Sometimes the design in the fabric will be more attractive if the skirt is cut in several lengths. When this is necessary, you will have three or four seams in your skirt. This may make a difference in the amount of fabric you will need, so decide how you will cut your skirt before buying your fabric. Make your skirt [Illustration: Pinning the seam] 5″ 1¼″ SEAM Pin the short edges together to make the side seam. Make the seam 1¼ inches wide. It is to be used for the placket. When finished the placket will be on the left side. Stitch the side seam. Stitch the seam from the bottom up. At a point 5 inches from the top, turn and stitch half way across the seam. Turn both edges of the seam toward the front section and press. [Illustration: Stitching the seam] 5″ TRIM TO ⅝″ Trim the seams. Start at the bottom of the wide seam and trim it to ⅝ inch wide up to the placket. Do not trim above this point. Finish the placket 1. Baste and stitch a ¼-inch hem on the back edge of the placket. [Illustration: Hemming the back edge] ¼″ HEM SKIRT BACK 2. Fold the front edge of the placket even with the seam line. Press. Now fold again to make a complete hem. Baste. [Illustration: Completing the hem] ⅝″ FOLD SKIRT FRONT 3. Pin placket together, stitch from the top to the bottom of the placket, turn and stitch across the end on top of first stitching. Pull threads through and tie ends. This is a strong, easy-to-make placket. [Illustration: Finishing the placket] ¼″ HEM BACK ⅝″ HEM FRONT Hem the skirt Skirts look best with hand-stitched hems. Make the hem before placing the band on the skirt. Unless you have poor posture, it will hang even. Decide how long you would like your finished skirt to be. Be careful not to make it too short. Measure from the top edge to the length you would like the skirt to be and press in the hem. Turn the top edge of the hem under ½ inch. Your skirt will be prettier if you make a wide hem—3 inches or wider. When the hem has been carefully pressed and put in place, ask your leader to show you a hand hemming stitch. Place gathering threads at top of skirt Make a long stitch on your machine. Use size 50 top thread and heavy duty for bobbin thread. Using the guide on your machine, stitch around the top of your skirt ¼ inch from the edge. Make two more rows ¼ inch apart. You are now ready to make your skirt band. [Illustration: Skirt band] Make the skirt band 1. Measure your waist. Add 2½ inches. This will give you the length needed for your skirt band. Cut your band 6½ inches wide. 2. Press a ½-inch fold along one side of your band. From the folded edge divide the rest into three sections. This gives three 2-inch sections. Make the section with the ½-inch fold slightly shorter than the other two sections. Press.