March Burda of the Month Project 03-2014-104 skirt

More scrapbusting! I am so proud of myself. This is a terribly self congratulatory post, I am warning you now if this is a problem, so you can click over to someone in a more modest mood .

 These are the very nice tropical wool in a subtle plaid left overs from the trousers I made for Daughter the first, in a really cute skirt for Daughter the second (for work), so not only have I used up every-little-bit, I have also prevented any hint of sibling war clothing construction imbalance (unless one is a boy, and does not participate in clothing battles care for clothes anyway).
In another stride forward for my sewing goals, I have used a March 2014 Burda Pattern, putting me only 2 months in arrears. Skirt 03-2014-104

technical drawing from http://www.burdafashion.com

See how perfect this is for scrapbusting with all that piecing? You could be excused for completely  missing this pattern, as it is only photographed worn under a boucle jacket, with the model sitting down, and I had to do quite a hard sell for pre-approval.

 

The diagonal pieces in the side panels are not shaped seams, so this could easily be converted to a more simply constructed skirt. (The lining has you cut out the side panels in one piece) I chose to cut the upper pieces on the cross grain to give some interest to the panels - I can't see the point of seaming without some reason for giving the area attention, and besides, it was easier to cut out the skirt from my remnants that way.

 

 

You can see that the skirt is actually quite simple to sew, with no extra need for seam matching as the diagonal panels are in opposite directions at the side seams.

I think the direction of the panels changing between front and back also gives a more shapely appearance when the skirt is worn.

 

I made very few fitting adjustments to the skirt. Basically it is a size 36 with the waist taken in at all seams. I possibly should have taken a little bit more off at the front. My daughter is  petite 162cm (I am pretty sure that is whilst wearing heels), and the skirt flounce just covers her knees, which we find quite work appropriate, but it is probably designed to be shorter.

I applied selvage of the wool fabric to the waist seam, stretching it a little as I did so to help prevent loosening of the waist with wear. I may have overdone this, looking at the back waist, but I don't think this will be a problem when the skirt is worn with a woven blouse for work.

I offered to be very modern, and leave the edge of the flounce unfinished as per the pattern (this is a great concession), but amazingly my daughter thought it would look much better with a hem. I must have more influence than I thought - the hem is done with my rolled hem foot, and still allows the flounce good movement.

Scrapbusting statistics - 0.8m tropical wool plaid ? 2011 and 0.5m synthetic lining .