This weekend I managed to sew up part of my first Meringue skirt. I wasn’t too sure about the fabric at first, but to my surprise I am really liking the look of it so far. It’s a fairly heavy fabric, so it should hold the scallops nicely.
Anyway, let’s have a look at the fit. I’m quite happy with the overall fit, although I took a bit of a gamble by cutting a straight size 2 while my hips are actually a 6. The only adjustment I made to the pattern before even cutting the fabric is a swayback adjustment of 1cm, because I had to take out that length on my sloper at first too. To be sure I put my perfectly fitted skirt sloper on top of the pattern, and it promised to work out quite well. I am going to simply finish this one without any adjustments – I will get plenty of wear out of it anyway, but for the next version I will make the following changes:
- Take out 2cm total at the waist. (0.5 cm on each of the darts).
- Add a little bit of room between my waist and my hips. It has a tendency to pucker around my belly a bit because the skirt is a little tight there and wants to creep up.
- Have a good look at the darts. As you can see in this side view They don’t really lie nicely at the points. I don’t know if it’s a problem with the darts, the fabric, my stitching or my pressing, but I hope to remedy it on a next version.
- Not fit related, but I’m planning to make pockets and a waistband on the next version as well. Any interest in a tutorial on adding pockets to a basic skirt?
Speaking of tutorials, stay tuned for a tutorial on adding a lining to the Meringue skirt. I have taken practically all the pictures, so I hope to find some time to write it up before I leave for Paris on Thursday!
Roses on Toast 
Looks great! (I’ve been wondering what this might look like in a plaid!) It’s very helpful to hear about the sorts of changes you’re making, since I’m very, very new to altering patterns for fit. The more I can read about it, the better!
I would definitely be really interested in both a lining tutorial and in pockets. (Or would it be pocket, singular? I spent all Saturday trying to figure out if there’s a way to make a side-seam zipper and inseam pockets share a seam… it technically worked, but was a nightmare to work with and look at. Bah. Anyway. I disgress.) Looking forward to any resources you produce! :)
Thanks! I’m not sure how you would work in-seam pockets and a side zipper. I was planning to do “jeans pockets” (I have no idea what the proper term for that is), but now I’m intrigued to see if in-seam pockets would work, and how they could work well…
I would be doubly interested in jeans pockets! I love the look of them on skirts!
ooohhh…I love your fabric choice!!!
It looks great in plaid! I wonder if you made the darts a little bit longer, would they sit better? I still haven’t sewn my muslin…I’m getting there but I haven’t quite made myself sit down and sew it. I think I need to find myself a sloper though, because I have a feeling swayback might be the reason why my waistbands never sit quite right..
Looking forward to the lining tutorial!
thanks for the post, I was wondering about the sizing and, after making a muslin, realized the pattern is true to size. So, I am going with size 8, although other patterns from Colette worked best with size 6 :-) So, good to have a muslin made!
I wanted to join sosaidellie re darts – I also think they may need to be a little longer? Also, as you pointed out the waist is little wide, so this may affect how the darts lie… Just an idea…
Are you planning to do a waistband?
Thanks for the suggestion! I finished this one as-is, and it’s well wearable, but on the next one I’m definitely making the darts a tad longer, take out a bit at the waist and make a waistband.