Colette Patterns finished Mabel

Okay, fixes made.  Here's the final result.

And here is an overly large photo (I'm not sure why Blogger didn't shrink this one) from the back, showing the kick pleat, which was the feature that lured me in.

The outside pictures weren't showing the texture of the fabric, so I brought the skirt in for a closer shot.  You can see that the pencil effect has disappeared and the front/center panels ratio is off.

I really love the material, though.  And it's a very comfortable skirt.  The waistband should be much bigger, but I cut it off twice due to making mistakes in construction.

I blame myself, not the pattern for the disaster.  I think my problems were threefold:

1.  My knit wasn't firm enough, which meant it just kind of "let go and let god" when I cut into it, which is nice for some things, but not so much when  you are supposed to be keeping a shape.

2. I didn't do a very good job of taking my measurements.  Twice.  Because Mr. Hornaday, my 8th grade shop teacher taught me to always measure twice.

3.  My scissors are incredibly dull and they stretched out the fabric as I was cutting.

So I've learned my lesson.  I will attempt this skirt again with a stronger knit and later in the day after I've finished my other projects. And licked my wounds.  I'm going to start the next version by cutting and sewing the waistband and TRYING IT ON right then, before I cut out the skirt parts.

As a post script, the first time I wore this out and about, it relaxed even more, and I ended up pinning out the sides, just so it wouldn't fall down.  I think this material would make a great shapeless wrap-type jacket.  But not a skirt.