I got another fall project completed yet it’s pretty much already winter here in Chicago. Seriously guys, I saw snow flurries!
I’m quite happy to be able to finally post up another finished object for you all.
This is the Pencil Skirt with Back Godet pattern via BurdaStyle.
Truth be told I’ve had this skirt completed for at least 2 weeks, but it has been sitting in my closet unworn, waiting for a decent weather-day to wear it out for photos. I actually just gave up on the weather and was able to shoot some indoor shots during my lunch break in the atrium of the Chicago Library. I have a hunch I’ll be taking lots of photos here in the upcoming months, due to its relatively decent lighting and the close vicinity to my work.
Along with my pencil skirt, I’m wearing my first vintage knit called Caledonia from a Weldon’s publication that I blogged about here. I get really excited when I’m able to wear fully handcrafted outfits; Felix jokes with me sometimes wondering when I’m going to be a cobbler so I can make my own shoes as well. heh
When I picked out this pattern to make for part of my fall projects, I bought a gorgeous light gray wool for it along with a navy bemberg lining. I thought with all of the techniques I wanted to apply to this skirt, I should probably make a working muslin to be certain that everything would work together nicely. As many of you have been following, I wrote a tutorial on how to Stabilize the Yoke and Reinforce an Inward Corner on the front and back of the skirt yoke, and then I did a basic tutorial on how to Reinforce Pencil Skirt seams and how to Set in a Godet.
Using all of these techniques (as well as using a stay tape on the waist seam) really paid off and I feel like I have a very stable pencil skirt. I’m also really glad I made it once before using my light gray wool. Why you may be asking… I always make a muslin of my waistbands or in this case the yoke which fit perfectly. But I usually forget to take into account the weight of the skirt itself once it’s attached to the waistband/yoke. So while my skirt fits, I think it could be a bit more snug throughout the waist, and then the yoke piece wouldn’t sit as low as it currently is. Darn Gravity! I think only I notice this minute detail, but I’m glad I found out now versus later on my really good fabric.
Here you can see the color of the skirt a bit better along with the godet and yoke details.
I was nervous at first to make a pencil skirt without any darts, but this pattern is magical! I really had very little alterations to do besides taking in the skirt side seams at the waist and shortening the overall length of the skirt. I think this skirt may fit my curves even better than my jenny Bouquet Skirt.
Here’s a detail shot of the front yoke:
Sorry about the wrinkles, I was sitting at work before taking these photos.
If any of you are debating making this pattern one thing I would suggest is setting the godet at the very, very end of the construction. The godet gets hemmed before it’s set into the skirt so you have to actually have the hem marked on the front and back of the skirt first. Only then can you set in your pre-hemmed godet and afterwards you hem the rest of the skirt.
If you only make a small hem (an inch or less) I’m sure you could hem the skirt and godet together. But anything more and it’s tricky. See the godet piece is very rounded it would be hard to hem it anything larger than 3/4 of an inch. Even then you’d need lots of notching to get the fold of the hem to lay flat.
Godet piece:
Think of hemming a circle skirt… you know how you have to make gathers so that you can ease the fabric into the hem. Well a circular godet piece is way more tricky than a circle skirt hem.
Here’s a detail shot of my hem at the godet intersection:
And here’s a closer shot of just the hem after moving up the lining piece:
I stitched the lining to the intersection point at the length, but you can see how my two hems are of different lengths; the godet on the right the main skirt on the left.
I made my godet hem about 1/4″ wide, folding under the raw edge then folding it under again. While for the rest of the hem I serged the raw edge, stitched it to some hem tape and used the invisible catch-stitch to secure the hem tape to the skirt for a hem width of 1 1/2 inches. I then felled together the hem of the main skirt to the godet so there would be no raw edges showing.
I can’t say enough good things about this pencil skirt pattern. I was quite wary of it at first since I have a large hip to waist ratio (small waist, very hippy/booty) but it fits perfectly. I’d highly recommend it and I’m definitely making this one again. :)
Oh and I have to extend a formal *Thanks* to Ms. MontanaChic! :) I’ve been led to the dark side by my husband’s video game as of late and he tried to tempt me again this evening… I had to stay strong and set a time limit of 10 minutes. He totally gave me the puppy-dog eyes wanting to play more but I stayed strong. hehehe See how much I got done! :)
She totally rocks her own, self-drafted pencil skirt with a godet which is soo much prettier than mine with her happy fabric. Be sure to take a look.
In: Sewing
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