The Skirt That Took Forever

I guess it's fitting, on this Labor Day weekend, to post a skirt that was very labor intensive!

This is Burda 8216. I first made this skirt in June of '07, and frankly I'm surprised I stuck with it when I was so new to sewing. I couldn't find a link to the pattern (is it out of print already?) so here it is:

Six different sections? Twelve slices to sew together? Belt loops? Pockets? FLAPS on the pockets? Buttonholes? Topstitching? A zipper? Not that any one step is difficult, but you have to be very methodical, and it takes sooo long, especially all the finish work inside. For my first attempt, last summer, I used a floral print from JoAnn's clearance shelves and saved myself some work by skipping the pockets (they would have looked dumb with this fabric anyway). This was the very first time I really took my time, finished all the raw edges, and --ta da!-- used bias tape on a facing!

The pockets looked so neat on the pattern, though, so this time I chose a solid brown linen blend and vowed not to skip anything. Except...when I got to the pockets, I started questioning them. Won't they make the skirt too casual? Should I leave them off so it's more versatile? No no no! I said I was going to make pockets! So here it is in all its pocketed glory:

Sorry the picture isn't the greatest, but I don't have my photographer. I tried to take some using the timer, but it's too hot outside today to screw around!

A word of advice should you attempt this pattern: One way or another, you MUST mark everything! Each piece is a little different, they have to go together in the right order, and trust me, when you have twelve pieces that all look mostly the same? They need to be marked. I cheated a little and didn't transfer every single marking, but I marked each piece with its name on the wrong side.

No contrasting facing this time! Just some dotty bias tape I've been saving for just the right project.