I’ve lately been on a wearable wardrobe kick, but when patterns are on sale for $0.99, who can resist!?! I picked up Simplicity 1465, along with a few other patterns, one day at Jo-Ann. After I finished my Ginger Jeans, I decided I wanted to make something quick, so I picked up some cool bonded lace fabric and whipped up a lace pencil skirt.
The Pattern
The pattern is Simplicity 1465 – a pencil skirt with multiple lengths and various front designs. It seems really odd to me that there are no views for this pattern that are longer but without an overlay or fancy “waterfall” or peplum. I made view C, but longer like view A. Or you could say I made view A but without an overlay. However you like to say it, I made the longer view pencil skirt sans overlay.
The Fabric
I found this super cool fabric at Jo-Ann. It’s an all-in-one lace overlay fabric, also known as a bonded lace and metallic knit. The top layer is a black lace; the middle layer is a weird gold mesh; and the bottom layer is a solid silver satin. It’s handwash only, which isn’t my favorite, but it’s super cool, so I’ll live with it! It really saved me a lot of work in making this skirt, that’s for sure!
The Pencil Skirt!
I cut a size 16, which was graded to a 14 at the waist. The fit is perfect! I think the most important thing I’ve learned over the past year and a half is to look at finished measurements. I read some reviews that indicated that the skirt fit a bit snug, but I did not have that problem at all. For future skirts with this pattern, I might consider tapering back into a 14 below the hips, but I don’t know if that’s really necessary.
This pencil skirt was a very quick sew! The only reason it took me more than one evening was because I didn’t have a black invisible zipper. Whoops! There were only four pattern pieces to cut, and only 7 pieces of fabric (and 3 pieces of interfacing) once all was said and done.
I read through the directions once, and then just winged it. The directions on dealing with the facing at the zipper were very confusing, so I used a method for installing the zipper and facing I’ve seen before. I don’t know where I initially saw it, but there’s a tutorial for the same method here. I included a slit in the back of this skirt as well, which is shown in the longer views. Both the slit and the hem were slip-stitched, as per pattern instructions, for a clean finish.
Now, this was my first time using wax when sewing. Let me tell you, it’s so much easier to hand-sew with waxed thread! You just run your thread through wax before hand-sewing, and the thread doesn’t tangle as much and it’s just so much easier!
Maybe I’m getting used to the very verbose, well illustrated directions of independent patterns, but I think the directions were a bit confusing. That confusion makes it hard for me to recommend it to new sewers, which is sad. I thought making this was very easy, but I was going off of my sewing experience and understanding of how things go together.
I did appreciate the instruction to secure the waistband facing at the side-seams by “stitching in the ditch”. It wasn’t hard to camouflage with this fabric, but you could hand stitch the seams together inside too.
I don’t want you to think I hate this pattern! I just think it’s easier if you had made a skirt or two (with an invisible zipper and waistband facing) before you try this one. That’s especially true if you aren’t sticking exactly to one view. I’ll likely make this again, but I think the instructions could be clearer for newbies.
I know this doesn’t really go with my wearable wardrobe. However, I’m hoping to wear this skirt at an upcoming conference when I present my research! At least I have a plan for it, right? That’s better than just making something because it’s cool, right? Does making plans help you “sew responsibly”?
Happy sewing! And Happy Thanksgiving!