back pattern piece.  And my fabric was closer to 34" wide.  Which meant that the front/back did not fit.  This is an easy problem to solve with this pattern however, and I just folded out about 3 inches in the center of the pattern (vertically) to fit the pattern piece on the fabric.  I used the whole width of the fabric. 

Now, this technique can be used with whatever width fabric you have.  If you have a narrower width fabric than the pattern, you can fold the pattern to fit your fabric width.  I like the idea of folding the pattern and "truing" the top edge of the front (the sloped part) rather than folding the side down (because you may loose some or all of the slope at the front or side).  You could fold the center front/back to the width of the fabric, but I liked folding the middle of the pattern piece.  Similarly, with a wider fabric, you can move the pattern piece so that the side edge is aligned with the selvage and cut the pattern wider than it indicates, and opening the pattern down the center so that it uses the whole width of the fabric.  This is easy, especially when you are going to be gathering (rather than pleating) your dress.  And you can take advange of the whole width of your fabric. 

Because my dress bascially lost 12 inches of fabric width due to the narrow fabric (6 inches from the front and back since the pattern was cut on the fold), I ended up with a narrower version than the original patterns indicates.  This was fine for me, but if I had wanted more width or room in the dress, I could have cut another back for a fuller back and a wider dress altogether. 

If you haven't read about sizing this dress up from the original, it is VERY easy to do and the idea of having as much (or as little) fabric width in this dress is very simple.  Read about how to change the sizing of this dress in our blog post here.

I put in gathering stitches at the top of the front and back of the dress and on the back of the dress I added 6 more rows of gathering stitches.  I marked the first row of the 3 sets of stitching with a washable marker and used a measuring tape to make sure I was getting the markings in the correct place on the dress back.

I pinned and sewed the ribbon over the gathered stitches.  This was a very simple technique and was a lot of fun (and so easy) to make.  And it looks very pretty, and more complicated that it was.  It almost has a "smocked" look to it. 

I got the band and straps added and then I hemmed the dress.  I had just enough ribbon to add one more row around the bottom of the dress right where the hem was.  This was a perfect way of covering the hem stitching and compliments the ribbon on the back of the dress.  

A quick and easy sewing project that looks folksy and sweet (and like it took more time than it did!).

Which dress do you like best?  How would you make your own?  Which embellishment would you use?  Or would you leave it plain?  

I have been wanting to make the 128 Russian Settlers' Dress, particularly the sarafan, or overdress, into a sundress for myself, for a while.  I am planning to make two this month, and today I want to show you the first one I made!

For this dress, I used a hand woven (and spun and dyed and embroidered) indigo cotton that I purchased in Guatemala.  This gorgeous cloth was really a corte, or traditional Mayan skirt.  It is made into a large loop of fabric that is then worn gathered and cinched with a belt in Guatemala.  I loved this fabric when I saw it at a market and I bought it thinking I would use it for something like this dresss.  Since the sarafan from this pattern is mostly large rectangles, the corte was perfect for this pattern -- barely leaving any left over fabric to make an almost no waste garment.  The corte was wide enough to cut the full front and back of the pattern, but it was not as long as the pattern indicates.  Which actulally worked out well because I wanted this dress to be shorter anyway.  The fabric is a little heavier than a typical sundress would be made from, so having a shorter dress is one way to keep it a little cooler for the warm months.  

I cut the band at 33", which is my high bust measurement, or the measurement of where I wanted the band to rest when the dress is worn (which was actually slightly above my high bust).  

I also wanted to pleat the back as the instructions in the detailing section of the pattern show how to do.  The detailing gives instructions for box pleats and knife pleats.  I did box pleats because I also want to try the honeycomb embroidery option (which I will show another time).  I used tracing paper and a tracing wheel to mark the pleat lines. My measurements indicated that the last box pleat was pleated almost to the seam allowance.  It is easy to adjust pleats slightly to fit the band, and I did not have any problems with it. 

This pleating is pretty simple and I pinned and pressed the pleats, then basted them in place.  I pressed well from the front and back of the fabric.  I did not use the fabric stay the pattern suggests as I found it was difficult to keep straight when I was basting, but it maybe helpful for lighter-weight fabrics.

I looked at the stash of ribbons I had and decided to use a wider ribbon (1"/2.5cm) and heavier ribbon than suggested.  The heavier fabric and thick embroidery lines on the fabric made this design choice of an embroidered ribbon make sense to me.  Having a wider ribbon also meant that it would make sense to elimiate a row of ribbon and just have two ribbon lines with longer pleats between them.  So that is what I did -- I adjusted the placement lines for the ribbons and sewed them in place.

