I found this fabric at my local Hancock Fabrics a few weekends ago. They were running a 50% off sale on their cotton prints, so OF COURSE I had to pick up a few yards of something.
The print is not normally something I'd go for, honestly. I've never really been a fan of large prints or floral patterns on myself but something about this one intrigued me. There's something vaguely deco/nouveau about this that I like. I've really been trying to break out of my sartorial comfort zone recently so I thought I'd give this one a go.
I used Simplicity pattern 4236, which touts itself as a "misses half circle skirt." It calls for two skirt pieces to be cut, one each for the front and the back. Sewing generally isn't a thing where cutting corners in your process is advisable buuuuuuuuut...... I kind of cheated. Just a little. Instead of cutting two skirt pieces, I folded the fabric in half, lined the pattern piece up along the fold, and then just marked and cut once.
Tha Killer helps by standing along the folded edge. Thanks, duder.
I didn't realize until I'd already had the zipper pinned and ready to go that I didn't have the correct zipper foot for my sewing machine. I'm sure if I'd actually read all the directions for the thing before installing it I'd have known that. No matter, I just stitched it in by hand. Far more time consuming but it did the trick. I didn't try too hard to make my stitches that even, but it'll do. It doesn't look like shite and lays flat enough for my tastes.
An alteration I made to the pattern was to double the width of the waistband. I wanted something a bit thicker so I could wear tops tucked into it all high-waisted like and still have it look clean. I also extended the side of the waistband in the front a couple of inches so it forms kind of a tabbed hook-and-eye closure. Maybe there's a fancy name for that?
The end result of my evening's labor was a pretty, simple, clean-lined circle skirt. The pattern is cut on the bias so it drapes nicely.
I paired the skirt with a navy top, some navy flats, and a canvas bag. It was perfect for the dressy-casual Sunday afternoon I had with a ladyfriend last weekend. The weather in New Orleans was downright pleasant - temperate, not a cloud in the sky or too much humidity, and even a gentle breeze blowing.
