Muslin for Simplicity 2451

I finished my muslin today.  Of course I ended up doing some other things with my family today so I am just now getting around to posting pictures.  Let me just say that I didn't mind my muslin experience as much as I thought I would.  I started out thinking I would just do a simple mock-up of my skirt, leaving out details such pockets, but...as I got going I had a little trouble editing myself.  I did at least leave out the zipper, though!

Here is the rundown:

The construction was mostly simple.  I really didn't have any hang-ups on this pattern, and I love the way the pieces fit together.  The pleat construction was easy, and I really like the way they look.  I was nervous it would be a little too much going on, and would give me a "bloated look," but not so.  The yoke sits "just right" at my waist, and the size 16 worked out perfectly (for me).

Ok, one of my favorite features of this skirt is the pocket.  It is concealed in the design by the arrangement of the pleats, and the construction is quite clever.  This is my second time doing pockets and I didn't have any issues to speak of.  I must say I don't know what I would use a pocket for in a skirt, but I guess it would be there if I needed one, right?

Here is the back of the skirt.  I left the zipper out of the muslin (of course) so my hubby pinned the fabric together for me in order to take the picture.  The first thing I must say is it is hard to get a skirt to fit well when you have a big butt!  Literally, my butt is so big the fabric sometimes sits up a little higher on the booty, and makes my hemline appear uneven!  I'm sure there is a way to fix that!  This skirt does that some, but has just enough ease for it not to be a big deal.

Do you see the back vent?  It is still closed because I did not get to that part of the instructions yet.  Since this is my first time working with a vent I will probably practice on my muslin before I move on to the real thing.  Also, I played around with the darts and moved each one a little more to the right, but I will keep them where they are on the original pattern when I sew my skirt up.  They just look a little too close to me right now.

Overall, I am interested in seeing how this skirt comes out.  At least I feel more comfortable with sewing it now that I have done the muslin already.  Here is a photo of the fabric I will be using:

It is a linen blend, and I hope it behaves nicely!  The color is very rich, and it feels soft and pretty.  I ordered it from fabric.com, and when I saw it I immediately liked it.  I have yet to pre-wash it, but I will be doing that tonight.  I hope it doesn't shrink much, but I should have more than enough fabric to make it work.

This weekend has been uneventful and relaxing, just the way it should be!  I will be working in short bursts to finish this skirt, and I will check in again soon.  Have a great rest of the weekend everyone!

Stay sew-filled!