Vogue 1247 - the best skirt pattern ever

Perhaps an overstatement but this really is a great skirt pattern. Note that I made this whole pattern up in July and knew right away that the skirt was  a winner that I would repeat. The top - never to cross my sewing machine again but I will count the whole effort as worthwhile to discover this skirt pattern.

Which turned out quite differently in a fuschia wool gabardine I bought at a sewing guild sale. For a dollar.  Score! What is going on with me? As Pretty Grievances pointed out in her 2013 inspirations post, I have become a refashion fanatic. My satisfaction with projects has a direct relationship with the cost. The less I pay for some fabric the more I like the garment. Perhaps because I have been sewing for my whole life and purchased whatever fabric struck my fancy, then this recently discovered challenge to myself of the incredibile bargain fabric find is spuring on my creativity.  Or maybe I just love a deal. Probably a bit of both. But really, check out this fabric, and the lining was included!

And now we can play - Spot the Difference !  For those familiar with this pattern (76 reviews on Pattern Review) you can see that I eliminated the waistband. When I made the denim one in July that was the first thing that I planned to change, this skirt is perfect for a smooth waistband-less version.

To do that the waist seam needs stabilization, and I could have fused the entire top but I didn't want the upper and lower sections to have a different weight. Instead I sewed the darts very gently, so as not to stretch out the top, then put stay tape across the waist seams, front and back. I planned to line the skirt as a mirror image of the outer fabric, but it seemed to need just a bit more stabilization across the waist area so I sewed in a 2" strip of silk organza interfacing.  Not using the pattern pieces or anything, just 2 inch by about 6' strips. Perfect amount of stabilization and heft. Silk organza is a miracle product and I use it more and more lately.

And the pockets needed a bit of stabilization too, so I put strips of silk organza there before I sewed the skirt front pieces together. 

Rummaging around in my every growing stash of hem lace found at yard sales for 10 cents a package (my maximum price)  I did find the perfect match.  If you look closely at the photo with the zipper tape sticking out above, I confess I did not have the exact color of zipper or anything close. So a dark purple was the winner and it will never show.  

How about that jacket I am wearing in the first photo? It is absolutely ancient! Maybe 16 years old. But it still fits perfectly and the black and white houndstooth fabric is so nice. I wore it a zillion times the first few years, such a perfect business travel basic. But the fatal flaw - it was sooo long.  So one day I thought about shortening it, and I knew that bottom buttonhole would not look right. But I did it anyway!  And it does not look right to me.  Oh well.  I still wear it sometimes but quietly loathe that little last buttonhole.  

Now let's end on a happy note. This week I went to the same sewing guild group - and there was another sizeable piece of this lovely fuschia wool gabardine. I cannot resist a jewel tone and so I snapped it up.  I am thinking about a jacket, V8865, but I will resist the urge to wear it with this skirt and look every so matchy.  Anyway, that is way down the project list.

Stay warm and think of spring. Here in N. Calif. it is time to get outside and trim back the roses but I have not been able to motivate for that task, so nice and warm in the sewing room.
Happy January sewing, Beth