Butterick 5613 Causes Skirt Making Madness

These are a few of our favorite beverages we like to partake of during the coming season.  The Pyrat Rum is for the hot buttered rum that warms us on chilly winter days and evenings.  There is a fresh batch of batter, heavily seasoned with Caribbean spices that I made last night, patiently waiting in the chillerator for us to add to the rum with steaming hot water that begins the kick off for today’s festivities.  We can’t leave out my favorite… wine, the fruit and nector of the gods!  And last but not least, fine scotch, Laphroaig 10 Year single malt, the water of angels!

This year, the feast is being held at my son and daughter-in-law’s home.  On this day every year, my children grab the opportunity to dress up for dinner… ties, sometimes dinner coats, dresses and occasionally hats!  A very fashionable and fun revelry that transcends into the New Year!  And what will I be wearing?  Well…

I recently purchased a new pair of leather riding boots because I decided that it’s going to be skirts and warm tights for the wearing this winter.  The problem however with making this decision… there is only one winter skirt in my closet.  I guess it was a DERP moment!  This one and only skirt I have is a heavy cotton/spandex that I purchased from the GAP back in… try 2004!  I have no explanations or excuses for the no skirts syndrome… just never thought much about them.   All of that is going to change though – now that I have my Butterick 5613 pattern!

So what do I like about this pattern?  For starters… the wide yoke.  They seem to be feel so much more comfortable than a narrow waistband.  Then there is the style options:  pleats, bubble hem or a lightly gathered flare.  The pattern calls for the light weight fabrics Broadcloth and Faille but also throws linen into the mix.  I need winter skirts not spring/summer skirts which these fabrics work well for so… since I like to bend the rules, I decided I would try something that would be heavier and warmer… like wool flannel.  But before going wild, I thought it best to practice with a fabric sort of similar and less expensive… like the wool crepe remnant that I couldn’t bring myself to throw away after making a dress out of almost two years ago.  It is sort of a red rose color.

The piece looked big enough to make a skirt from but it was not going to be big enough to make the pleated skirt.  I kinda figured but I had to try.  My good fortune still came forth however!  It just so happens that the pleated skirt has a lining if you want the bubble hem so guess what I did?  Yes… I made a skirt from the lining!  The beauty of this is that I made a muslin that is actually a skirt I WILL wear.  An added plus is another style of skirt to add to my style options.  Of course, I now also know how to line the pleated skirt which I am making next.

I definitely wanted to line my skirt because I find that wool crepe is scratchy on my skin.  I ended up with a polyester lining that was not what I was after but the color matched so perfectly with the wool crepe that I went for it.   It sure didn’t like to be ironed, even at the synthetic heat setting on my iron which is cooler than silk.

The pattern lining is really simple:  A yoke styled waistband (front and back),  the front skirt section (cut on the fold) with 2 darts, two skirt back sides, each with 1 dart.  I cut all of these from my Wool Crepe and then a second set of all of them from my lining.  Oh yeah, and also cut interfacing pieces for the yoke.

However… Before I cut out my  lining (after I cut out the actual skirt), I first shortened the front and back pattern pieces 1/2 inch in length.  Let me explain… the Butterick 5613 pattern “D” option for the pleated bubble skirt uses the lining to create the bubble hem by instructing you to sew the hem of the lining to the gathered hem of the pleated skirt.  The lining is shorter than the pleated skirt so when you do this, the lining pulls the skirt hem up and under, giving a finished hem in the process.  I wanted to do the same but since I was using the same pattern pieces for both the skirt and lining, I had to shorten the length of the skirt front and back tissues before cutting out my lining pieces.

Another cool thing …  because I didn’t make pleats,  the hemline width of my skirt and lining were the same and so sewing them together was easy peasy!  I just sewed the bottom of the skirt to the bottom of the lining, right side to right side, then folded the lining back under to the inside that I later basted to the inside top of the skirt.  But First!

Important Tip:  I didn’t sew the two hemlines together until after I first applied the fabric yoke and installed an invisible zipper ( I love the finished look of these).  Doing it this way made it easier to sew the lining onto each side of the zipper and gave a nicer finish.  I basted the lining to the seam allowance of the yoke and top of skirt, matching seams and notches.  Next, I top-stitched the outer bottom edge of the yoke, giving both a nice finish and more permanently attaching the lining.  Is this a correct way to do this?  Well… the art of sewing has developed through experimentation so is there a wrong?  I figure that if you get what you are after… then it must have been right!

This is what the hem of the skirt looks like finished.

It was now time to add the yoke facing which I did per the pattern instructions.   However, instead of under-stitching I chose to top-stitch the top of the yoke on the outside to match the bottom.  I did this after I turned the facing to the inside and slip-stitched it’s pressed under edge over the seam.

My first day of this season’s revelry attire includes my new skirt!

It’s hard to model a skirt!  Maybe this is why they never get a lot of attention.  They are tucked in under everything.  Trying to show the darts here but it’s not working.  Sure got a laugh out of my daughter though!

Up and coming soon, expect to see my black  Flannel pleated skirt, my “Edith Blouse” by Maria of Denmark AND my Burda 8836 black Georgette dress.   But right now… it’s time to start this season’s revelry so… with a glass of my favorite Chardonnay… here is my toast to you!

“May the coming season bring you joy and happiness in all that you do!”

Salute!  Jessica