Burda Style 06/2011 Skirt with front pleats #117A

Welcome to my first pattern review!  I've noticed that most pattern reviews have for real pictures, and not poorly lit cell phone pictures of clothing hanging on a door.  So I had to wait until I could con someone into taking my picture (thank you Kelly!). 

I had gorgeous gray silky fabric covered in black lace.  I bought a tiny bit to make a clutch for my sister's wedding back in January and put the leftovers away.  But I kept thinking about it....I wasn't happy with just a clutch.  A broken clutch (hint: super glue will NOT hold fabric to a metal frame...).  I first thought of a lace panel front pencil skirt, but my curves aren't very pencil-y.  So then I started thinking pleats and ran across a pleated skirt sew along that Gertie did for this Burda pattern. 

You can check out the skirt and the sew along here.

According to Gertie, this was a super simple skirt to put together and the pleats could easily become a contrast fabric.  I immediately downloaded the pattern and rushed out to buy some solid black fabric.  I ended up with a silk dupioni from JoAnn's.

I think it turned out pretty well!  I'll get into the details shortly, but the skirt is extremely comfortable and I love it.















Please ignore my super white legs, but feel free to admire my hair.  I actually did something to it for my photo shoot in my mom's sunroom.  I don't even fix my hair for work.  Or my boyfriend.  But I did it for you, dear readers.

Ok, now for the review!

Pattern Description
This is a skirt with two pleats in the front and two in the back.  There is a side zipper and the waistband is grosgrain ribbon.

Pattern Envelope
I downloaded it from Burda Style so I don't have an envelope.  But the pattern picture shows an extremely thin model in a see through skirt.  I didn't opt for the sheer white fabric.  No one wants to see that.





Pattern Sizing
Ha!  Apparently I am "Extremely Plus Sized and Therefore Not Suitable for Normal Burda Patterns".  I had to grade the pattern up by 3 sizes.  Three!  This is the first time I've ever enlarged a pattern so I did make a muslin.  Fortunately, this pattern is almost all straight lines, so it was extremely easy to do.

Did it look like the pattern envelope once you were done sewing it?
I think so.  Except for the see through part.  Hope it doesn't rain wherever she is.  I did hem mine a little lower, but the pattern comes in short and drag the floor long.  I went in the middle.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
I have no idea.  I never touched them.  I used Gertie's old sew along instructions and it went together like a breeze.  I would assume that her instructions followed along with the pattern instructions.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I loved how easy it was to make my size and how smoothly it went together.  It is labeled as a "novice" pattern and it really is. 

Would you use it again or recommend it to others?
Yes and yes!  I already have the fabric for skirt number two using this pattern.  I got a white fabric covered in lobsters for summer.  I plan to wear it out to eat at Red Lobster while singing the B-52's "Rock Lobster".  Good plan, huh?

Conclusion
Love the pattern, but I might need to rethink some of my future fabric choices.  Nah, no I don't.  I've already bought the lobsters!