I was a little late to jump on the Grainline Moss Mini bandwagon, but I’m glad that I did.  I’ll give you the description as per the pattern website.  This is a semi-fitted skirt that sits slightly below the natural waist and works up well in a variety of fabrics, from denim to wool to corduroy and many fabrics in-between. Skirt features a fly front and button closure as well as a yoke at the back. If mini isn’t quite your style, add the hem band to create the longer silhouette of View B or use the hem band to get a little fancy.

I chose the longer length, easily done by adding the band. The fabric is a stretch denim that was in stash. No idea where it came from originally – maybe the remnant table at GJs? It was a terrific match for this pattern. Rather than using the denim for facings and pocket linings, I chose a slightly polished cotton, also in stash (maybe originally from Spotlight?). I love that hidden pop of red.

As always, my first make of a pattern is really a muslin, but one that I usually anticipate will be wearable. I measured myself before deciding what size to cut, and discovered that my waist measured a size 16 in this pattern and my hips a size 12. Oh great. Luckily for me I had googled the pattern before cutting it out, and I was aware of the sizes that others had made it up in. Thank you for your reviews, helpful bloggers!  I decided to cut a straight 12 since the skirt is actually designed to sit below the waist, not on it. I also remembered to try it on a number of times throughout the construction process, particularly before adding the hem band or waistband. In the end I took it in at both side seams and down the centre back seam, probably reducing the size to around an 8.

You can see just how much I’ve taken that side seam in – it’s the inside line of stitching. The back was the same. The fly facing and zip insertion was a little different to what I am used to doing. I stitched the fly facing pieces right sides together and turned them as per one of the options in the instructions, but the next time I made it I will overlock them wrong sides together to reduce bulk and keep them a better size to be caught in the fly topstitching later on.

One of the details that I particularly like in this skirt are the pockets. They are drafted so that they come right across to the centre front, creating a pocket stay and an extra layer of firmer fabric exactly where I need it! Instant tummy reduction. Well, a bit of tummy support, anyway. You can see it in this inside out photo.

Another thing about the pockets – the opening is cut on the bias, so like all bias cuts it will stretch out if isn’t stabilised properly. I used Freudenberg Vilene stabilising tape along the seam lines of both the pocket and the facing, and they worked a treat. I faced the hem band with the print fabric, and topstitched it down with a triple stitch both as a detail and to secure it.

The topstitching around the top of the hem band was echoed in topstitching beside the centre front seam and above the back yoke.

Rather than handstitching or topstitching the waistband facing in place, I chose to stitch in the ditch. You really can’t see it – the stitches sank right into the seam of the stretch denim. And I love the vintage button that I found in stash. You’ll never see it – because I wear tops over my skirts, not tucked in – but I know that it is there!

So, what about the fit? As I said earlier, I took it in quite a lot compared to the suggested size for my measurements (and I am at my “upper” weight at the moment, not my lower one). I’m really nowhere near a size 8, but that’s the size that worked. The curved waistband sits beautifully below my waist as it dips down at the centre front, and the skirt also fits well through the hips. The only problem, once I saw this photo, is that little bulging fold of fabric at the back yoke. I was certain that it hadn’t been there when I tried the skirt on earlier!

It looks like a classic situation of needing a sway back alteration, doesn’t it? But a sway back alteration is something that I really haven’t needed to do in the past. I have a fairly flat bum, so there’s not much of a curve differential. Then – a lightbulb moment! In these photos, I am wearing heels. Fairly high heels, at least for me (they’re as high as I can cope with). Which of course, alter my posture considerably – and make my bum stick out a bit more than usual.

When I swapped into flat shoes, the excess fabric was gone. So it looks as though I need to either remember to wear flats with this skirt, or to just wear a top over it if I am wearing heels.

Now that I take another look at these photos, there is a bit of a weird bulge or pull at the bottom of the zip. I suspect that it is a function of the zip ending and seam starting at the same point as my stomach curve ends. In normal wear, it isn’t noticeable. Maybe that is due to the stretch in the fabric? Anyway, I’m actually very happy with my wearable muslin, and have already worn it a few times.

I was tossing up making myself a Victory Patterns Lola dress to wear tomorrow (for my birthday!) but I think that it’s getting too late at night to make a start on it now. Better off to go to bed and have some beauty sleep before an early start at the gym – to be followed by coffee, chat, and fun! Birthdays are great – even when the age that you are turning surprises you somewhat.