Houndstooth Alberta Street Skirt

I have completed my spring sewing list.  This is the first time I have made a real sewing plan, and I almost didn't finish.  This skirt was the last thing on the list (I have a couple of somewhat disappointing knit items that I haven't shown yet), and I almost didn't sew it because I've already started jotting notes for a summer list.  I forced myself to make this skirt though, mostly because I really wanted to use up this stashed fabric. I am so glad I pushed myself to follow through, because it is by far the most successful of the six items on my list, and is destined to be my go-to summer church and work skirt.

This is the Alberta Street Pencil Skirt, which I've sewn twice before.  I sewed a size 16, but I lengthened the back darts by 1", and I took in the skirt significantly from the widest part of my hip on down.  I basically just kept trying it on, pinning, and sewing, until I had it the way I wanted it.  I also shortened it about 1".  I think this looks pretty much the way it looks on the pattern model.  As drafted, though, the skirt is straight, not really a pencil, on me.  (Edited to add: A year later, after being annoyed at the looseness of the waistband and where it sat on my body, I finally took in the sides 1/2" starting at the top of the waistband, tapering to nothing about where the hip notch is.  If I make this one again I also need to curve the front waistband a bit, taking out maybe a 1/2" wedge at center front.)

I wasn't planning to include the pockets on this one because I wanted it to be more streamlined.  As I expect to wear this to church regularly, and being that I find that I find it very handy to have pockets in church (to hold tissues for the kids' noses, etc), I decided to go ahead and add them.  I braced myself for what I thought would be a tedious and frustrating task, but actually it didn't take long and I am really pleased with the job I did.  

I also took care to pattern match across the back, and that worked pretty well too.

I'm happy with the fit on this one.  The waistband does feel loose when I am standing up, but my stomach fills it out when I am sitting.  If it was fitted while standing, it would be too tight while sitting.  The perils of the squishy tummy.  While I like how the skirt looks with this white blouse tucked in (Simplicity 1377 from last summer, still one of my favorites), more realistically, I will wear my tops untucked.  I just prefer having that area covered up.

I absolutely love how these two pieces pair together.  I had planned the t-shirts on my spring sewing list (navy, orange, and a yet-unblogged emerald green) to coordinate with it, but I will probably just always wear it with this blouse.

I want to blog about the finished capsule wardrobe and show how everything looks together, but this will require many photos and I am having trouble finding a good spot to take photos since we moved last month (we moved less than two miles, so nothing to say about that).  I can't figure out the lighting here - everything is either in total sun or total shade.  Late afternoon in the front driveway might work, but I just don't see myself taking blog photos in front of the neighbors ...

 Thanks for reading, and see you next time!