I know that turning over a new leaf doesn't actually refer to plant leaves, but the beautiful print of this fabric looks just like a leafy summer day to me. And every new pencil skirt pattern that I try is just another opportunity to get it right, so the title just seemed appropriate.
This cotton stretch sateen is from Fabric.com, and I knew the minute I saw it that it wanted to be a pencil skirt.
I was very excited when Butterick 5466 was released. I know the pattern seems pretty basic, but it has some design features that really work for me. First, instead of single darts at the waistline, this pattern has double darts in both the front and back. I have been interested in trying a pencil skirt with double darts because I was hoping this would be easier to fit to both my hips/thighs (largish) and waist (proportionately small), and I've had problems with skirts where the front is one solid piece in the past. However, the double waist dart is a detail that's more common in vintage patterns, so this came at just the right time for me.
Second, the pattern has options for this skirt both with and without a waistband which is great for me because I don't like how waistbands look on me. It's not like you're ever going to see one on me because I don't tuck in my shirts often, and when I do, I've most likely stuck a belt over it. In both those cases, a waistband just feels wrong.
Third, there's no slit in the back, and the skirt doesn't need one. The last slit I made turned out horribly with too much everything everywhere and bad stitching, so I've been avoiding them. I know I'll have to master this skill eventually, but luckily for me, this skirt didn't require it.
Enlarge the picture at your own risk. I warn you. I have scary old lady neck, but the skirt looks fantastic.
The pattern itself is not complicated. It's only three pattern pieces and the waist facing, and despite the double waist darts, there's nothing unexpected in how it's put together. I just gave the instructions the barest glance.
Because of my hip/thigh-to-waist ratio, I cut out one size larger than my actual hip/thigh measurement and altered down at the side seams. This allowed me to adjust the seam lines to match the exact curve of my hip (I have a little high-hip fluff). I was originally going to peg the bottom, but in the end, I decided to do a straight side hem.
The only thing I'm going to change the next time I make this pattern (and make no mistake, there will be a next time), is to lengthen the skirt. I liked the length of the skirt unhemmed, so I finished the bottom edge on my serger and did a narrow, single-fold hem. Not the most professional, but it's neat, and I got the length that I wanted. And because the skirt is narrow and the fabric is lightweight and stretchy, the hem didn't really need the extra fabric to weight it to make it hang properly (please do not shatter this illusion because I love this skirt). With a heavier and drapier fabric, a narrow hem might not work so well. I may also go back and add hem tape to better protect the raw edge, but I'd had a rough week and wanted to wear this to work, so I fudged a little.
I used an invisible zipper, and I need to practice this more because sewing that back seam after the zipper is installed is always a tricky proposition for me. There's a little pull in the back seam just under the zipper that I'll need to fix. I had also considered putting in a lining, but when I tried the skirt on after I installed the zipper, I changed my mind and decided to keep it as light as possible for wear in hotter weather.
The fabric was a great choice as the stretch content made the skirt easy to walk in without the back slit and helped minimize the wrinkling. All in all, I'm pleased. This might just be my first tried-and-true pattern. And the best part is that the pattern uses so little fabric that I still have enough left to make another skirt at some point in the future.
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