The Folkwear pattern #128 Russian Settlers’ Dress carries a rich history rooted in Russia but also connected to the Pacific Northwest of the United States—and beyond. Folkwear released this pattern in 1980, during the company’s first five years. It was inspired by the women of the Old Believer communities living near Folkwear’s original home in Northern California.

128 Russian Settlers' Dress sewing pattern includes instructions for a peasant blouse, sarafan (jumper), and a full apron. It also features embroidery patterns, pleating techniques, and traditional needlepunch methods. Additionally, it contains a history of the clothing tradition, originally written in 1979–1980. While some aspects of the costume have since evolved—such as a reduction in ornamentation and the use of machine embroidery—many Old Believers in Oregon still wear modified versions of this traditional dress today. The garments recall a time when peasant culture expressed beauty through everyday clothing.  The following is adopted from the history and information included in the sewing pattern.

History of the Russian Peasant Costume: Old Believer Tradition

The Old Believers (starovery in Russian) are a religious group that emerged in the late 17th century after Patriarch Nikon of Moscow introduced reforms to the rituals, texts, and icons of the Russian Orthodox Church. Those who resisted the changes were excommunicated and subjected to centuries of persecution. Many fled to Siberia and abroad.

Following the Russian Revolution (1917), large numbers of Old Believers settled in Manchuria, China. In the 1940s (during and just after WWII), many were forced to relocate again—this time to Brazil and Argentina, where living conditions were harsh. By the 1960s, some members of the group had resettled in Oregon, where a community that may now number as many as 10,000 continues to maintain their traditions. Other Old Believer communities can also be found in South America, Australia, Alaska, Canada, and several parts of eastern Europe. As of 2017, it is estimated that nearly two million Old Believers remain worldwide, with around one million still in Russia.

What is most remarkable about the Old Believers is their steadfast commitment to preserving their religious practices and way of life, often through isolation. Their customs and dress remain so close to those of historic Russian peasantry that many—including Russians themselves—consider them more "authentic" than modern traditions in Russia.

The Old Believers’ faith strictly regulated both behavior and appearance. Men did not shave, and women never cut their hair. An unmarried woman wore her hair in a single braid; once married, she concealed it under a headscarf.

The Costumes

Old Believers continue to wear traditional Russian peasant attire. At baptism, every infant receives a cross, a shirt, and a woven belt—items that remain essential throughout life.

Men and boys wear a rubashka, a brightly colored shirt with a high neckband and an off-center opening. These shirts often appear in vivid shades—shocking pink, chartreuse, citron yellow—and are embroidered with colorful floral borders. A handwoven belt ties the shirt at the waist, often finished with large, decorative tassels.

Women’s traditional attire consists of three main garments: the sarafan (jumper), the rukava (blouse), and the zapon (pinafore apron).

The sarafan is a jumper made from a simple tube of fabric, pleated with knife or box pleats, or gathered into a band. The back is generally fuller than the front and is smoothed with rows of narrow satin ribbons sewn over the pleats. Sometimes, the pleats are drawn into a honeycomb or smocked pattern. Sarafans are typically made from brightly colored rayon challis and are often trimmed at the hem with wide lace or additional ribbon. The shoulder straps and bodice may be edged with plain fabric matching the print and further decorated with ribbons. A deep slit, concealed in the front gathers, may be included to allow for nursing.

The rukava (literally “sleeves”) is the blouse worn underneath the sarafan. Traditionally, it is little more than sleeves with just enough fabric to tuck beneath the jumper, though longer versions are worn in colder weather. The blouse is usually made of a lightweight plain fabric in pastel or vivid tones. Embroidered shoulder pieces often echo the floral motifs found in the sarafan fabric. When not embroidered, the shoulder areas may be decorated with ribbons or machine embroidery. Sleeve treatments vary: formal versions are gently tapered, while practical ones have gathered wrists held with narrow ribbon or cuffs.

The zapon, or pinafore apron, is an essential component of the ensemble. It protects the sarafan from wear and dirt. Its fabric may match or complement the jumper or blouse, using a different rayon challis print. Lace and ribbon trims similar to those on the sarafan are often added to the bib, skirt, and ruffle. If embroidered, the zapon is typically made from a solid-colored fabric. The extent of the decoration—on the bib, skirt, or ruffle—depends on the occasion and the maker’s enthusiasm for embroidery.

