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I began making my own Sybil Illusion skirt collection in 2019, and I’ve made quite a collection! This is actually the name of this fantastic pattern from Love Notions that includes 7 comfortable knit skirt styles in one.

Get ready to see an explosion of fun prints and lots of different types of knit fabrics and skirt styles in this post! There are some sneaky dress mash ups too.

The Sybil Illusion skirt collection has had a complete re-draft and re-test to now include up to size 5X. Get it HERE with my affiliate link if my sewing inspires you and the content is helpful for your own sewing. Use the Code LPN10 at checkout for 10% OFF every day and even during sales.

Features of the Sybil Illusion

As you can see above in the line art, the 7 styles included are:

• Pencil
• A line
• Gored
• Swing
• Pleated
• Asymmetrical wrap
• Dropped yoke with swing (flounce)

Great huh? They include knee & midi length options and anchored inseam pockets. To see a video tutorial with a full detailed step-by-step tutorial on anchored inseam pockets, see the video below.

Video tutorial on achored inseam pockets

They all use a rectangle yoga type waistband. You can add a power mesh control panel in the waistband.

Best fabric choices

Recommended fabrics are different weights of knit fabrics from light to heavy that have at least 40% stretch. This pattern will not work with woven fabrics because many of the styles have negative ease at the waist and hips.

• Pencil & asymmetrical wrap skirt: medium to heavy weight knits like ponte roma, scuba, french terry an athletic knits
• A line skirt, drop yoke, gored, swing & box pleat: light to medium weight knits like ITY, rayon spandex, ponte roma, and scuba

Sizing

Sizing is available from XS-X5 catering up to a waist of 49.5″” and hips of 59.5″. There is some negative ease in the fitted styles.

Hip ease:

• Pencil, asymmetric & dropped yoke: negative 2-3″
• Swing: +5″
• A line: +1.5″
• Box Pleated: +3.5″

Waist has 3-4″ of negative ease with the yoga waistband.

Use your waist to choose your size for the pleated and swing skirts because they have plenty of ease at the hips. For all the other versions, choose your size based on your full hip measurement.

Personal fitting

I am taller at 5ft 8″ than the 5ft 5″ that is the drafted height used by Love Notions and with skirts, my height difference really is noticeable. I have added length to all the knee-length skirts, anywhere from 1.5-2.5″. You can see some diagrams below. Easy changes to make.

Considerations on the waistband

The pattern recommends a rectangle that is 7″ tall by varying length according to the size made, these measurements are provided in the pattern. For my personal preference. I cut mine 6″ tall, as I prefer a slightly narrower waistband.

You can add an optional control panel made with power mesh and elastic. I’ve never had these notions, so I have not tried this. I use a super heavy cotton spandex for my waistbands and they are supportive enough.

Let’s see them all!

Skirts 1 & 2: Pencil skirts with long metal zipper

I made two “twin pencil skirts”, one black and one red, both using Ponte Roma fabric. They are identical but feel different because the black fabric stretches less than the red one. Both are equally comfortable. I decided to do a center front long metal zipper hack, and I wrote a guest blog post for Love Notions all about it with the step by step. You can read it HERE. I also made a video tutorial that is embedded in the post. Click below the image to see the post and the video 🙂

Video tutorial on the zipper hack

I have worn these skirts innumerable times over the last couple of months and find myself reaching for them very frequently! some candid shots below 🙂

Skirt 3: Pencil skirt with adymmetrical front HACK

This is a hack I came up with using the pencil skirt and adding to the center front in a shape that looks like a front crotch curve of pants! crazy right? a little but a cool looking skirt. I made this one with heavy cotton spandex and the full instructions can be found in the link above for the Love Notions guest post all about the Sybil Illusion Skirt Collection.

The center front includes two mitered corners for a clean finish.

Skirt 4: Gored skirt mashed with Margot Peplum bodice

This is the third hack I included in the above mentioned blog post for love notions and I chose excellent quality active-wear fabric with identical stretch horizontally and vertically in order to be able to play with the stripe direction. I love this grey dress and matching the princess seams of the Margot Peplum bodice was sure fun while matching the pieces of the gored skirt at the waist. Fun was had… the dizzying type he he.

