Drawing a Scallop Skirt

Hello Everyone,

There are several ways how to draw scallops in Adobe Illustrators.
Let’ use a previously created technical drawing of a basic skirt and transform a straight hemline into a scalloped bottom line.

Decide how many scallops you wish to draw at the bottom of the skirt. Let’s say there are 12 scallops on the hem circumference. This means we have to draw 6 scallops on the front view of the skirt. Do the following to create a scallop hem:

1. Choose the Window > Info command to open the Info panel.

2. Select the Measure tool in the Toolbar.

3. Set the cursor on the left skirt sideline, then move the cursor to the right skirt sideline holding the left mouse button and the Shift key on the keyboard.>

4. Value of the distance between the skirt sidelines will appear in the Info panel. In our case, this distance is 47,576 mm. Let's round it up to 48 mm and divide it by 6 (the desired number of scallops).

5. Select the Ellipse tool in the Toolbar.

6. Draw a circle of 8 mm diameter on the skirt hemline:
1) Set the cursor on the skirt hemline. Press and hold the Alt (Option) key on the keyboard, click.
2) Set Width and Height (circle diameter) in the Ellipse dialog box.
3) Click on the OK button.

7. Use the Zoom tool and zoom in the skirt hemline. Move the circle by using the left arrow key on the keyboard. The circle has to touch the left skirt sideline.

8. Copy the circle by using the Selection tool, the Alt (Option) and Shift keys on the keyboard. The copy of the circle should slightly overlap the first circle.

9. Press the Ctrl (Command) and D keys on the keyboard simultaneously 4 times. Additional four copies of the circle will appear.

10. Carefully select all circles with the Selection tool. Stretch the circles to the right skirt sideline by holding the Shift key on the keyboard and dragging the mouse to the right. Let go of the left mouse button first and then release the Shift key on the keyboard.

11. Select all circles and the skirt outline with the Selection tool. Click on the Unite button in the Pathfinder panel.

The technical illustration of the scalloped skirt is ready.

Note: You can learn how to create illustrations of garments in Adobe Illustrator CC by reading chapters 5 - 8 in my e-textbook "The Craft of Garment Design with Adobe Illustrator".