A few weeks ago, we were thinking of ways to get inspired for summer sewing and were reflecting on how many great garments our customers make with our patterns.  And we thought it would be fun to have a Folkwear summer contest to show off customer makes and help everyone be inspired for summer sewing.  

So, we want to hear from you!  What great summer outfit or garment have you made with a Folkwear pattern?  Have you made a cute sundress?  An amazing vest?  A historic outfit for a summer ball or reenactment?  Let us know!

You can tag us on social media with your make:  @folkwearpatterns on Facebook and @folkwearsewing.patterns on Instagram.  You can also add the hashtag #FolkwearSummer to make sure we see it (and to get all the entries into one hashtag).  

OR, send us an email with a great photo of your garment/outfit (mail@folkwear.com). And we will post it or add it to a blog post with all the inspiration!

Your entry can be a garment or outfit you made in the last week (or sometime this month), or it can be something you made years ago!  Folkwear has been around a long time and we know there are lots of incredible summer outfits out there.  So, whether it is a brand new make, or something you were proud of making 10 years ago, it can be entered in this contest!

And everyone is a winner!  If you enter the contest by tagging your photo on social media or sending us an email with a photo, you will win a coupon code to use in our shop.  Everyone who enters will win the coupon code!

Join the contest through the month of June 2025.  We will close entries on June 30.  And, we will pick two winners on July 1 who will get their choice of 2 free Folkwear patterns!  U.S. winners can get paper or PDF versions, and international winners can get any 2 PDF patterns.  We might have some fabric to throw in also!

More questions?  Send us an email at mail@folkwear.com

We have a number of fabrics in stock right now that would be perfect for making our 160 Hawaiian Mu'umu'u!  This pattern calls for fabric that has a bit of drape or flow to it.  And, traditionally, it would be made with bright colors and large floral or tropical prints.  A lightweight (not too crisp) cotton is a great choice, but a rayon or viscose would give even more flow.  Or a cotton/rayon blend would be great.  A lightweight linen can also be nice, even in a solid color, for a more conservative look.  There are a lot of options and we are going to list some great choices below.  What fabric would you make this dress in?

I really love this parrot print viscose challis from Italy.  The print is a little small for a typical mu'umu'u but has a tropical theme (the parrots are cute).  And the fabric has a gorgeous drape and is really fun! 

We had a question recently about the 107 Afghan Dress sleeve gusset.  Along with many of our other folk patterns, the 107 Afghan Dress employs the use of an underarm gusset to provide the room under the arm for movement and shape.  The underarm gusset shows up a lot in traditional clothing and patterns because the sleeve was cut as a rectangle (or close to rectangle shape) and would be attached to the body of the shirt/dress which was also a rectangle.  The gusset provides room for the arm to move and shape the armhole.  Modern shirts (and dresses) use a curved armhole to do the same thing.  But traditional clothes were made from handwoven fabrics and to make the most use of the fabric without cutting curves into them, the gusset was much more practical.  

The Afghan Dress can make use of many different fabrics for all the parts of the dress -- mix and match a variety of coordinating fabrics to get a really fun look.  In this tutorial, I used a linen scrap for the upper and middle sleeve and the bodice, and a polk dot block print cotton for the cuff and the gusset.  I made this just as a tutorial, not to make a dress, so you will only see a small portion of the construction in this post.  If you want to learn more about the 107 Afghan Dress, check out the LEARN MORE section at the bottom of the pattern description:  sizing up the Afghan Dress, and a customized dress.

Start with the Sleeve

Sew the sleeve pieces together, starting with the upper sleeve (C) to the middle sleeve (D).  And then sew the cuff (E) to the middle sleeve (D).  Make sure to match the numbered notches -- this will ensure that you are getting the pieces in the right direction and right order.

Top Photo: All sleeve pieces.  Middle: Sleeve piece C to piece D.  Bottom: Cuff E sewn to D.  

Sleeve and gusset piece.

Sleeve with right sides together and underarm edges together at bottom.

Underarm seam sewn from gusset star to cuff end.

This is the sleeve next to the bodice -- showing how it will start matching to the bodice at the notches.

Matching dots and numbered notches (below you can see that the gusset goes past the front because the front waistband was not attached).

Sleeve is pinned to the bodice and ready to be sewn from dot to dot.

View of the sleeve and gusset attached to the bodice.  This is looking at the front.  You can see the gusset hangs over a little because the front waistband is not attached to the bodice.  You can see the half circle at the top of the bodice where the hole for the head should be cut.  

