Friday, August 6, 2010

Pleated

Back in the Spring, my mom and I made a pilgrimage to Gaffney's Fabrics. As usual, I bought about twenty yards of fabric, brought it home, and dumped it on top of a pile in the sewing room. Oh, I had ideas--I always have ideas--but I never cut into a piece of fabric without agonizing over it first.

I had to have this fabric because of all the DOTS and because it's pretty sheer and lightweight. I was imagining it ade up as one of those Eighties-esque elastic-waist skirts that were starting to show up everywhere. Here's one from Modcloth:






I had my eye on Simplicity 2606, but the more I looked at the photo on the envelope, the clearer it became that all that gathering around the waist and hips was going to look terrible on me. I still wanted something with some fullness to give some weight to such sheer fabric, so I focused on pleats. Finally, I settled on Butterick 4686.



I'm happy with how it went together. Basically, it's two huge pieces that are then pleated pleated pleated all the way around. Slap in a zipper, sew on a facing, and you're done. Except...according to the pattern envelope, I should have cut a size 18. I disregarded that, cut a size 16, and then messed up and cut one piece incorrectly--on the line for a size 14. And still...it's too big. If this were sitting up at my waist, the length would be better so I guess I'll be fixing that one day soon. As it is, it looks like my mom bought my skirt a little big so I could grow into it!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Really cute!! It looks great on you. Is it too thin or can you wear it with black tights & MJs in winter with a black turtleneck?
Ooooooh!

Also, does your yellow strawberry match any of the yellows? If so, you've got a rockin' cute outfit!

Congrats on another project well done!
Mags

Michelle said...

Isn't it irritating how the sizes are so "off"? So frustrating!

Anonymous said...

There is no way you wear a size 14

Darling Petunia said...

Mags, I actually had the strawberry on for the picture, but the photographer missed it.

I do think I can "winter it up" with tights. I just need to do something about the fit!

Darling Petunia said...

Michelle, it is frustrating! Simplicity doesn't give me as many headaches, but Butterick and McCalls...oy.

Darling Petunia said...

Anonymous, according to the pattern, I should wear an EIGHTEEN. Pattern sizes are just weird.

Jess said...

That is my favorite skirt pattern ever. But, it does run really big. I think I took about 4 inches out the first time I made it!

Sherry from Alabama said...

Your skirt turned out beautiful and looks wonderful on you! Like you, I bring home fabric and spend more time dreaming of the possiblities than I do actually sewing.

Sherry @ A Happy Valentine

FITZ said...

i'm going home on friday to 19128. will head promptly to gaffney's, ideally alone, so i can obsess as long as i like.

then onto jomar. i've never been. you?