Morning you monarch butterflies, drinkers of dew and frequent visitors to Mexico. In case you don’t keep up with your geography lessons, I want you to know that Minnesota has made you the state insect, while Vermont has only made you the state BUTTERFLY. If I were you, I’d stay away from Vermont. Talk about a backhanded compliment. What, are they saving state insect for praying mantises? Probably. Stingy Vermontigans.

I’ve got a new finished garment for all you flutter-bys this morning! It’s another version of a previously made skirt (the Tahitian Treat skirt) and my current favorite full-circle fall back, Kwik Sew 3637.

As you can see, I was vacillating between Madonna and Minne Mouse when styling the skirt for my bloggy photoshoot….

Since this is a do-over, there’s not all that much to say about the skirt. I made the XL straight from the envelope and for this version I made the TOP (shorter) layer of view B, which is intended to be a layered skirt. I skipped the belt loops and I didn’t make the contrast layer – just a quickie skirt! Also, I think there were questions last time about how I wear my skirt. The envelope shows the skirt worn MUCH lower on the hips than I like.

Kwik Sew 3637

As you can see, these lovely ladies are NOT dressed like Minnie Mouse, and they are wearing their skirts with the waistband down lower around their hips, more a ‘yoke’ than a ‘waistband’. I, on the other hand, have the waistband quite high. If I DID wear like the models are (1) I would definitely have to grade up the pattern and who wants to grade up a circle skirt? And more importantly (2) I would have a wide horizontal band right at my widest point, with three yards of cotton flaring out from THAT. Not only would it draw the eye right to my hips, but with the lower waist I would be cut right in half, violating the golden rule golden proportion (I’d probably be violating the golden rule as well, somehow.)

I made the skirt from one of the new Joel Dewberry fabrics we got in at the shop last week. I am such a sucker for yellow and white prints and just need a grey shirt to make me happy and finish off this outfit. I interfaced the waistband with my favorite interfacing, Stacey Shapeflex from Pellon. It’s pricey, but it’s actually woven cotton and fusible. And the fusible fuses and doesn’t come off. I love it! I hand picked the zipper in an effort to actually TRY to have the waistband seam and top of the skirt line up for a change. Final details.. Hmmmm… I stayed the top of the waistband with a piece of 1/2″ stay tape (there are great instructions on how to do this in the Crescent Skirt pattern instructions!) The very top of the skirt is finished with a decorative stitch that matches the one on the hem.

Oh, and I used a very simple, narrow hem on the skirt. It’s so much easier to just use a narrow hem on these full skirts. No need to ease or gather or whatever else. Just keep everything narrow and you’ll have no trouble at all – works especially well with these crisp cottons!

I did three looks! First up, Wear it to work…

Next, a full-on, 50’s with crinoline getup…

Next we have what I like to think of as my Anthropologie reject look. Something about a yellow print with navy stripes…

The last word – Kwik Sew 3637, the Yellow Dewberry skirt

fabric: Joel Dewberry’s Blockade Blossom in Dandelion from the Heirloom collection (available online)

pattern: Kwik Sew 3637

notions: thread, 12″ zipper in bone (cut down to length), Stacey Shapeflex interfacing from Pellon

time to complete: 3 hours:  20 minutes to cut, 10 minutes to apply interfacing, 30 minutes to make waistband, 15 minutes to make skirt, 15 minutes to attach skirt and waistband, 30 minutes to put in zipper, one hour to finish decorative stitching and hem (those decorative stitches take FOREVER on this never-ending hem!!)

likelihood to make another?: definitely – this is a classic skirt style!! I need more in ‘winter’ colors that will work with boots, tights and leggings…

curvy girl score: 7. I’m not convinced that full skirts are the best look for me – they seem to add visual weight to the lower half and I think straight/pencil skirts are more flattering. It helps to have the wide waistband at my narrowest spot, though. As far as the FULL skirts go, this gets a 10 as I love how the full circle cut makes for a very smooth line at the hips – no gathers or pleats!

Twirling!!