Butterick 4194, View A

I've used this pattern many times for cropped pants, not so much for skirts (although it got used once for that).



I've been wanting to make a simple summer skirt for a while now, and this pattern was a perfect choice. It has simple shapes and a lot of little details that can be added for additional interest--like the slit/tab combination, the cargo pocket and flap, and the choice of invisible or top stitched side seam pockets.

I ended up making this one relatively plain due to the interesting faux ikat fabric,



with little side slits to give it just a little "something." I also used a colorful print for the pockets.



Nobody can see but me, but it makes me smile. It was also a way of conserving fabric and reducing the bulk in the hip/abdomen area. This was a scrap left over from the Ronald McD project that I posted about earlier.

I also converted the drawstring waist to an elastic waist. This is something I often do with drawstrings. I usually wear casual tops untucked, and the bow just makes an odd lump underneath that top layer. So why not create a waist that will look neater and smoother while still being simple? (I might make a little fake drawstring that I can add just in case I do a tucked-in look. You never know.)

I actually had this one finished over the weekend. And then, I tried it on. The length ended up being just wrong, so I took out the topstitching and rehemmed another 1-1/2" shorter. Now it ends up hitting me right at the top of my knees, which is so much better for this kind of thing.

I'm thinking of making more, using some shortish lengths that I have in my stash. There's an embroidered camo that would be perfect! Hope I have enough...

On a Tangent: I occasionally buy stuff from Anthropologie, and so, I ended up on their mailing list. This is what they sent me for my birthday



Which opens up to this dahling little sewing kit



I think it's a little cheap to offer a mere 5% discount, but you have to admit that the presentation is charming. Correction: it's actually a 15% discount, not quite so cheap, but still...