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MN2204 Brumby / Sewalongs

Brumby Hack: Asymmetrical Gathered Tier

Hey friends! Now that we’ve completed the Brumby skirt sewalong, I thought I’d share a fun hack with you! Of course, one of the easiest hacks you can do to most skirts is to add a gathered tier. But I figured why not switch it up from a basic gathered tier to something a little different, and make it an asymmetrical gathered tier instead! Higher on one side, lower on the other and perfectly gathered.

This hack works best on Version 1, with no centre front seam and no pockets.

First I’ll walk you through how to alter the pattern (you’ll need a wide, large roll of paper for the pattern alteration!), and then how to sew it together. Because of the nature of this hack, the order in which we construct it is slightly different than the order in the Brumby instructions, but we’ll get to that. Want to see how to do it? Let’s go!

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Ok, let’s take a look at the Version 3 skirt pattern piece. It is both the front a back skirt, cut on the fold for the front.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier
how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Using a large roll of paper, trace the skirt pattern and mirror it at the centre, creating one full skirt front pattern. Mark the centre front.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

On the left side, mark 8″ down from the top.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

On the right side, mark 6″ up from the bottom.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier
how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Using a straight ruler, connect these two markings to form your asymmetrical line.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Cut along this line.

Set the bottom half aside.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

On the top half, use scrap paper to add 5/8″ seam allowance along the bottom edge.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

This is now your Skirt top FRONT pattern piece (shorter side on the left, longer side on the right).

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Now trace the skirt top to create a second one, again making sure the centre is marked.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Flip the new/second one over, so it’s a mirror image (the longer side is now on the left, the shorter side on the right).

Cut in half along the centre markings.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier
how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Using scrap paper, add 5/8″ seam allowance to each side at the centre.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Also, use more scrap paper to add 5/8″ seam allowance to the bottom edges of each half.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Notice on the original skirt pattern piece, the two notches at the centre…

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Transfer these markings to each side at the centre.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

This is now the Skirt top BACK pattern piece.

Notice how the front and back are opposite / mirror images of each other. This is important.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Now let’s go back to the bottom half of the skirt. Again, make sure the centre is marked.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Using the centre line as a starting point, draw vertical lines 3″ apart. Number each section to help keep everything in order in the next few steps.

Also, draw a horizontal line through all sections.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Roll out a very long roll of paper. This is going to be quite a large pattern piece when we’re done!

Draw a long horizontal line

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Cut the bottom skirt into pieces along each vertical line.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Lay each section down onto the large piece of paper, about 1.5″ apart, lining up the horizontal lines for correct placement. Tape each section in place.

Use the numbers to make sure the sections are in the right order.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Keep repeating until all sections are laid out and taped down. See – that’s one long pattern piece!

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

True the seams along the top and bottom edges, and side seams if necessary. Truing a seam means re-drawing the line of the seam so it’s smooth, as you can see from the red line in the image above.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Cut out this new large pattern piece, which is now your Skirt Bottom, both front and back. You will need to cut two MIRRORED so they are in opposite directions.

Now you can cut everything out from the fabric. You’ll be cutting on your fabric open, not folded. One skirt top front, one set of skirt top back, and two mirrored skirt bottoms (as well as your waistband pieces and facings).

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Tie to sew! Let’s start with the top BACK pieces. Make sure those centre notches are transferred to your fabric.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

As per the Brumby instructions, cut two pieces of fusible interfacing to be 1 1/4″ wide and 8″ long. Attach them to the wrong side of the back pattern pieces so that they line up with the centre edges and waist seam.

Also, I forgot to do this here – but finish the raw edges of your centre back!

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

This is where the order of construction is going to stray from the Brumby instructions. Normally, the waistband would be attached first before doing the centre back seam. But we need to do things a little differently here with this hack.

We will technically be following the first few steps in the instructions for installing the zipper, but with different measurements, and in a different order.

First using tailor’s chalk, then by sewing basting stitches on your machine, mark a rectangle on the centre back pattern pieces (on top of the waistband and fusible interfacing), 7 1/4″ down and 7/8″ across. (make note that this measurement is different than in the instructions, as the waistband is not attached yet here).

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Now finish following the steps for preparing for the zipper by pressing back the zipper opening, sewing closed the rest of the centre back at 5/8″, and pressing the seam open.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Since we are already working with the skirt back, let’s continue constructing that.

Grab the ‘skirt bottom’ for the back. Make sure it’s the one that lines up with the back seam!

Set your sewing machine to the longest stitch length and sew a line of basting stitches 5/8″ from the raw edge along the top edge of the bottom skirt. Do not backstitch and ensure that you leave long threads on each end.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Sew a second line of basting stitches 3/8″ from the raw edge.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

To gather simply hold the skirt stationary and pull on one of the threads to gather up the skirt.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Gather until it roughly lines up with the bottom edge of the top half, as shown above.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

With right sides together, Place the ‘skirt bottom’ on top of the top of the ‘skirt top’, lining up the raw edges and matching up the centre front notches.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Adjust your gathers, and pin in place.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Sew 5/8″ from the raw edge and finish the raw edge with your preferred method.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Press the seam up towards the skirt top.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier
how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Repeat the same gathering process with the skirt FRONT pieces.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Now place the skirt Front and skirt Back on top of each other with right sides together. Line up the raw edges of the side seams, matching up the seam points. Pin together.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Sew 5/8″ from the raw edge along both side seams. Finish the raw edge with your preferred method. Press the seam towards the back.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Now continue to assemble the waistband, gather the waist, and attach the waistband to the skirt following the Brumby instructions.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Once it’s attached, extend your zipper basting markings and stitches all the way to the top of the waistband on both sides.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Now it’s ready to install your exposed zipper, following the Brumby instructions. Everything from here on out is step-by-step from the Brumby instructions.

how to hack the Brumby skirt to have an asymmetrical gathered tier

Just finish it up with the waistband facing and hem as normal, and it’s all done!

Isn’t that asymmetrical gathered seam line pretty cool? Something a little different from your usual gathered tier!

Brumby Skirt Asymmetrical Hem Hack

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About Author

Holly writes part time for the Megan Nielsen blog– sewing like crazy, creating tutorials and sewalongs. She has been sewing since she was a little girl, and has her degree in apparel design. Now she’s a stay at home mama, and spends all her free nap times at her sewing machine.

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Sarah Tackett
Sarah Tackett
24 days ago

Thank you for this hack. What kind of fabric did you use for your skirt? It looks so pretty.

Anita
Admin
23 days ago
Reply to  Sarah Tackett

Hi Sarah, The fabric is a silky brushed faille!