A skirt block = a skirt

I'm really pointing in the direction of wanting to make a few articles of clothing for myself.  I'm still stewing in adjusting a trial dress; that in hopes will eventually turn out to be a dress/pattern I wear for my sisters wedding.  I've bought the fabric.  I even bought a French curve that may help me in adjusting the pattern, but I'm still looking for guidance on-line.

In the mean time I'm also still working on my vintage sheet quilt, but what's life with out multiple unfinished objects laying around (along with a very messy room/craft area).  So I wanted to a attempt a custom fit skirt, a pencil skirt.  

I was up late one night on the floor with wrapping paper, rulers, scissors, markers, and pens.  I decided to use my nice wrapping paper because its gridded on the back for easy cutting.  Ah! and easy pattern drafting.  I followed a tutorial from House of Marmalade that comes in three parts.  I got through the first two one night and finished up the third portion of the tutorial following morning.

I will admit.  I was back and forth on this tutorial.  I would look at it and decide yes I was going to attempt it, then I  would close it thinking it would be much harder than it looked (and it did look a bit tricky).  The darts and the curvy lines at the top of the pattern is what really deterred me. However, the tutorial is really easy to follow, thank you House of Marmalade.  :-)

My pattern is far from pretty.  Got some extra lines from my forgetfulness on which type of measurement I was using (inches) and the measurement the instructions are in (centimeters).  And there were some paper, marker, ruler issues.  The wrapping paper is a bit slicker than standard paper therefore the sharpies were bleeding under the ruler as I was drawling the lines.  So I got some smears on my pattern.  It looks very messy, nonetheless it still worked.

I'm a low rise girl, but with this skirt I felt I wanted it to be high waisted; to add to the look of the skirt and maybe reduce the muffin top that appears when I sit.  (Is it still called a muffin top when it's only there when sitting? Blah!)

Hi!  This is me, sporting my new pencil skirt; in bad lighting and a messy room (mess moved to the side of camera view).  I'm also sporting my super cute new striped boat neck shirt I bought last week at Old Navy.  I love this outfit. 

See? Skirt buckles right where the darts are.

I was very skeptical on how this skirt would come out, if it would even come out, however I am EXTREAMLY pleased on the end results. The darts I could do without for multiple reasons.  First they are time consuming and second the fabric buckles where the darts are, and it's not even like the skirt is skin tight; just very well fitted.  I'll eliminate the darts in the same manor the facing is made in my next skirt.  I'm pretty sure it will be much better time wise and visual without the darts.  ;-)

Once again thank you House of Marmalade for a fantastic tutorial!!