How to create a maternity panel

Almost two years ago I drafted a 6-panel skirt, just like the one above. It sits slightly underneath the waist and has a 7cm yoke (a little less than 3 inch). I want to use this pattern now to make a maternity skirt for myself.

I decided to leave the back as it is. At the front I want to insert a stretch panel that includes the yoke (of 7cm) and goes 9cm into the front. Here´s how I changed the pattern:



1. I taped the center front and side front panels together and marked the stretchpanel.
2. I taped the front yoke to the skirt panels, cutting the yoke where needed.



3. I measured the size of the darts, adding up.
4. I glued an underlayer of paper under the darted section for stability. This closes the smaller darts, so I created a new dart (the size of the total of the smaller ones) at the panel section. With the underlayer I also straightend out the top of the skirt (it needs to be straight, as the stretch panel will be a folded over double layer).



5. I slashed on leg of the dart. I also cut along the line for the panel up to the dart point.
6. I matched the dart lines and taped. The dart is closed and transferred to the side seam.



7. Before cutting the stretch panel off make sure it is at a right angle from the foldline.
8. Now I cut the panel off and removed the tape that held together the skirt panels.


























9. The stretch panel will be folded as double layer, so I need to create a "mirrored" part. For this, the CF line is extended upward, until it meets in a right angle the height of the side seam.
10. The piece is mirrored along the CFline and so a new pattern piece created. This will be cut on fold at the upper edge. The double layer of the stretch panel will be handled as one when inserted. This fold gives the waist edge a neat finish and more stretch - a seam there or hem) would limit the stretch.

Pictures on the "real stuff" will be up soon!