A line Skirt Pattern

My sister is teaching. Nothing quite says "women's proffessional clothing" the way 1940's does. To me anyway. Because 1940s was really when women entered the workforce to help save the world and all that.

Anyway, pencil skirts dont' look good on this sister and I due to our body shape (pear/hourglass) so I went for A-line, with some shaping in the side seams and back waistline darts.

She humored me and posed in a messy kid's room at midnight, since she had to fly out in the morning....

 I made her some skirts from cotton bottomweight twill from JoAnns. Each skirt was made from 1 yard of 59" fabric.

 The shaping in the waist was divided into 6 parts. 1 part on each side, front and back (so 4" total), and 1 part each in the 2 back darts (so 2" in back darts total), tapering the waist 6" total from the simple triangular trapezoidal shape.

(When I didn't do this, the waistband ends up migrating down, and it gets really tight over the abdomen. By shaping the waist, it stays where its supposed to, and leaves more room over the abdomen) I found this ratio through trial and error, but found afterwards that this rule of thumb from these instructions. Basically, you draw the lines up from the size of the bum, and then calculate the excess amount in the waist. You divide this excess into 6 parts, then take out 4 parts in side seams, 2 parts in the back darts.

Also when shaping the "scoop" in the waist (to make it hang better, and not hug the abdomen), I have to keep at least 2" straight on the edges, and then GENTLY taper down to the depth at the center (1.5" depth center front, 2" depth center back). I also had to remember not to make sharp inflection points or it wrinkled.

It turned out nicely. I didn't do the waistband right at her natural waist, but a little below it, because I think that looks more flattering on women.

I was pleased.