Tada! "Imperfect Symmetry" Skirt

To say that this skirt has been a bit of a challenge is an understatement.   Having finished my trousers two weeks before the end of term, I wanted to learn something in the last two weeks of class that I might not be able to work out for myself at home.   I had bought quite a simple skirt pattern because I wanted to try pattern matching and I really needed some tuition on where to start - and I didn't want to overcomplicate things by making something really fiddly.  Our teacher took one look at my fabric - huge pattern AND corduroy - and announced that she would see everyone else in the class while working up the impetus to deal with me!   Charming!   It soon became apparent what she meant though.   

It took practically a whole class just to cut out the pattern and prep the fabric - pins everywhere!   Still, it was worth all the prep for the finished result.

It's not perfect by any means.   But ... I have a full pattern just below the pockets and also right in the front of the skirt.   I also have a symmetrical front and almost there on the back.  Where I have failed horribly though is the waistband - I didn't even TRY and pattern match with that.  Not only that, but the waistband was cut way too big.  I did my usual overestimating - despite measuring and remeasuring - and added an extra two inches into the waistband.  But then, when I sewed up the side seams and tried it on, the skirt was enormous. So I took two inches out either side, which meant I had an extra six inches of waistband I didn't need. Instead of doing the sensible thing, I thought I'd try and gather it all in.  So I sewed it up and tried it on again and it was awful.  Truly terrible.  So the waistband was then taken off and I pinned it back on with no gathering and ended up cutting the three inches off each end to fit.   What a palaver!   The skirt is still too big, but - and my teacher will be horrified when she sees it this term - because the skirt ended up being shorter than planned - because of having to shorten the waistband - it now sits right on my hips which makes it a bit longer.  I know it's a cheat, but I don't care!   At least I'll be able to wear it now!

The other challenge is the colours - I have no idea how I'm going to match anything to it.  I've been through my wardrobe and I think the only thing for it is a black top, black tights and boots.   The skirt is quite thin - it probably needs lining, but I need to work my way up to that challenge! So thick tights and boots will at least make it not quite so skimpy.  I guess in the summer, with a tan, it will look ok with a white teeshirt, but we're fast heading to the back end of the year and I'd quite like to wear it before next July!  

And this is the slightly blurry back view - again, almost symmetrical, but not quite there.  Hey ho, I will definitely have another go at this, but the next one will be more fitted and longer.   And quite possibly in a plain fabric!