1 Cut out all pieces as indicated in the cutting guide. Fuse the waistband interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric piece, plus a 3cm-wide strip of interfacing along the wrong side of each selvedge edge of the skirt. Neaten the raw edges, fold the selvedges in by 3cm and press (don’t stitch yet).

2 Neaten one short edge of a pocket piece, fold it over by 3cm to the wrong side, and the other edges in by 1cm, then press. Stitch across 2.5cm down from the upper pocket edge. Clip the corners, then pin 18cm down from the upper edge of the skirt so each pocket is 20cm in from the folded selvedge. Edgestitch around the sides and bottom.

3 Work two parallel rows of long stitches 5mm apart along the upper edge of the skirt. Gently pull the threads, evenly distributing the gathers, until the width is 5cm more than your waist measurement.

4 Pin the waistband to the gathered edge of the skirt, right sides together, with 1.5cm overlap at each selvedge edge. Pin, stitch in place, then fold it in half lengthways and stitch across each short end. Tuck it over inside the skirt and pin in place, then stitch in the ditch to secure.

5 Neaten the lower hemline with a zig zag stitch or overlocker, fold a 3cm hem and press. Tuck up the bottom of the front facing, then stitch the ends along the pressed line of the hem. Clip the corners and secure the facing with hand stitches.

6 Beginning at the top of one selvedge edge, machine stitch the facing and hemline 2.5cm down from the folded edge, working down the facing, then across the hem and up the other side. Stitch a buttonhole on the right-hand side of the waistband, plus five more at 10cm intervals down the right-hand front facing. Add corresponding buttons on the left.