Image from here.After a rather painful session deciphering the "new and improved" Burda pattern sheet, I took an objective look at the skirt design and asked myself, "is this going to work for me?" In hindsight, I guess I should have thought of this before I spent the time tracing out those pattern pieces!
I started measuring the pieces and realized that the total length of the skirt is about 27 inches, which is tremendously long for someone who is 5 feet 1 inches tall on a good posture day. Looking at the photo, I guess the skirt is meant to fall below the knees, but that length is really unflattering for me. Typically, skirts that are 22 inches in length (maximum) work for me, which means I would need to somehow eliminate 5 inches from this pattern. That's a lot!
I don't think I can just lop off 5 inches from the "non-curved" skirt pieces (the bottom sections of the skirt patterns) because the proportion of the curved sections to the non-curved sections would get out of whack --- I think it would end up looking funky. I don't think I have the energy to calculate and re-draft the curved pieces to maintain the original proportions, but any opinions would be appreciated. Perhaps this skirt is so cute that it would be worth trying to manipulate the curved pieces?
6 comments:
Remember that there are no seam allowances on the pattern. The hem allowance from memory is quite large - maybe 1.5 inches. I'm also vertically challenged (5'2") -I'd leave off the hem allowance and take out another 1.5 inches just under the hip line. Try a muslin. Another option is to blend the top half of the BWOF pattern with one of your TNT skirt patterns. (Gosh anyone would think I was qualified to give advice!)
I probably would just lop it all off the bottom but then I am a lazy sewer and your instincts about proportion are probably right! Another easy alternative would be to join the lowest band to the main skirt piece so you only have 2 seams instead of 3.
Using the basic pencil skirt pattern you can draft your own skirt with similar curved seams. This way you'd calculate the pieces' proportions so that they work for your body and height. I think this skirt is too pretty to not give it a try.
Well-I too am 5' 2" 1/2 on a great posture day.....
If I HAD to have this lovely skirt, this is what would attempt.
Redraft a muslin by removing 1/2 inch from the curved pieces. Then remove several inches from the hem,maintaining the curve as you go. Burda hem lengths are aimed at Viking women, not us. (sigh)
At this point, if it does not pass my critical eye, I would then abandon the project and search for a pattern that is a close relative.....
Oh, and GREAT things come in smaller packages-us.
:)
I'm thinking about these options:
1) eliminate one of the curved sections plus some length from the bottom of the skirt
2) reduce each of the curved sections plus remove length from the bottom of the skirt
3) draft something from my TNT skirt pattern (Audrey did something similar. See http://sewtawdry.blogspot.com/2010/09/seamingly-dartless.html.)
This skirt hasn't bubbled up high enough on my "must make" list yet, but I've been pondering it during mental sewing time! I'll be interested to hear what you decide to do.
Ooh, that is a lot of length to take off. I'm also wondering how flattering this is on unless one is very tall- those curved lines over the tummy - hmm. It is such a gorgeous style though.
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