The Pencil Skirt the Hurricane Blew In...

So what's a girl to do when Mother Nature give you a hurricane day home from school? 
She heads straight to the sewing machine while she still has power and sews up that skirt she's been meaning to make since last winter!

Plaid Pencil Skirt

Back view - I'm pretty happy with the
plaid matching.

I found this fabric at G-Street on the $3.99 table when I was visiting the store for the class where I made this blouse.  I knew that it was going to become an easy, pull-on skirt, but got side-tracked by several other projects...and then it was spring...

At first I tried to draft my own pattern using a skirt that fits me.  It seemed like it should be easy, but low confidence in my pattern drafting ability and the fact that I'm still getting into the swing of sewing for myself after all these years made it a frustrating experience.



After multiple tries with a muslin, I realized that I really needed to use a pattern for a base.  Digging through my pattern stash I found an old 1988 pattern that may have even been my mother-in-law's.
It was just 3 pieces and the size 18 fit straight out of the package.  (Pattern sizes are nothing like ready-to-wear.  You wear 2-3 sizes smaller in ready-to-wear.  I've heard a lot of reasons why, but it is still shocking to say that I have to cut a size 18!!!)

The waist is 2 1/2 elastic and I added the lining

  





The only changes that I made to the pattern were:

• Left out the belt loops 
• Added a wider elastic waist instead of the 2 pieces of narrow elastic called for
• Added a lining. 
• Fringed the bottom hem instead of a traditional hem 

The lining is some tricot lining that I found in my stash.  

I sewed a tiny zigzag for the hem and then pulled
out the cross threads one at a time.  The plaid made it
easy to keep the hem straight.

I am especially proud of the plaid matching. I didn't worry too much about the vertical matching - just got the horizontal part to work.

Double pinned to match plaids

Since it is a loose weave I was worried about it shifting so I double-pinned it.

All accessorized and ready for winter!

I'm feeling good that I got one winter sewing project done.  Now if we still have power tomorrow....

Oh the possibilities!!!

If you are in Sandy's path, stay safe and dry!