Making a Sewing Pattern Your Own: My Shortened A-Line Midi Skirt

One of the things I love most about sewing is the freedom to take a pattern and make it work for you.  

Sometimes that means changing the fabric or adding a small detail, while at other times it's about looking beyond the original design and seeing the potential to create something that feels completely your own.

My latest make, a shortened version of the A-Line Midi Skirt by The Assembly Line, is a perfect example.

Finding Inspiration

The idea for this skirt started when I spotted a shorter A-line style on Instagram that I loved. Rather than looking for a completely new sewing pattern to recreate the look, I realised that The Assembly Line's A-Line Midi Skirt could be the perfect starting point.

The original pattern has a beautifully simple A-line silhouette with an elasticated waistband, but I wanted my version to finish just below the knee for a slightly different proportion.

I shortened the pattern by 15cm and immediately loved how this small change transformed the overall feel of the skirt. It's still recognisably the original design, but the shorter length feels much more in keeping with the style I had in mind — and, importantly, with how I wanted to wear it.

Making a Few Simple Changes

Alongside shortening the skirt, I decided to omit the pockets for a cleaner, more pared-back silhouette.

I also pivoted the pattern pieces so that I could cut them on the fold rather than having additional seams. These were relatively small adjustments, but together they helped me create the simple, streamlined look I was aiming for.

For the side seams, I chose to use French seams, giving the inside of the skirt a beautifully neat finish.

It's these kinds of decisions that I increasingly enjoy when sewing. Rather than feeling that I need to follow every element of a pattern exactly, I'm becoming more confident in thinking about how I want the finished garment to look and making considered changes along the way.

Adding the Finishing Touches

One of my favourite adaptations came towards the end of the project.

The A-Line Midi Skirt has an elasticated waistband, but because the skirt itself isn't a heavily gathered style, I felt that the finished waistband looked a little bulky on my version.

Inspired partly by the ready-to-wear skirt I'd originally seen, I decided to add two rows of topstitching through the elasticated waistband.

It was a relatively simple addition, but it made such a difference. The topstitching helped to give the waistband more definition and created a much more considered, finished look.

It's a detail I'll definitely use again, and a good reminder that sometimes it's the decisions you make during the sewing process that can really bring a garment together.

Choosing the Fabric

For this version, I chose Merchant & Mills Laundered Linen in Sweeps Scrim Black.

I already knew and loved the qualities of Merchant & Mills Laundered Linen, and the relaxed texture felt particularly well suited to the simple shape of the skirt. It's breathable and comfortable to wear, making it a lovely fabric for warmer weather, while the black keeps the finished garment feeling versatile and easy to style.

The linen also softens the clean A-line silhouette just enough, creating a skirt that feels relaxed without losing its shape.

It's a great example of how fabric choice can completely influence the personality of a sewing pattern. Made in a crisper cotton, this same skirt would have a more structured silhouette, while linen gives it an easy, lived-in feel.

The Finished Skirt

I'm so pleased with how this version turned out.

The shorter length feels exactly right for me, and I love the simplicity of the finished silhouette. It's the kind of piece I can imagine wearing again and again — easy to pull on with a simple T-shirt or blouse and comfortable enough for everyday wear.

More than anything, though, this project reminded me how satisfying it can be to use a sewing pattern as a starting point rather than seeing it as a set of fixed rules.

A change in length, removing a detail or adding a little topstitching might seem relatively minor, but together those decisions can completely change how a garment feels.

I'm Already Making Another...

Perhaps the best indication of how much I love the finished shape is that I've already cut out my second version.

Once again, the inspiration came from a ready-to-wear style, but this time I'm taking the skirt in a completely different direction.

I've chosen a patterned Hokkoh Organic Squares fabric, with a complementary contrasting print for the waistband. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the combination comes together and how different the same skirt silhouette will feel in a patterned Japanese cotton.

I think that's one of the joys of finding a sewing pattern that really works for you. Once you've established the shape and fit you love, you can start playing with fabric, colour and details to create something new each time.

Making Sewing patterns Work for Your Wardrobe

When I first started sewing, I think I was much more inclined to look at the image on a pattern envelope and imagine making exactly what I saw.

The more I sew, the more I find myself looking at patterns differently.

Could I shorten it? Leave off the pockets? Change the sleeves? Add a contrasting detail? Use a completely unexpected fabric?

You don't necessarily need to make dramatic alterations or have advanced pattern-cutting skills to make a sewing pattern your own. Sometimes the smallest changes are the ones that make a garment feel most personal, and most likely to earn a permanent place in your wardrobe.

For me, that's increasingly what handmade sewing is about: not simply recreating a pattern, but using it as the foundation for clothes that reflect how I actually want to dress.

Sew the Look

Inspired by a ready-to-wear skirt, my version of the A-Line Midi Skirt was shortened by 15cm and sewn in a beautifully textured black laundered linen. A few simple changes, including omitting the pockets and adding two rows of topstitching to the waistband, helped create the clean, considered silhouette I had in mind.

If you'd like to create your own version, you can explore the pattern and fabric used in this project below.

• The A-Line Midi Skirt Sewing Pattern by The Assembly Line
• Merchant & Mills Laundered Linen in Sweeps Scrim Black

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