Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Knip Mode Pencil Skirt with Pleats

Front

I didn't make many skirts last year because, well, I already have a.lot.of.skirts. I was on the phone with a friend a couple years ago complaining that I didn't have the right skirt for an outfit. She made me go in my closet and count how many skirts I had. I think it was somewhere around 50. So I have slowed down my skirt making since then! That said, I am ready to speed it back up because most of my skirts from years past are A line, and the pencil line is all fashionable now. And maybe I'm just being influenced by fashion, but I think it may be more flattering on me, and unquestionably it looks better with voluminous tops, of which I've made a fair amount recently. When I saw this one, Knip Mode 11/2007 #12, it had to go into my closet.

Magazine PhotoSo I don't speak any Dutch, but I'm pretty sure "Met slimme details" means you'll look skinnier so I was sold on this skirt. Actually, I just loved that assymetric pleat detail. It gives a little interest to a straight skirt without making it too crazy. I am really digging the Knip Modes I borrowed from Cidell. In a way I almost wish I didn't know it existed because now I wants and have no way to gets.

The fabric for this came from Kashi, purchased during PR Weekend 2007. I thought that I could brag that I had used all the fabric I bought that weekend within 2008, but dang it! Now that I look again I see that the blue/gray stretch woven on the lower right is still in my stash. (The maroon jersey became a hideous wadder.) This skirt is a lovely gray stretch wool (on the blue-ish end of gray, but not actually blue) with orange windowpanes. Kashi alleged it was Italian, but as Karen points out, doesn't he always?

CloseupI hesitate to point an accusing finger at Knip Mode, because the patterns seem exquisitely well-drafted, but you can see that the skirt does not hang quite right at the side seam with the pleats. I actually corrected the line a bit during construction when I first noticed the problem, but it's still not right. Normally I am happy to take the blame, but I actually made a serious effort to get grain-perfect in cutting this out. It was cut out in single layer, so it's not an issue of folding it incorrectly. I even cut off the selvages of the fabric because they were distorting the lay a little bit! So I don't know where the problem arose.

The pattern directions have you cut a straight piece of fabric for a waistband, but I really prefer a contoured waistband so I drafted one. It pulls away from the body a little bit above the pleats, another thing that bothers me. I thought this was because I was an IDIOT and cut out my single layer lining the same orientation (right side of fabric up) as my single layer fashion fabric when, in fact, they should be cut out opposite. I didn't want to re-cut so I just put the lining in backwards or sideways or mirror image or however you would describe it. That's slapdash for ya. But it bothered me so much that I actually went in, opened out the lining, and added a gusset there. No effect. So perhaps a straight waistband would be best for this after all.

As you can see, I reversed the pattern in cutting to change the pleats from the left to the right side. I prefer to have details on my right side, probably because I am right-handed. I just put the pattern piece on the fabric upside down.

Although in theory I love the higher waisted skirts that are coming in style, I think it will take a while to get used to them. They seem perfect for my body type--emphasizing a small, high waist; shortening my relatively long torso and lengthening my relatively short legs--but I felt kind of thick around the middle in this. Cidell's comment on seeing the photos (without me telling her how I felt) was that the waistline is very flattering, so maybe it's just a comfort thing. Low-rise was the thing for so long and it has been a decade and a half since I tucked anything in; maybe I just need an adjustment period.

All photos are here and the review is here.

22 comments:

cidell said...

Well, you know I love this skirt. I actually futzed around with a the straight waistband this morning before leaving for work. I'm going to give it one more go. If it doesn't work out, I'm taking a curved waistband off another pattern.

Anonymous said...

Looks very nice on you! Thanks for the silk/sharp needle tip!

Little Hunting Creek said...

It sure looks cute on you. Sometimes fabric behaves funny and the next one will be perfect? I can't tell from the picture. Make another :)

Lisette M said...

Well, I think the skirt looks very flattering on you and the red top is the perfect pairing. I hate it when I can't tell why something is not hanging right, but I can't see any problems in the final pictures...

Brooke said...

stunning outfit!

oh and i may be crazy, but today i was at my lunchtime yoga class in dc and i swear that you were in the class!

Dr. Bennett said...

I'm DYING at how great that skirt is on you! Really pretty. As my figure is the exact opposite of yours, I'll stick with lower rise for now.
I'm stitching up some Kashi wool right now, too! Mine's from Italy as well. Really.

Vicki said...

Very cute skirt - does look very flattering on you. I wonder (and of course I could be wrong) if you have the pleats folded the wrong way? Yours seem to go up and theirs are down. And yours are on the right and they have them on the left. Did you change that on purpose?

Adelaide B said...

This is a very flattering skirt on you. I've been lurking for awhile, but this skirt convinced me to come out of hiding. It looks really good on you.

Anonymous said...

When I saw your picture on PR (and knowing your body type (pear) because it is similar to mine), I thought it looked extremely slimming. I am like you; I don't want to wear anything high waisted and tucked in, but I think it is an extremely flattering style for pear shapes. Our first instinct is to cover up our large parts, but that is the opposite of what we should do. Looks great with that belt, too. Good job!

Sue said...

Your skirt looks fab!

Dana said...

OMG, it looks fantastic! You know the picture marked Front? If you ever sign up for a dating service, use that picture! (I have no idea what your romantic situation is, that was just the first thing that popped into my mind ;))

Lori said...

Great job the skirt looks fantastic. I like the higher waistline on you, too.

senaSews said...

This skirt looks great on you and i love the pleating details. Beautiful!

Anonymous said...

You can get KnipMode from www.naaipatronen.nl, I don't know how mich the postage will be as I live in the UK, click on the british flag for the english version of the website

kasizzle said...

This is absolutely beautiful on you!

Meg said...

Well I think this looks great on you, Trena! This makes me wish I wore skirts more often.

Kathleen C. said...

Cidell is right... it is an EXTREMELY flattering look on you. The fit and the proportions are excellent. You need more of these skirts!

merel said...

'slimme details' means clever details, i'm afraid....:P

i live in the netherlands, and i wouldn't mind buying and shipping the Knip Mode magazines of the month to you, as long as you reimburse me for the costs
(i'm a poor grad student ;)

DanainDFW said...

Very flattering. Looks great on you. You need to show off your tiny waist more!

BrusselsSprout_Katharine said...

A winner! Your drafting experience seems right ot me, I find BWOF patterns better drafted hands-down.

Sew-4-Fun said...

Oooo, great skirt! Love it! It's so interesting. In the past I always seemed to have 'little problems' with Knip too, to the point where I stopped using them about five to six years ago. Sounds like they are still the same. As said Katharine said, BWOF are drafted better. Great styles though and I do love reading their magazines.

katherine h said...

Fabulous pleat details...this skirt looks great on you.