Skirt #2 Finished!

Whew!! That is it.  My brown linen blend Simplicity 2451 skirt is finished.  I am "pleased as punch" with the results, and thankful to be moving on to my next project.  For a moment there I thought I was going to be on this skirt  F-O-R-E-V-E-R.  Not so, my day of sweet success is at hand.

But before I get into showing off my second beauty, let me give you some details about the construction.  Here is a refresher of what Simplicity 2451 looks like:

I made View C in a size 14.  I started with a size 16, but with the added stretch factor of the linen blend I was using, I ended up going down to a 14.  It seems as though I am a 16 in wovens and a 14 in knits for skirts (I have yet to attempt pants but I imagine they would be related in sizing).

This pattern is marked "easy-to-sew," and it is; however, as I have learned in the past, easy does not mean quick.  The techniques from this skirt are all basic (zipper insertion, pleats, darts, facing, hem, skirt vent, slipstitching) but the thing that threw me off was adding a lining.  What can I say?  I wanted a pretty skirt that was custom made.  Besides, the fabric I used was medium wt., but you could still see through it.

So for the lining I had to pull out my reference materials.  I mostly wanted to know when to add the lining when you are sewing a fitted waistband.  I finally found my answer on sewing.org, and it was smooth sailing from there until I came to the zipper insertion.  I decided to attempt an invisible zipper insertion for the first time, and used a wonderful tutorial mentioned by Rachel found here.  However, silly me, I should have read through the instructions on my skirt first, because they were for a lapped zipper (this is where one side laps over the other when the zipper is closed).  So I figured this out after I had put in my invisible zipper and it looked wrong because I had all this extra fabric gathered around the zipper.

Skirt Front

When I corrected this error, I was pleased to see the way the fabric lay in a much better way.  In fact, I like the "rear view" now LOL!

Skirt Back

As a side note, there is a lot of slipstitching to be done.  Since the yoke waistband has a facing, it is slipstitched to the interior.  The hem was also slipstitched so if you don't care for much hand-sewing this might be a task.  I wasn't too bothered by it.  I like hand-sewing because I can sit quietly with the radio or TV on while the kids nap and just do it.  It is very calming for me, and I feel like my finished garment is more "couture".

Skirt inside with lining (front)

The skirt vent was also a departure for me, since the last skirt I made did not have one, but once again, Jenna recommended a great tutorial here that helped the process along.

Skirt inside with lining (back)

So, all things considered, I ended up with a great skirt!  The fit is great, it is very comfy, and I really like the linen blend (except for the wrinkle factor).  But then again, I'll have to see how the skirt stands up to actually wearing it for a day before I make my final decision.

Would I make it again?  Yes I would!  I can see this skirt in a dressier fabric for sure!  Also, I was tentative about the pleats on the skirt, but they are actually much nicer than I anticipated.

So, yes, this skirt is one I will definitely be wearing as it gets warmer (which judging by the weather here in GA will be soon).

My next project will be Simplicity's 2868 pencil skirt (if some of you recall from my Sensational Skirt plan).

I am hoping that this skirt is kinder to me since I worked so hard with 2451.  We'll see!

Stay sew-filled!