BurdaStyle Magazine 02/2006 - 113 / 114 Skirt

This is the 3rd time I have made this seamed pencil skirt, this time since it was in a khaki fabric I added the little, somewhat useless, but functional in theory, pocket at the hem.  (My husband looked at the finished skirt while it was on my cutting table and asked me where I was going to put the pocket.  Er, there.)

This version is actually a hybrid of pattern 02/2006 - 113 and 114 seen below though I can't recall which is which now.  I used the small, low pocket with the plain hemband.  I also left off the waistband and just drafted a facing by placing the finished fronts and backs onto fabric and cutting curved bands to fit.  The back is very plain with a centre back seam and invisible zip.  My pockets are lined with some scraps of silk.

I don't know why I didn't already have a khaki skirt in my wardrobe, I love it, so easy to wear, in fact I wore it on 2 days during the trip.

First waiting outside our hotel, which was about 3ks outside the city, for a cab to take us into Florence. these are the practical shots where you really get to see how the skirt looks.

In Florence outside a random giant door.  You probably can't see but I was feeling very pleased with myself here for finding a copy of La Mia Boutique at a news stand, it was the September issue and came with a free issue from November 2011.  I snapped it up and carried it around sightseeing the entire day.  Of course it turns out you can buy the magazine pretty much anywhere, I was able to get October's later in the trip too although I was a bit smarter and didn't buy it first thing in the morning.

My well travelled magazines! I'm a bit embarrassed to say that this was my only sewing purchase on the trip, sorry fabric fans!

I also wore the skirt on a half day trip to Pisa.  It seems I have gone from a person who did not understand the point of pockets, other than in coats, to not being able to keep my hands out of them.

You can't see the skirt here, but I thought I would include the obligatory leaning tower shot for fun!

BurdaStyle 02/2006 - 114 Denim Skirt

I decided my wardrobe was missing a denim skirt, specifically a denim pencil skirt.  I feel that denim needs topstitching and therefore seams so I dug around through previously made patterns till I found this one from 2006.  it has a few variations none of which exactly match mine - this is the closest, I just left off the front pockets.

My denim has a bit of stretch to it and the topstitching is a silver-grey rayon thread just because I happened to have it on hand and it stood out well against the denim, I hope it will be strong enough.  

Other than switching threads on my sewing machine this is like most pencil skirts, a simple sew.

I finished the inside of the waistband and also the pocket linings with a printed cotton fabric to reduce bulk in those areas.

I think the fabric will benefit from a few more washes to soften it up a bit, it's a bit stiff and prone to wrinkling at the moment.  Nevertheless I think this is really going to fill a hole in my wardrobe, I can just pull out this neutral skirt and pretty much any top and be ready to go.

Look, real pockets, albeit rather useless ones.

The top in these pictures (not that you can see it) is the popular gathered raglan sleeve t shirt from 02/2013 more to come on that next.