By Esi Hutchinson

Welcome to our last sew-along for the 147 Norwegian Bunad. Here I will demonstrate how to make the Bunad Apron!  Read through our other sew-alongs for this pattern here: Bunad Blouse Sew-Along, Bunad Vest Sew-Along, Bunad Skirt Sew-Along.

This sew-along is similar to making the Bunad Skirt. I’ll walk you through the steps of creating this pleated apron. You also have the option of gathering the waist, and you can customize the apron with embroidery and/or lace. I have chosen a white cotton fabric with floral silver thread embroidery already embellished on the fabric. Traditional bunad aprons are often made with white fabric, and many have embroidery or whitework (or lace) added to them.  Some have overlays on the bottom edge or bottom edge and up the sides.  Here I am making a festival dress (or festdrakt) and not a particular bunad.  If you want to make a bunad that is particular to a region or area, research that tradition and use this pattern as a base to create the bunad.  

This apron is simple to sew, so have fun and add your own embroidery and other embellishments. For more details and embroidery designs, check out the History and Detailing section inside the pattern!

Fabric

For the bunad apron, light to mediumweight fabrics like cotton, linen, or silk are recommended. As stated above, white fabric is commonly used for aprons. Always wash and press your fabric according to its type before cutting out the pattern.

Sizing

Choose the size that best fits you from the sizing and yardage charts (as well as the "finished measurements"). The apron is meant to be fitted at the waist over the thickness of the blouse and skirt. The apron can be closed at the waist with a clasp, button, or snap, or you can also make the waistband into ties by adding 22" (56cm) on either side of the waistband piece. I am a Medium in Folkwear's grade rule for bottomwear, so I made a size medium for this apron.

Seam Finishes

The apron does not require and seam finishes, all the seam are enclosed!  One less thing to think about.

Cutting Out Your Pattern

There are two pattern pieces for the apron (R-S). Piece R is a template for the pleats and how wide you need to cut your apron skirt in your size.

To use Piece R, place the template on the fold of your fabric and use it to guide how wide to cut the fabric and where to place the pleats.  All sizes can be cut on the fold for 52” (132cm) or wider fabric.  Sizes XS-MD can be cut on the fold of 45” (115cm) wide (or wider) fabric.  If the fabric is not wide enough for the apron template, add 1/2” (13mm) seam allowance to the center front for your size and cut two. Cut the apron 36” (91.4cm) long.  If you want an apron that is shorter or longer, add 1¾” to the length you desire for the seam and hem allowances.

Illustration above is for how the template is used to cut the fabric.  This would be for size XL.  The length of the apron is decided by how long you want it to be, but 36" would be typical.  You would cut the apron 36" from the top of the template to the bottom edge.

If you want ties rather than a buttoned waistband, add 22" (56cm) on either side of the piece.  If you decide to make the apron with ties, make sure you have enough fabric.  The yardage chart only gives yardage for the shorter waistband.  If you are making  waistband with ties, follow the same instructions for the waistband.

Look at the cutting layouts in the pattern to find the one that is best for your size and fabric width.  The waistband can be cut on the lengthwise or crosswise grain.  The layouts are for fabric with or without nap, pile, or one-way designs. 

Be sure to transfer pleat marks.

Let's get started.

Cutting my apron piece.

Sewing the Apron

First, if you cut two apron pieces (because your fabric was too narrow), sew the apron pieces together at the center front with right sides together.  Press the seam open and proceed.  This is the one place you will have a seam (if you need it).  You can make a French seam here or just finish the seam as you wish.

With the right side of the apron skirt facing up, match, fold, and pin the pleats towards the sides. Pleats should fall away from the center front of the apron skirt.

Baste the top of the waist within the seam allowance to hold pleats in place.

On the side edges of the apron skirt, press under 1/4” (6mm) then 1/2” (13mm) and stitch close to the pressed edge.

by Esi Hutchinson

Welcome to our second-to-last sew-along for the 147 Norwegian Bunad, our newest Folkwear pattern! Today, I will show you how to make the Bunad Skirt! 

We have already gone through the blouse and vest sew-along, which you can find here: Blouse Sew-Along and Vest Sew-Along.  

Each region in Norway has its own unique Bunad design, with specific colors and patterns that have been passed down. Read more about the history of the bunad and our pattern in our blog post. Whether it's the bold reds and blues of the Hardanger region or the soft pastels of Telemark, each color palette represents a sense of pride and belonging to a specific community. It's a way for Norwegians, and those of Norwegian descent, to express their heritage and connection to their roots.

