Here’s the follow-up to my outfit post from last week where I’ll be focusing on the pencil skirt I made to go with my new Marion cardigan (update: the wool is a bit scratchy where it directly hits my skin, which was always one of my hesitations with knitting, but it’s not too bad and I ain’t stopping now!).

Anyway, this is the skirt portion of Butterick 5455, another FESA creation and a dress pattern that I scored for a song at a thrift store this past summer. What a glorious feeling! I’d like to try the whole pattern one of these days.

I had to bring in the waist a bit, but I’d leave it as is if I made the dress. Actually, I took the waist in just a pinch too much and really had to pull at the fabric in the hopes it would stretch to fit me more comfortably (saying “please, streeeeeeetch” while you’re doing that helps). Thankfully, it worked. Just remember you learned that “industry” tip here first. ;)

Another perk was the pockets in front, which I quickly realized would be a little tricky to pull off considering the needed plaid matching. Even then, if the match was good the pockets would visually disappear. Cutting on the bias might have resulted in a busy look? I then opted for side seam pockets. I’d show them to you except…I forgot about them! Seems I was so focused on matching the plaid between the front and back pieces that by the time I realized this I’d have to unpick everything. Not too easy to do with black thread and wool, especially when the thread just sinks in to the thick fabric. Oh well, no biggie.

Despite how this looks I’m not telling you to “talk to the hand,” I’m half attempting the pose in the poster…!

The fabric is one yard of 60″ wide wool bouclé that I picked up from Mood‘s Black Friday sale last year (whoa, that’s coming up again pretty soon!). The sale is only available online, which I suppose is a good thing. Can you imagine all the crazy madness if everything in the brick and mortar store was on sale? Actually the idea of women scrambling over each other to grab all the fabric seems funny, but I’m sure Swatch the dog wouldn’t appreciate the chaos.

I really love the grid of raised threads on this fabric! The nice thing about ordering online as opposed to the store? Take a look at the description they offer you:

Hooray for plaid matching! I didn’t have enough to cut the waistband on the bias, which I had wanted to do, so I was very careful to align the plaid there with the one below. Lots of pins, lots of pins.

I used the waistband piece from my BHL Charlotte skirt. In the photo above I’ve pulled the overlapping tab back so you can see the snap closure. I’ve used these in one of my previous Charlotte skirts, and while it works I’d like to find a more graceful way to keep the tab in place. I had thought about creating a buttonhole, but I didn’t interface the waistband and was concerned that fraying would ensue. Next time!

The skirt features two back darts, but no front darts. This works for me as I usually remove front darts to eliminate bubbling fabric below them.

I think I might like the cut of the Charlotte skirt better on me than this one, but I still like it.

Butterick 5455 comes with a vent, but not a lining. I chose this “black solid soft lightweight poly lining” (thanks, online Mood!) from my stash. This is another piece I picked up during last year’s sale, and when it came in I wasn’t thrilled with it. Kind of felt like it would cling to tights and even the wool skirt itself. I put it aside.

Then what happens? Having forgot about my initial hesitation, I hesitated again before thinking, “I guess it’ll be okay.” Nope. My caution was justified! It’s definitely clingy, even with my favorite pair of rayon tights that feel as soft as a slip. They’re seriously magic and I need to pick up a few more pairs! I guess we’ll see if the clingy lining gets to me enough that I’ll take it out and just use a slip instead.

Do you have a favorite pencil skirt pattern?