Colette Patterns Beignet Skirt

This project began as a "real" garment (because I've already made one Beignet that fit, right out of the envelope!) but ended up a "wearable muslin" that I'm not sure I'll actually wear! **UPDATE: I wore it today because with the top untucked you can't see the foldy darts. And I decided I was overthinking something that looked perfectly fine. Better than some of my RTW, that's for sure!

I'm having some issues with fit on this one. Poo.

Here's a really bad photo to get you going:


Gah. I really need to work on that slouchy posture thing.

Anyway...a little about the pattern...This is one of the first Colette patterns issued, so there are a couple of typos, but nothing major. I'm sure subsequent printings fixed that (and they don't affect instructions, just supplies needed on the pattern back.) The supplies include a 16" invisible zipper. Uh, obviously this skirt has a zipper, but the actual Beignet pattern buttons up the front (no zip at all). In other words, if you have the original pattern and want to make the Beignet as-is, you don't need a zip.

The sizing on Colette patterns more closely resembles RTW, and I fall between the 16/18 on bottom. Just like in real life. (Yay. Not.) I cut right between the lines on my original Beignet and it fit perfect, right out of the box. (Yay for reals!)

For this version I used a stretch cotton in pale lime. I really wanted more of a "pencil skirt" feel, and the Beignet is just ever so slightly a-line. I also wanted a zip closer and no buttons. So I adjusted the pattern a bit. I used the CB for the front and the CF (with button/buttonhole overlap removed, plus s/a) for the back. Then I used the front side pieces, which do not a-line, for all the sides. The upper portion is the same as the back, but the back sides begin to a-line at the hem.

Fit was great, if a little finicky because of using the invisible zip in back on a skirt that was intended to have a button placket. My stretch cotton was a fiddly too and hard to judge fit on in-progress. After wearing only a few minutes to set up the camera, it started to sag and bag in front under my round tummy.


I also have darts trying to form on the side panels. Thanks to Shannon I realized my mistake that caused these. I have a tilted waist in front and I always lower the front waist on pants/skirt by about 1". After trying this on without the facings, I made this adjustment, trimming away 1" at CF and tapering to nothing at the side seams. The front hem was dipping down about 1". I should also mention I didn't have those folds whatsoever before removing the inch.

Well...the hem is even now, but I have the darty-fold thingies. I don't care toooo much on this skirt, because I can just wear tops untucked and it should cover the folds. Except that the entire point of this skirt was to wear my red top tucked in!! With a cute little belt maybe (Haven't added belt loops though, I was thinking of making threadloops instead. Now I'll probably just leave that off.)

I will say I don't know how wearable this skirt would be over a long day! This cotton (a cotton/lycra with a pretty jacquard weave) stretched out aLOT just in the 15 minutes I was maneuvering to snap some pics. Note how the front just gets baggier and baggier! Good news, I guess, is that I didn't need a hem vent.


After taking these pictures I did take up the CF/side seams just a bit, about 1/4 on either side. That helped with the bagging a little.

Oh! This skirt is also unlined. I had to draft a facing for the "center back" (which was the "front", haha. Are you confused yet?) . I'll try to get photos of all that later today if you promise not to make fun of my white serger thread. I'm so lazy about changing those threads! (not that I had lime anyway. So there.)

With all the fiddling, I'm sort of excited to attempt this skirt in a linen or something. Off to work! It's Monday. Sigh.