Pattern: Jenny from Burdastyle

Size made: 36

Fabric: 1.5 yds of cotton print jacquard from Joann’s, beige bemberg rayon to line.

Notes: This is the first time I’ve used a Burdastyle pattern, and it was a bit of a mixed bag – great skirt, lousy instructions!  Let’s start with the good: this pattern fit very well in a 36, which is the size I am instructed to make by the size chart (I’m a 36 below and a 34 on top.)  On the final skirt I did take smaller size seams on the hips, as this fabric doesn’t stretch even a little, and I was worried it might be snug.  I think that was probably a good choice.  The waistband fits fine, though my waist is not quite as small as the size 36 calls for.  I did cut the waistband on the bias, as the pattern asked.

Let’s talk about the fabric first: it was really great to work with!  I was worried it would fray, but that action was really minimal.  I was careful with my print placement – I knew I wanted the largest pink part of the print to be off center in the front.  I didn’t try to match any seams, which I think is totally fine in this print.  I was attempting to make my own version of the J.Crew Impressionist skirt, and luckily I like mine even better – take that, J.Crew and your hundred dollar skirts!

The directions were not great.   So I made them up, which was probably good experience for me anyway!

I  made a few changes from the way the skirt was intended.  I interfaced the waistband facing rather than the waistband, and I hung the lining off that facing instead of attaching it to the skirt.  I did not topstitch the waistband together as the pattern instructed – to do so caused the bias band to stretch, but not the interfaced facing.  I hemmed the lining with the serger because I’m lazy, but I did the skirt hem by hand.  I slip stitched the lining to the zipper tape and to the slit, which gave me quite the aching pain in my hands – apparently my hand sewing technique is not so ergonomic!  I need to go back and tack the lining to the skirt, as occasionally it shifts down so that you can see it just a tad.   My skirt is about an inch longer than the pattern – I just took a more shallow hem.  I like it mid-knee, because it doesn’t feel short, but the proportions look better than just below the knee on me.

Oh, and I’ve decided that I love invisible zippers – they go on like a dream with no basting or pinning!  I think I may use them in the future whenever I can.

I do love this skirt, and I’m interested in making the other 2 versions it came with (a suspender skirt and a dress.)  I might also make a black version, as I have several extra pieces of black fabric lying around, and who couldn’t use a black skirt?   It’s more comfortable than I expected – I wouldn’t try to run or anything, but the slit is sufficient for walking.  It was very quick – I cut the fabric on Wednesday and sewed it up on Thursday.  Highly recommended, but be sure you won’t need hand holding from the instructions!