How to Draft a Circle Skirt: The Radius Formula, Step by Step
The short answer: a circle skirt pattern is two circles drawn from the same centre point. For the inner (waist) circle, divide your waist opening by 6.28 (that's 2 × π) to get the radius. Add the skirt length to that radius to get the outer (hem) circle. For a pull-on skirt with no zip, use the hip measurement as the waist opening and finish it with an elastic or knit waistband.
Circle skirts are one of the most rewarding things to sew for children. They're quick and forgiving, and every child who owns one spins in it. Marina, the tailor and pattern designer behind Frocks & Frolics, calls the love of spinning universal. Drafting your own looks mathematical, but it's one formula and a tape measure. Here's how to do it.
The circle skirt formula
Radius = waist opening ÷ 6.28
The radius is the distance from the centre of the circle to the waistline. You only ever draw a quarter of the circle on paper. Folding the fabric in four when you cut gives you the full circle.
Which measurement to use for the waist opening
- Pull-on skirt (no zip, no buttons): use the hip measurement, at the widest point of the hips, so the skirt slides over them. The waistband (knit or elastic) then pulls it in to the waist. This is the easiest version and the one Marina recommends for children.
- Fitted waistband with a zip: use the waist measurement plus a little ease, and add an opening.
Worked example
For a child with a 60 cm hip who wants a 35 cm long skirt:
- Radius = 60 ÷ 6.28 = 9.5 cm (rounded)
- Waist cutting line = 9.5 cm − 1 cm seam allowance = 8.5 cm from the corner
- Hem line = 9.5 cm + 35 cm length + 1 cm hem allowance = 45.5 cm from the corner
Moving the waist cutting line 1 cm in towards the corner means that after you sew, the seam line measures the full 60 cm.
How to draft the pattern, step by step
Step 1: Prepare your paper
You need a sheet big enough for a quarter circle, one that is at least as wide and as long as your hem-line measurement (45.5 cm in the example). Draw a right angle in one corner. That corner is the centre of the circle.
Step 2: Draw the waist curve
Measure your waist cutting line distance from the corner and make a mark every few centimetres as you swing round from one edge to the other. You can make a simple compass with a tape measure: hold the zero end at the corner and pivot a pencil at the right distance. Join the marks into a smooth curve.
Step 3: Draw the hem curve
Repeat with the hem-line measurement. Label the two straight edges "place on fold".
Step 4: Check that it fits your fabric
Fold the fabric in half lengthways, then in half again crossways, so you have four layers. The folded fabric has to be at least as wide as your hem-line measurement. With 150 cm (60 in) wide fabric, that gives you 75 cm to work with, which is plenty for most children's skirts. If your measurement is bigger, cut two half-circles instead and join them with side seams.
How to sew a circle skirt
- Cut the circle with the pattern's straight edges on the two folds.
- Stay-stitch the waist edge straight away. Much of it is on the bias, so it stretches easily as you handle it.
- Attach the waistband. Use a knit "yoga" waistband for a soft, comfortable fit, or a woven waistband with elastic threaded through.
- Let it hang for 24 hours before hemming. The bias sections of a circle skirt drop under their own weight, and letting them settle first gives you an even hem.
- Hem with a narrow finish. A curved hem is easiest with a narrow rolled hem. See the hem video tutorials for rolled edge and machine hems.
No-hem option: cut a second circle in lining, sew the two together at the hem, and turn them through. This is how the Caitlin Circle Skirt works: it's fully lined, so it needs no hem at all.
Choosing fabric for a circle skirt
Circle skirts work in a wide range of fabrics. Fabrics that drape give more swish, and crisper fabrics hold more volume.
- Party and dance skirts: tulle (Marina recommends embroidered tulle over a satin lining), chiffon or sateen
- Everyday and school: printed cotton, chambray or a stable jersey
- Waistband: for a knit yoga waistband, use a stable knit such as interlock with 3–5% Lycra so it keeps its shape
- Lining: smooth, lightweight satin or cotton for comfort
The Vivienne Girls Dress with a circle skirt: all the twirl.
Prefer a ready-made pattern?
If you'd rather skip the maths, the Caitlin Circle Skirt pattern for ages 1–12 includes a yoga waistband or elastic waistband option and a full video tutorial. It also includes a draft-it-yourself lesson, so you can make circle skirts in any size, including your own. For a whole dress, the Vivienne Girls Dress offers plain, pleated and gathered circle skirt options. You can find more twirly styles in our skirt sewing patterns.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate the radius for a circle skirt?
Divide the waist opening by 6.28 (2 × π). For a pull-on skirt, use the hip measurement as the waist opening. For example, a 60 cm hip gives a 9.5 cm radius.
How much fabric do I need for a circle skirt?
Add the radius, the skirt length and the hem allowance together. If the total is less than half your fabric width, one piece of fabric twice that total in length will do. The Caitlin pattern, for example, needs 70 cm–1 m each of main fabric and lining for sizes 1–12.
Does a circle skirt need a zip?
Not if you use the hip measurement for the waist opening and an elastic or knit waistband. The skirt pulls on over the hips, and that's the simplest way to sew one for children.
Why is my circle skirt hem uneven?
Parts of the hem are cut on the bias and stretch as the skirt hangs. Leave the skirt on a hanger for a day, trim the hem level, then sew it.
What's the difference between a full circle and a half circle skirt?
A full circle skirt flares out into a complete ring and gives the most twirl. A half circle uses half the fabric and hangs more softly. For a half circle, divide the waist opening by 3.14 instead of 6.28.