Pattern Review: BWOF-02-2006-128

This was actually the first garment I sewed up after returning from nationals (though first I spent a week cleaning my sewing room, and then waited a few more days to start sewing after that), but the photo taking got delayed a bit.  Of course, then I got distracted sewing dresses to wear to some local summer concerts, so this has been sitting around, unblogged, for a few weeks.  Anyway, I was at a recent pattern sale at Hancock fabrics, and they had this fabric on sale in the clearance section.  I really loved the colors, weight, and pattern, and at less than $4 for the remaining piece I couldn't leave it behind.  I didn't want to add to the stash, and I wanted to sew something easy as my first project back, so I whipped it up into a fairly basic pleated skirt from the February 2006 Burda Magazine:

BWOF-02-2006-128

This skirt was a fairly quick make, though it took a lot longer than it should have because I kept getting interrupted in the middle of the construction.  I think it is one of those garments that needs the correct styling to look good, and I am a little worried it might end up as an orphan in the closet because I don't have a lot of tops to wear with it at the moment, but overall I am fairly pleased with the results.

My pleated A-line skirt!

Here is the back.
The hem is actually even, I am just standing a bit crooked.

The pleat detail gets a bit lost in the print.
But I sort of like the subtle design element.

Close up of the fabric print.

Here is my official pattern review:

Pattern Description:  Pleated front A-line skirt with curved waistband and side invisible zipper.

Pattern Sizing:  Burda sizes 36-44.  I used a size 40 at the waist, a 42 at the bottom of the waistband, and a size 44 at the full hip.  I think because of my size choices the skirt sits a bit higher on me than on the model, but I am ok with that.

Were the instructions easy to follow?  Well, they weren't terrible, but I also feel like they weren't the best.  Luckily this skirt is fairly simple to figure out, so you probably don't need instructions that are too detailed.  I think this wouldn't be the best pattern for a very new seamstress because the instructions aren't very clear, although the skirt itself is very simple to make.  An experienced seamstress should be able to make this without much difficulty.  Also, as a side note, is it me or does it seem like the more recent Burda magazines have better translations than the older ones do?  Just something I have noticed when I go back and make patterns from the older issues.

Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it?  Yes, I think so.  The print makes it a bit difficult to see the pleating detail, but the overall shape and fit look very much like the magazine images.

What did you particularly like/dislike about this pattern?  Likes:  I like the style, and I like that it was very easy to make.  I find that the diagonal pleat makes this more flattering than a lot of other styles that add unwanted poof over the stomach area.  It also used very little fabric (I had barely a yard, and I managed to fit this pattern onto what I had), so that was a great bonus as well.  Dislikes:  The instructions weren't the best, but since this was pretty easy to figure out that wasn't too much of a negative.  Otherwise this pattern was great.

Fabric used:  Cotton sateen print with slight stretch.  I bought it from the clearance section at Hancock's, so all told this skirt probably cost me less than $6.  You definitely want a fabric that will be able to hold the pleat well, so a slightly heavier cotton works great.

Pattern alterations or design changes you made:  None.

Would you sew this again?  Would you recommend this to others?  I might sew this again, but I have a lot of pattens I want to try, and I don't know how many skirts with this pleated front style I really need in my wardrobe.  I might consider making one in a solid, just so the design detail is a bit more pronounced though.  I would recommend this pattern to others - it is easy to make and the A-line shape is usually quite flattering.  This skirt is also a nice way to have a pleating detail without adding too much bulk around the stomach, so I think it would look great on a wide variety of body types.

Conclusion:  I am very happy with my skirt!  Because of the print I don't know that it will be a wardrobe staple, but it is a fun piece to have, especially for the spring and summer.  I think a version in a solid fabric could be very versatile, so I might consider making another one in the future, and I think it would be a great pattern for others to try as well.

My stubborn summer sewing continues...  Though now I am making a bunch of easy tops.  It has been dangerously close to triple digits and ridiculously humid, so I am actually getting a lot of use out of my projects at the moment.  More pattern reviews coming soon...