wiggle!

This is why I sew: to make myself an army of floral print pencil skirts!

This skirt has pretty much everything I want—a purply pink print, a tapered bottom, and seam lines that make my hips look like they’re bigger than they actually are (hah!).

Hips!

Pattern: Burda 7069, View B.

Fabric: Cotton/lycra sateen for self; cotton broadcloth for piping.  Thing had some heavy stretch so I fused my interfacing to some 100% cotton batiste that’s now sandwiched in between the waistband and the facing.  I can’t be the only person who thinks that fusing non-stretchy interfacing to stretchy fabric is a recipe for disaster, right…?!

Cost/Time: $18.00 ish.  2 weekends?  I sew at a snail’s pace.

Alterations:  Because I am a short inverted triangle, I shortened the skirt by about 6 inches(!) and tapered it from a size 10 at the waist to a size 8 at the hem.  I also shaved off about half an inch off the top of the waistband in a futile attempt to minimize waistband rollage.  I also snipped off a little wedge in the center back where the waistband met the skirt.  I guess this is an uber-simple swayback adjustment?  It lies perfectly flat on my backside now, which is kind of amazing after dealing with weird bumps in the back of all my skirts!

First time piping!  I had to run back to Mood for broadcloth and cording because I realized the seams were disappearing into the print.  Shit took FOREVER to make, and, in retrospect, I probably put them in the wrong way too.  I sewed the side gores to the center panels, pressed the seams open, ripped the seams apart, and, using the pressed seam allowance as a guide, applied the piping with some magic double sided tape and the invisible zipper foot.  

Mitered corners.  Another first!  They turned out decent, methinks.  Still a lot to learn.  Seams alongside the zipper are getting more even!  Catch stitched the hem by hand because my machine and its blind hem foot makes the most visible invisible hem ever.

I really want to make another one of these in LEOPARD PRINT, but I’ve made three printed skirts straight/pencil/wiggle skirts earlier this year and it’s time to tackle some tops.  Maybe this leopard print blouse . . . ?