Having been gifted with some pretty floral upholstery fabric, I decided to take another stab at the E0162 skirt.   This time I wanted to make the long version and insert a zipper.  I chronicled my first version in my post Orange You glad I made Muslin First? and on the VPLL 1912 Titanic Sewing Project  blog as Finally Finished. 

Making up the skirt just as the pattern called for except I added some width to the front side of the gores, I thought this would help me insert the zipper. 

Inside of skirt, showing the inserted zipper.

The outside of the skirt showing the inserted zipper

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I didn’t like the zipper front closing at all.  I decide to sew the skirt closed in the front and put the opening in the left side dart instead. I took some photos of me wearing the finished skirt. I have on a bare midriff top that emphasizes how high the waistband goes on me. The floral print completely overpowers the design so it isn’t a good choice for showing off the interesting front panel. However, the lines of the skirt are very flattering.

The skirt is high waisted and I was concerned with the waistband not staying up nicely since I am not planning on wearing a corset underneath the skirt.  I added some spiral steel stays to the skirt. I toyed with the idea of making a partial lining instead of using the 2 inch twill tape band the pattern called for and attaching the stays to that.

Laziness and the 100°F temperatures combined made me realize that it doing so would keep me from ever wearing the skirt if it was lined. So I made casings for four of the bones out of two inch twill tape folded over. I would have used one inch but was out of it. I’ve been losing weight lately,  while the skirt fit me well, it was a bit tight on the mannequin.  However, I wanted to show how the bones looked sewn in. 

I left the bottom inch or so free from the fabric. In the front I folded over the extra fabric that I had added and used that to make the casings.

Sometime in November, I expect to get a lot of use out of this skirt. Until then I have my eyes out for a nice piece of light weight denim or chambray to make another version. I will be keeping the original front closing but adding plastic boning to the skirt to keep the waistband smooth.

Summary/pattern review check list:

Pattern Name: E0162 Skirt

Sewer’s Skill Level: Intermediate,

Pattern Rating:  5-I LOVED IT! and why?             It’s a classic skirt pattern that goes with so much. It’s slimming and fits well. It can be incorporated into a modern wardrobe or used for a historical event

What skill level would someone need to sew this pattern and why?  Skirts are among the simplest garments to make, so I would rate this an advanced  beginner pattern because of the kick pleats.

Were the instructions easy to follow? If not, what needs to be changed?  I found the instructions very easy to follow.  For a beginner, an optional direction for a placket would be good.

How was the fit/sizing?  Did it correspond to what you thought? The fit was perfect.

Did you make any pattern alterations?  yes If so, what alterations did you make? Where they fit or design alterations?  I made a couple of  design changes. I shortened the skirt the first time and raised the pleats accordingly. However, I think they should be raised even more for a short skirt.  On the long skirt that I made I changed the left side dart into an opening and closed the front. I also added some boning to the waistband. I added a placket to the skirt. I extended the front and back pattern pieces but decided that was unnecessary after all.

Other notes:  I chose to add boning to the waistband. Someone wearing the skirt in the teens would have had a corset to supply a foundation for the skirt, which I didn’t do. The skirt is higher than the natural waistline and I am already short waisted. I was concerned that the waistband would crumple up otherwise.