This was a pattern that did not want to be a pleated pencil skirt at all. What it wanted to be, based on the skirt as first sewn up, was a hot air balloon.

But this would have required me to install hot air jets on top of my feet which, in addition to sounding quite painful, I’m sure would also have been much too expensive. So I cut it down.

A lot.

In the front piece on the hips I took out at least 2″ per side and maybe half an inch per side on the back. I also pegged it below the hips slightly as originally it was pretty straight (and still is, so that tells you something).

Despite the fact that the skirt pieces made a skirt that was much too big, the waist band as measured out was too small. One day I will learn to wait until after I’ve got the rest of the pattern assembled before cutting out the waistband piece. (I cheated and added a bit of fabric to the end to get it to fit the skirt waist.)

I’m not sure if I totally understood the zipper instructions as this has them going up partway, but not completely, through the waistband. It’s a little weird so I added a hook and eye at the top to keep it completely closed.

And there was obviously no attempt at print-matching whatsoever.

But I don’t care. It’s a casual skirt, and at this point it fits and looks pretty well like I want it to. The back centre waistband is not going to be on display much, so whatever.

The fabric is a stretch cotton sateen bought at Fabricland for less than $10/metre, and given that I only used a metre–with a $5 pattern, a $1 zipper and a bit of interfacing–this skirt cost less than $20. The fabric has a good stiff hand, which works well with the pleats, and just enough stretch to make it comfortable.  I’ve got enough fabric left to make a pair of summer shorts, and I can’t wait.

Now if only I could insert an entire week of free time between Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon…