Mini-capsule wardrobe item #5 | a Re-fashion

Do you have that odd piece of clothing that doesn't fit your needs anymore..... that maybe hangs isolated in the closet, never to see the light of day?  This skirt began as one of those not-so-loved-anymore garments..... but not now!  This cutie is already much loved and will be worn.... lots!! 

The idea for this skirt began percolating in my head as I planned the mini-capsule wardrobe for this Fall, knowing I needed a fitted skirt in the charcoal gray color scale to be worn with tops tucked in/or out.  When I saw the Burda 02/2017 #117 Skirt pattern here, here and here it made me think of the elastic-waist NewLook 6192 skirt  I made back in Fall 2016, fully lined with in-seam pockets, and though it was worn from time to time, it always felt a little 'clunky' so it's been hanging in my studio..... taking up valuable real estate on the rack, just waiting for the right project to come along to transform it into something useful.   My weight is down more than 15 pounds from 2016 and the elastic waist felt bulky and all bunched up, particularly in the back where my back is narrow anyway..... so a re-fashion into this cute Burda skirt seemed like a good plan.  But oh my goodness, I had no idea how much (extra!) work a re-fashion could be!

Everything from the old skirt was incorporated into the new skirt..... even the waistband.  I began by unpicking the elastic waist waistband to preserve the fabric in both the skirt and waistband.  The NewLook skirt was already a little short and I did not want to go any shorter.  Then I carefully cut apart the side seams and laid everything on my newly traced Burda pattern pieces.   I traced a size 36 waist, graded to a size 38 at the hips flaring out the hem just a little.  This is a pencil skirt pattern with a vent and I wanted more of an A-line skirt with no vent.  The faux pockets and the diagonal seamlines act as a sort of curved dart to help with shaping, so these had to be cut from a leftover piece of this fabric squirreled away in the stash as my NL skirt did not have enough.  Initially thought about eliminating these and make a simple skirt without these features, but thought the shaping would be nice.  It is.

Decided to use a center lapped all-purpose zipper instead of an invisible zip because of not feeling confident of sewing an invisible zip without that darn pucker at the end.  Kind of proud of this zipper application here.  One thing I really like about Burda patterns, is  that their back skirt pieces are always narrower than the front.  For instance..... when this skirt is hung on a hanger, you cannot hang it by centering the skirt off the side seams.  The front is a little wider overall than the back.  I need this type of fit.

This skirt was a roller-coaster ride of emotions.  First I thought it was going to be too small..... then I just knew it was going to be too big..... all to find out when the lining was installed it fit just right.  Goldilocks Syndrome in a good way!!  I used the old NL skirt lining pieces eye-balling where the darts and shaping were and simply turning them under.  The only thing I did not think about is the extra flare at the NL skirt's hem.  You can't see any of that here, as the lining behaves itself well under the skirt, but I can feel the swishiness of the lining's flared-ness enclosed by the now much narrower skirt and may go back in and slim up the lining's side seams at a later date.  By the way..... the more I sew, the more I understand the importance of lining a garment.  I have a half slip, and once the waistband was partially installed I considered finishing this skirt as an unlined piece..... but wanting to stay true to my original plan went ahead and finished incorporating the old lining into the new skirt and found the entire fit was a more superior fit and finish.  Lining affects the fit and wearability of a garment in a big way.

A little note about the waistband..... the Burda waistband pattern was shorter than my skirt's top by a good couple of inches, so I unpicked the waistband side seams of the NL skirt and custom measured the Burda's skirt finished measurements both front and back and cut the new waistband off those measurements adding seam allowances at both sides.   And before I forget..... Catia, The Petite Cat's blog post about her cute version of this skirt, was most helpful in constructing my skirt.  I followed along with her photographs and that was nice to have a sort of visual help in making a Burda pattern.

Aren't these silver buttons perfect?!  Recently an elderly lady at church tearfully gifted me her beloved button collection.  She had realized she was unable to sew anymore and wanted her collection to go to someone who might understand their value and use them.  She evidently had made fitted business suits and jackets for herself back in the day and most of her buttons are of beauty and quality.  These are from her.

One of my goals for 2018 was to sew more fitted garments for myself, which meant I needed to learn how to better fit myself.  I've learned a lot this year and feel this skirt shows the improvement well.  An overall look of the skirt paired with the Burda top.  Our weather has been up, down and all around lately with today being rainy and gray outside, thus trying an indoor shot.

This completes another 2018 Burda Challenge for November....

.....and a Make a Garment a Month Challenge.

Almost done with the mini-capsule wardrobe.  Got an Itch-to-Stitch Hepburn Turtleneck and an Ottobre Cardi to go...... but in the meantime finishing up a Blank Slate Pattern/Melly Sews Women's V-neck Tshirt free pattern  because I desperately need new workout shirts and this is the type I like to wear.  It's all done but the neckband.

Happy Sewing All!  :)