Nov 4, 2025inspirations

Sewing a Sequin Skirt for the Holidays

There are still a few weeks left before the holiday season, but now is the perfect time to start thinking about your handmade outfit! By planning ahead as early as November, you'll avoid the rush of preparations and fully enjoy your creation.

This month, I chose to make a midi-length pencil skirt in a sequined fabric—a chic, festive piece that's actually easier to sew than you might think. In this article, I'll share all my adjustments, sewing tips, and assembly advice using my customizable patterns.

The bosses

For this skirt, I mixed the Straight Skirt pattern, in its midi length, with the Just the Bottom bonus belt.

To simplify sewing sequined fabric, I replaced the front darts of the pattern with small flat pleats, which are easier to make and better suited to this material.
The back darts were retained to maintain a nice shape.

As for the belt, the original version is folded in half lengthwise. Since sequins can sometimes scratch the skin, I preferred to line it: the outside with sequins, and the inside with the lining fabric.
The belt therefore measures 4.5 cm in height, including 1 cm seam allowances on the top and bottom edges.

The fabrics

I used this dark navy sequined fabric from Stragier , which I had already sewn for my book Party Dressing. I loved working with it: it's much easier to handle than you might think!
Its price is a bit high, admittedly, but since a straight skirt requires little yardage, it's an ideal choice for a festive sewing project.

For the lining (essential with sequined fabric!), I chose Venezia in cupro acetate . It's fluid, high quality, and above all, antistatic: perfect if you're wearing tights.
I also covered the belt with Stragier DS2 , for a nice finish.

Tips for sewing sequins

Sewing sequins requires some precautions, but it remains quite accessible if you adopt the right techniques. Here are the main points to remember:

Choose a simple pattern with few details. Avoid gathers, princess seams, and draping: clean, minimalist shapes are best suited to this type of fabric. For this skirt, I replaced the front darts with flat pleats, which are better for sequins.

Identify the fabric base to which the sequins are attached. Here, it's a non-stretch tulle, perfectly compatible with my patterns designed for woven fabrics. However, avoid sequins mounted on a knit base.
Do not wash the fabric before sewing. Sequins do not withstand machine washing well and may be damaged.
Use the right tools. Avoid using your precision scissors to cut the sequins; instead, use an old pair or a rotary cutter with a slightly worn blade. This is the method I used, and it worked very well. For sewing, a size 90 universal needle is perfectly suitable.
Extend the straight stitch length to 3.5 mm to achieve neat and even seams.
Spread the seam allowances apart rather than pressing them to one side to avoid bulk. When ironing, always use a damp cloth between the iron's soleplate and the sequined fabric to protect the material.
Replace the buttons and buttonholes with sew-on snap fasteners , which are more suitable.
Mark the darts and pleats using basting thread, as marking with chalk or a Frixion pen is difficult on sequins. The base can be notched in the margin.
Make installing the invisible zip easier by removing a few sequins by hand along the seam if it catches once sewn.
Always double your creation : this guarantees greater comfort when worn and a neater finish. The assembly instructions are detailed below.

The finishing touches

My skirt is fully lined. Here are the steps to achieve a clean and professional finish:

Assemble the sequined skirt : create the back darts, then the side seams. Position the invisible zipper at the center back and continue sewing under the zipper to the vent marking.
Assemble the lining skirt : stitch the back and front darts, sew the side seams, then sew the center back seam from the zip mark to the slit mark.
Slip the sequined skirt inside the lining skirt, right sides together.
Stitch the hem 1 cm from the edge, then understitch to hold the lining in place.
With right sides together, stitch 1 cm from the edge on one side of the slit, then proceed in the same way for the second side.
Turn the whole thing right side out and reinforce the top of the slit with a few hand stitches.
Attach the lining to each side of the invisible zipper, right sides together, for a clean finish.
Form the flat pleats on the front of the sequined skirt, in place of the initial darts.
Attach the sequined waistband to the waist, right sides together, by sewing the sequined fabric and the skirt lining together.
Lay the belt upwards.
Form a 1 cm fold towards the wrong side on the lower edge of the lining belt.
Assemble the lining belt, right sides together, with the sequined belt, and stitch 1 cm from the edge on the small ends and the top edge.
Turn the belt right side out, then secure the bottom edge of the belt lining with machine or hand stitching, depending on the desired finish.
Finish the skirt by hand-sewing a snap fastener to the ends of the waistband, just above the zip.

And one last tip: set aside a little time to clean your sewing space… sequins tend to get everywhere!

Happy sewing for the holidays ✨

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