Asymmetrically Draped Tartan Skirt - Vogue 7607

Pattern: Vogue 7607 (2002) OOP

Pattern Description: Skirt with contour waist, lined yoke, side zipper, and shaped hemline. A, B: A-line, bias, below mid-knee with mock wrapped front. C: bias and slightly flared.

Pattern Sizing: Sizes 18, 20, 22. I used size 20 for the skirt and cut the yoke between sizes 20 and 22.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes and no. It does match the illustrations. However, it looks much different on the body, where the asymmetry seems more exaggerated and awkward.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Very easy; the only thing that may give some trouble is installing the zipper after the skirt is assembled. I chose to do it another way.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I have a love for drape, movement, and asymmetric design. After seeing this pattern on the internet, I searched for over a year before finding the larger size group on eBay.

Fabric Used: 2 yards 60" sportswear plaid in red, orange, and black tartan (100% acrylic) from Joann Fabrics, black mystery polyester lining and vintage seam binding from the stash, Pellon EK130 Easy-Knit fusible interfacing, Gutermann 100% polyester thread in Chili Red #420, and a vintage 7" Robin zipper in Olive Green.

Rear view

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: Disregarding the finished garment measurements, I cut the yoke out between sizes 20 and 22. I applied fusible knit interfacing to those pieces for stability because this fabric behaved like a light flannel.

Unfortunately, the skirt section, without interfacing, stretched out of shape. I had to recut the upper back section using the pattern piece to match the waistband. I tapered out the sides of the skirt to still keep that section wider to fit my hips.

The hem for this skirt is enormous, and hemming is the second thing you are supposed to do after sewing the three skirt pieces together. It can be a bit time consuming, especially if you press it in place and baste it in the way that I do before stitching.

The next step is to attach the yoke and add reinforcement to the skirt's top edge with seam binding along the seamline as a waist stay. I lucked out on having this coordinating vintage coral binding in my stash.

The next step is to insert the zipper, and the instructions call for a lapped zipper, but I'm not a fan. I find them fussy and awkward, especially for insertion in a side seam. I decided to use a centered zipper application because I could baste the side opening together and stitch the zipper down.

Once done, the lining for the facing was attached to the skirt, understitched, and hand-sewn in place.

This is the skirt riding low on my hips.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I'm not sure. The shape of this didn't end up looking the way I expected it to on a body. I'm not sure if it was the wrong fabric choice or something else. I hope I change my mind because I own the Vogue 9355, the Meghan Markle/Roland Mouret lookalike dress that also has a very similar front-draped skirt. So, I may try View C at some point, in a more stable fabric.

Inspiration images for what I thought I was making:

Lafayette 148 NY Rosabell tartan skirt ($400)

Monse patchwork plaid wrap skirt

Alexander McQueen plaid midiskirt

Conclusion: Despite not being in love with the final skirt shape, I'm still glad I tracked this pattern down and made it up. It is a high impact look.

 

The end of the dart fades out nicely.

UPDATE: Having stable fabric and making the right size is crucial! Months later, wearing it while taking these pictures, I found it was too large. I had to wear it down near my hips, and it spun around as I walked. I ended up pinning a large dart (2" total!) through the back yoke and skirt. The added benefit of this change is that by having the waist up where is should be, the skirt looks closer to the A-line shape of my inspiration pictures, though not as full.