Button Skirt {Vintage Simplicity 1691}

The last sewing project of 2013 I completed was this “Button” skirt I made using vintage Simplicity Pattern 1691. When I say last sewing project, I’m not joking, managed to sew the last button about 10 minutes to midnight on Dec 31. 

I wanted to make another heavy-duty winter skirt for my wardrobe, especially since we were due to get some really cold days of snow. 

I wanted a nice long and full skirt so I decided to use one of my vintage 50’s pattern. I ended up choosing a 1956 6 gore skirt.

There were 3 different ways you could add finishing to the skirt according to the pattern. I asked my hubby which he liked best and he choose #1, which embellished the 6 seams of the skirt with 5 buttons, and thus I know call this my “Button Skirt”.

I decided to make another corduroy skirt, this time using a navy and green plaid corduroy I had in my fabric stash.

Interestingly enough the skirt on the cover of the pattern has a similar fabric to mine. I guess it was meant to be.

Originally I was hoping I would have enough fabric to make a matching caplet, but once again I had issues with the “nap” of the fabric. I though for sure I had everything going the right way, the only thing I can think is that I was more focused on matching up the checks that I forgot about the “nap”.

Anyways, two of the six panels of the skirt had to be re-cut, which pretty much used up all the fabric, save for a bit. 

Even though I had to redo two pieces, which I actually had already sewed in, the overall skirt wasn’t to hard to make. 

As usual I had to do some pattern grading, since hardly any of my vintage patterns are actually my size. Still I managed and I’m really happy with how the skirt came out in the end. 

I paired the skirt with a black turtle neck sweater and my black woolen caplet I already had. I also wore one of my new favorite vintage hats, a lovely black velvet one.

As much fun I had taking these photos I can already foresee that I’ll be wearing this skirt often this winter.