Tweedy Sheath

 I've been wanting to make a basic black sheath skirt for a while (not as long as the last basic black skirt I made.)

This is not it.

But! It is one step closer to it, because I'm still trying to figure out what size skirt I really should make.  I want to be able to wear pattern size 16, but my current abdomen prevents that. (I mean, my hips wouldn't be too cooperative with it, either, but there's leeway, depending on the style.)  Could I wear pattern size 18?  Possibly!  But I overcorrected and went with size 20 for this.  I will say: it fits with great ease.

And it is cute.

Bott the the pattern--It's So Easy It's Simplicity 9815--and the fabrics were purchases from the craft re-use thrift store.

The fabric is very likely 100% wool, which meant it sewed lovely..ly, with all the seams and stitches disappearing into the fabric, and everything pressing perfectly into place.

There's a machine blind stitch at the hem, perfectly invisible.

Limited yardage means this is a bit shorter than pattern view A is supposed to be, but I'm shorter than patterns are drafted for, so that isn't a problem.  I also took in the hem 2" at each side around the seams, making it 8" narrower than intended, tapering from about 14" up.  If I do try making this in size 18, I hope to remember to taper it the same way. (and if things happen and I have cause to take it in at the waist, I think this means I could leave the hemline alone, tapering from the other direction.)

I'm still not comfortable with lapped zippers, and this fabric seems like it would have been too heavy for that anyway.  This centered zipper application is nicely innocuous.

I'm glad I sorted my single buttons into their own divided storage--it makes picking a skirt button really easy, and tempts me into choosing the (relatively) fun buttons more often.

This pattern has a kick pleat, which I left in place even at the shorter length.  The result is a very short kick pleat.  Knowing it was there, as small as it is, convinced me to go ahead and peg the skirt width, as mentioned above.

Basic black lining, cut the same length as the shell, with a double folded hem, hanging free.  The back has a simple vent instead of a kick pleat. Not the most elegant, but it works.

And, yeah, I serged this all with white. Better an uncoordinated thread than putting it off forever because I didn't want to change the thread in the serger, right?  Right.

I tried the technique I figured out before, of first sewing the lining to the zipper, with the fabric fairly far from the teeth, then sewing the zipper to the shell as normal, before sewing the back pieces to the front of both shell and lining.  This gives a fairly clean finish with no need for hand stitching.

Waistband was the usual method of pressing it in half lengthwise, then pressing one long edge in 5/8", before sewing it to the skirt on the inside, then pressing it up and wrapping it to the front to encase the seam allowances, sewing the ends closed, and finishing bit edge stitching from the front. Yes, I know, visible edge stitching isn't the cleanest finish, or the Best Practice, but it works with my brain, so it's what I do.

The buttonhole was stitched with a vintage buttonholer, and I sewed the button on with the machine.

And so I have a skirt! That fits my waist! Whether I'm happy about that or not!

(yes, plaid is a neutral.)