Clad In Plaid! - A Wool Mini With Side Button Detail

Today I'm sharing a wool skirt I finished several weeks ago that was suppose to be a fast and easy palate cleanse, but of course it wasn't. Fast and easy NEVER work out for me. Why do I ever think they will?! I can't even blame the pattern or the fabric this time. Nope, just me being picky and wanting to get it exactly right.

The fabric is a gray plaid from Mood Fabrics called "Park Avenue Wool Blend". I selected it last August when it was almost sold out because I really loved all the colors and textures woven throughout. Of course now it is completely sold out. (Usually this is when I link to other similar fabrics, especially ones I've had my eye on or have swatched, but Mood's website hasn't been working for me for the past few days.) I only got a yard in order to make some sort of skirt. I had no real plans and was just going to hang onto it until inspiration struck.

Then I saw this:

They scanned in my exact plaid for their longest view! That sealed it for me. I linked the drawing to Vogue's website if you want to take a look at it. The design is for a simple wrap skirt that has buttons for closures.

I cut a size 14 for the waist tapering out to between a 12 and 14 for the hips. Probably I could have cut a straight size 12, but the waist measurements on the pattern are really small and I was afraid it would be too tight. After all the Christmas goodies I ate I need the extra room. This should be my after-the-holidays skirt lol.

What I really liked about this pattern was the interesting button closure at the waistline, making the design unique and not just another fitted skirt. Those buttons, though, took a good long time to sew on. If you are planning to make this skirt,  use ball or half-ball buttons for the outer areas. I didn't think of it so I had to make thread shanks to keep the buttons flat and not pucker this thick fabric.

The buttons on the right side are purely decorative. I used baby blue thread throughout. After using this type of fabric for multiple garments over the years, I have found that it's best to use some color that can be easily seen in case you need to rip it out. The thread sinks into it and can't be seen except under extremely close inspection. And the baby blue matches with some of the textured yarns anyway. I really love the colors in this fabric, especially the metallic copper thread woven throughout. These buttons were purchased locally.

I left this skirt unlined as drafted. The facings I cut from a baby blue solid wool twill I had on hand, also from Mood Fabrics. I am always doing this with facings and other bits of a garment that don't show on the outside. Why use the expensive fabric for those parts? Plus I like how the blue is just barely visible when the overlay flaps open a bit as I'm moving around. It adds another element of interest.

The seams were finished with the overlocking stitch on my regular machine. I whip-stitched all the facings, button reinforcements and bottom hem by hand. None of that shows on the outside because of the nature of this fabric, and I don't have anything flipping up or out or otherwise getting in my way.

Originally I made the shortest view, which is drafted to be right above the knees. However, after it was completely finished and I tried it on, I decided to chop off a few inches and make it more of a mini skirt. I like my winter skirts on the shorter side. That was revision one. Then after I snapped pictures and posted to the Mood Sewing Network, I decided I didn't much care for the non-functioning buttons on the right side. They were thus removed, which necessitated re-sewing the inside buttons as those were paired with the set on top of them on the outside. Also I moved the bottom two buttons on the left over a bit as they were really pulling at the fabric. All that was revision two. Whew! I think I'm done now.

Note: Both of these fabrics were purchased with my Mood Fabrics monthly allowance, as part of my participation in the Mood Sewing Network.