While tradition is a key aspect of Bunad skirts, there is also room for creativity and personal expression. Some modern interpretations of Bunad skirts feature unique color combinations that add a contemporary twist to the traditional garment. This blend of old and new allows for a fresh take on this design, and can make beautiful festdrakt, or festival dresses.

In this sew-along, I’ll walk you through the steps of creating the basic pleated skirt from our pattern. It's important to note that for traditional bunads, as well as folkdrakts and festdrakts (folk or festival dresses), the skirts can be personalized and adorned with intricate embroidery or trim, signifying where in the region you're from and how it connects to your family, or just to add decoration to your outfit. If you’d like to add embroidery or trim, be sure to plan it out and incorporate it after the skirt has been sewn.

Like the bunad blouse and vest, this skirt is also easy to sew. Add your own personal touches through embroidery and other embellishments. For more details and embroidery designs, check out the History and Detailing section in the pattern!

Let's get started.

Fabric

For the bunad skirt, medium to heavyweight fabrics like wool, cotton, linen, or silk are recommended. Wool is the traditional choice. Be sure to research the fabric type and color that best suits the specific bunad or costume you're creating. While skirts are commonly made in red or black, colors like blue, green, and other dark tones can also be used. Sometimes brochades are used.  For this sample, I chose a royal blue medium-weight cotton muslin. Remember to wash and press your fabric according to its type before cutting out the pattern.

Sizing

Choose the size that best fits you from the sizing and yardage charts (as well as the "finished measurements"). The skirt is meant to be fitted at the waist, so using the waist measurement is the best way to find the right size for the skirt. I am a Medium in Folkwear's grade rule for skirts and pants at the waist, so I made a size medium for this skirt. 

Seam Finishes

To finish your seams while you're sewing, you can overcast, zig-zag or use pinking shears to finish the raw edges. French seams or turning the raw edges under and stitching work for this pattern also. I serged the raw edges of the seams for this skirt. 

Cutting Out Your Pattern

There are four pattern pieces for the skirt (N-Q).  Cut one Waistband O on the lengthwise or crosswise grain.  Cut one Placket Q.  

The same skirt Piece N is used for the front and back of the skirt. Cut two for the back and cut one on the fold for the front for all sizes if you're using fabric that is more than 52” (132cm) wide.

On fabric less than 52" (132cm) wide fabric for sizes XS-SM cut two for the back and cut one on the fold for the front. For sizes MD-2XL, you will need to cut two for the back and cut two for the front, making sure to add 1/2" (13mm) seam allowance to the center front on both front N pieces so that you can sew a center front seam.

Cut one waistband O, four pocket pieces P, and one placket Q.

Since I am using 45" (115cm) wide fabric, I cut two skirt front pieces, adding a 1/2" (13mm) seam allowance at the center front.

Check the finished measurements to see if you want to make lengthening/shortening changes.  If you want to lengthen or shorten the skirt, add length (or shorten) at the bottom hem edge. 

Look at the cutting layouts in the pattern to find the one that is best for your size and fabric width. The layouts are for fabric with or without nap, pile, or one-way designs. If the pattern pieces in the cutting layouts in our pattern are shaded, it needs to be placed with the printed side down.  All pattern pieces should be placed on the right side of your fabric.  Cut out the pattern carefully according to the instructions. 

Be sure you transfer all the markings, which are dots and squares, and pleat lines.  It may also help to label your pieces so you know right and left and right side and wrong side of fabric.  

Sewing the Skirt

Front and Back

First, if you have cut two Fronts, sew the Fronts together at the center front with right sides together.  

Now, you have the option to gather the waist instead of using pleats.  Pleating is more traditional, but a gathered skirt can be found in some festdrakt or folkdrakt, and can sometimes be quicker or easier than pleating.  If you want to gather the waist, place two rows of gathering stitches at the skirt front/back waistline, one at 1/4” (6mm) from the raw edge and another at 1/2” (13mm). Skip to  PLACKET to continue.

To make the pleats, transfer the pleat lines to the right side of the skirt Front and Back. With the right side of the fabric facing up, match the legs of the pleat, folding the center of the pleat to the inside of the skirt. The pleats should fall towards the center front or center back. 

 
Pleat markings on Skirt Back.

Folding the pleat leg to move it over to match the other pleat leg.

