A Colorful Finish to National Sewing Month: Mccalls 8510

As National Sewing Month comes to a close, I wanted to share a recent project that pushed me out of my comfort zone and was sew worth it—McCalls #8510, view C. This skirt is perfect for tall girls like me, with no alterations needed for length, which is always a win!

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The pattern offers a lot of versatility, allowing you to use one fabric, two different fabrics, or even five. Of course, I went for the bold option and used five cotton African waxprints to really make the design pop.

Design Details

This is a circle skirt with beautiful curved lines, which makes fabric placement incredibly important.

Since each piece needs to fit together perfectly, following the pattern guidelines is key to ensuring the fabric has enough give and stretch in the right places.

I took my time with this one, sewing each piece together carefully. After stitching two pieces, I pressed the seams, finished the edges with my serger, and topstitched to give it a clean, polished finish.

I decided on a red zipper to add a pop of color. You could choose black if you wanted it to blend in more. What type of person are you? Statement zipper or no?




Skirt interior after serging and topstitching.

Adding Pockets

The original pattern doesn’t include pockets, but a skirt without pockets is like a day without sunshine! So, I added inset pockets to mine.

I know how much we all love pockets, so I couldn’t leave them out.

I also took photos of the process and am happy to share how I did it, step by step, for anyone interested in adding pockets to their version.

Finishing the Hem

Since this is a circle skirt, hemming can be tricky with all those curves. To make it easier, I first stitched a ¼ inch line around the entire hem. This gave me a guide for pressing the hem in place before sewing it down. It’s a little extra work, but it really makes a difference in the final look of the skirt, giving it a crisp, clean finish that flows beautifully.

Final Thoughts

I love how this skirt turned out, and the combination of bold African waxprints makes it a standout piece in my wardrobe. The curved lines, the vibrant mix of fabrics, and the added pockets make this a fun and functional skirt that I'll be wearing all season long.


Have you ever tried McCalls #8510, or are you thinking about adding it to your sewing list? If you’re curious about the pocket hack or want to see how I pieced this skirt together, let me know in the comments!

Happy sewing, and here’s to many more creative projects in the months to come!