Skirt 5: Dropped yoke mashed to the Tessa dress bodice

All the waists from the Sybil Illusion skirt collection are drafted to me mashable to the bodice of the Tessa Sheath Dress and that makes these patterns have endless possibilities together. I chose a navy and white polka dot fabric and instead of adding the flounce below the dropped yoke, I added an overlapped piece with brown wooden buttons. Super fun. This dress is fully lined. You can see all the “how-to” and see it on in the video on my channel all about this fun hack.

Video tutorial on the Sybil – Tessa Mash dress

Skirts 6 & 7: Pencil skirt, no hacks

These are the easiest to make and will let the fabric print shine on its own. I made one in a black Ponte roma with a butterfly print that was a scrap from making the Chip Moto Jacket from Seamwork (See the video here). This skirt is hand hemmed.

The other one is made from seam ripping a cool scuba skirt I thrifted for $1.50. It was a size too big and longer than what I would wear. I LOVE the print and was able to cut a waistband from the bottom of the skirt. Win. This skirt now fits me. I adapted the side seams to have a larger seam allowance of 5/8″ (the pattern includes 3/8″). I prefer a larger seam allowance on bulky fabrics, serged separately, and the seam pressed open. This skirt is also hand hemmed.

Skirt 8: Pencil skirt in stretch lace. Fully lined

Again, I had a scrap of stretch lace from making the Cape Cod Capelet from Itch to Stitch (See the video here) and knew it was enough for a pencil skirt. It is a nice soft stretch of lace and I treat it like a knit… when it obviously isn’t. I lined it with blue ITY I had in my stash and cut it shorter to show the triangle features of the lace. This skirt did not need hemming! yes. Small wins. I’m sure I can dress this skirt up or down too. It doesn’t need to be fancy fancy.

Lining Pro tip: To insert the lining inside the skirt, do this so that the RIGHT side of the lining is touching the WRONG side of the main skirt. This way, the side seams of the lining will be touching your skin and not visible through the lace.

Skirt 9: Stripy asymmetrical wrap skirt

For this skirt, a normal pencil skirt is cut, both front and back on the fold. There is a separate piece that is cut once and it overlaid on the extended front. This asymmetric look it totally my style and I needed to make the slant at the front have a more pronounced angle in order to get the piece from my fabric available. I chose an excellent quality knit fabric intended for active wear, leggings to be exact. Heavy weight at 16.5oz/yard. The compression and recovery of this fabric is amazing, but the best is the print. I hand hemmed and sewed the edges of the wrap piece. The corner has a mitered corner. Super comfy, different and stylish in this striking print.

Skirt 10: Dropped yoke with flounce

I know my single brushed poly with a tiger”ish” print is too lightweight for this style, but nothing lining the skirt can’t fix! I cut a regular mini pencil skirt in knit lining fabric to go inside and turn this skirt into the look of a “medium weight knit”. I added 2.5″ to the length of the yoke at the shorten and lengthen line to account for my height.

The skirt drapes beautifully and feels like I’m wearing pajamas. This truly is one of the most flattering styles out there, in my opinion.

The bonus is that from a little scrap left after cutting the skirt, I was able to squeak out a Bella Donna Top from the same fabric! This gives me the faux dress look… and more options as separates too.

Lining Pro tip: To insert the lining inside the main skirt, make sure the WRONG side of the lining is touching the WRONG side of the skirt and the side seams are touching each other inside. When you wear the skirt, you will be touching the right side of the lining with your skin.

I am obsessed with this style and have picked out 2 more fabrics from my stash to make this version again.

Video tutorial about skirts 5-10

You can see skirts 1&2 and skirts 5-10 plus lots of sewing aspects, footage, lining construction tips and all of them on in my video on my sewing channel.

This truly is a pattern that can go a long way for you. So many different styles and possibilities with these classic skirt designs.

The Sybil Illusion skirt collection has had a complete re-draft and re-test to now include up to size 5X. Get it today Friday the 9th for only $5 (64% OFF), and then for $10 (30% OFF) Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th of July2021. Get it HERE with my affiliate link if my sewing inspires you and the content is helpful for your own sewing.

DISCLAIMER: I was provided the pattern without cost, as a Love Notions ambassador in order to be able to guest blog post for their site. I Purchased my own fabrics for all these skirts.

I have affiliate links in this post to the pattern company and the pattern. If you click on these links, at no cost to you, I receive a small commission that helps finance my sewing, blog and Youtube channel.

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