On the back skirt, with right sides together, stitch the skirt back pieces together at the center back, matching the squares and bottom edges. Stitch just from the square to the bottom edge. Press the seam open or to one side and finish.

Clip the seam allowance at the square. This will help lay the seam flat when attaching the placket to the back opening.

Placket

Press up 1/2” (13mm) to the wrong side on one long edge of the Placket Q. 

Fold the placket in half, with right sides together, with the short ends together and fingerpress (press the seam with your fingers to give a light crease).  This helps turn the placket later.  Open the placket back up.

Place the right side of the long, unfolded edge of the placket to the wrong side of the skirt back. Pin the placket to the back opening, matching the squares and the skirt waist edge to the short ends of the placket. Stitch from the waist to the square, and continue stitching to the opposite side of the waist. Trim the seams to reduce the bulk and press the seam towards the placket.  The best way to do this is to open the back opening so it is flat or nearly flat and proceed as if it is a straight line.

Fold the placket in half lengthwise at the foldline with wrong sides together. The folded edge of the placket should cover the previous stitching line. Topstitch close to the folded edge.

On the wearer's left side only, fold the placket to the inside of the skirt back. Press the placket in place and baste the placket at the waist edge of the left skirt back within the seam allowance.  This allows the placket to close and the skirt back seams to line up easily.

Pockets (optional)

Pockets are not really a traditional part of a bunad.  There is an outer waist pocket which can be a highly decorative part of the costume, but side seam pockets are not usually part of this outfit.  However, we know how popular (and useful) pockets are so we added a pattern piece and instructions for adding side seam pockets.  You may use them or choose to leave them off.  If you do not want to add pockets, skip ahead to sewing the front and back together (stitch the front to the back at the side seams with right sides together).  

If you are adding pockets, zig-zag, overcast, or serge the four pocket pieces on the outer edge.

With the right sides together, pin one pocket piece to both sides of the front skirt; match the dots on the pockets to the dots on the side of the skirt front.  Stitch just within the seam allowance and press the pocket seams towards the pockets. 

Understitch the seam allowance to the pocket pieces by pressing the seam allowance towards the pockets and stitching close to the previously stitched seam, but within the seam allowance.  This will help keep the pocket from rolling to the outside and will keep the seam neat.

Do all of those same steps with the skirt back and the other two pocket pieces.

Front and Back Together

With right sides together, stitch the front and back skirt pieces at the side seams, matching pockets and double notches. Start stitching at the waist edge of the skirt.  Stitch to the small dot at the top of the pocket, pivot and stitch around the outer edge of the pockets to the large dot at the bottom of the pocket.  Pivot and stitch down to the bottom edge of the skirt.  Be sure not to catch pleats in the stitching.

Clip the seam allowance on the back skirt seam to the dots on the pockets (don't clip through stitching) and press the seams open; press the pockets toward the front.

Waistband

You can interface the waistband if you like.  Interfacing is very helpful for lighter weight fabrics or fabric that might need some extra support.  Interfacing can help the waistband keep its shape.  Attach interfacing to one side of the waistband (from the foldline to one side), and trim the interfacing away from the seam allowances to reduce bulk in the seams.  I did not use interfacing in my sample. 

Press under 1/2” (13mm) on the long unnotched edge and on both short edges of the Waistband O.  Make sure to pay attention to the left and right sides of the waistband marked on the pattern piece O.  It is a good idea to mark which side is left and right and which is the right and wrong side of the fabric. 

With the right side of the waistband to the wrong side of the skirt, stitch the waistband to the skirt, matching the center front notches and side seams of the skirt to the side notches on the waistband. The waistband should end (with the folded-over ends) at the opening on each side of the back placket.

If using gathered stitches on the skirt waistline, pull gathers to fit the waistband, matching notches as stated above.

Stitch and press the seam allowance towards the waistband.

Fold the waistband in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together, with the folded long edge placed just over the previously stitched seam line, matching the short pressed edges.

Topstitch close to pressed edges and ends.

Add a buttonhole on the wearer's left side of the waistband and a button on the right side. Sew on snaps to the placket to secure it closed. Or leave it open.  

I used a 3/4 (1.9cm) button and kept the buttonhole close to the back edge.  

Some traditional bunads actually have this placket in the front of the skirt and it is then hidden by the apron.  Then you can even sew the vest to the skirt at the waist and the skirt/vest then becomes a dress. You can do the same with this pattern.  The skirt can be made and worn with the back to the front as they are basically the same pattern piece.