Tiny Zippers

This particular Butterick pattern didn't have a full skirt piece in it, so I just cut a rectangle 20" wide and 6" high. I marked a waist seam line 3/4" from the top. I marked center back lines 3/4" from each side of the rectangle.

For machine sewers, run a basting seam above the waist seam line, and be sure to have a knot at one end. Don't have the basting seam lapse into the area beyond the center back lines. Also, hem the bottom, but have the hem seam start and stop inside the center back lines (then the hem can be finished "even" when the center back is sewn together.)

For hand sewers, do a long "in and out" stitch as shown here, and be sure to have a strong knot at one end. Then simply pull the fabric along the seam to form "gathers".

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