So I finished this skirt about a month ago but it took until today to take more photos (after the original set The Boyfriend took weren’t great). I bought Butterick 5285 because after watching Mad Men, I really liked the look of Peggy’s pleated skirt and blouse combos, especially this one:

And after trawling all the pattern makes, Butterick 5285 seemed the best fit of the ones still available. I made view B, which has pleats but not stitched ones (because I was too scared to make stitched pleats). I tried to buy some mustard yellow fabric to totally rip off this look, but my local shop didn’t have anything mustard so I went for bright yellow. I’m not kidding, it’s really bright!

The pattern came together really easily, and I really like that it has pockets. I’m totally going to use those pockets in other patterns which don’t have any as I find it really annoying not to have pockets. The only hiccup I had was (somehow) sewing the side seams on the outside. I’m going to blame getting a little confused about the pockets (this is the first time I’m made something with pockets in), the fabric not having an obvious back and front, and me being really stupid. The annoying this was that I had zig-zagged all the seams and around the pockets – luckily I’d zig-zagged the seams apart otherwise that would have been a real ball-ache to unpick.

I had one other slight issue – somehow I puckered one of the side seams, probably from having to re-do the whole thing!

Excuse the selfie-style photos. Also, the colour looks really washed out here, weird. I fixed this by unpicking (again!) the side seam underneath the pocket, and a little of the hem, then re-sewing it so it looked straight, which left me with an uneven hem. So I just re-hemmed that bit to make it look straight by taking up more on the side where it was now lower….if that makes any sense?

I made a straight size 10 as that was the size closest to my waist size, and I figured that was the only bit it was important to fit to. I cut off 7 cm from the length and added a button to the back instead of a hook and eye (as I had buttons but no hooks and eyes). I used a bit I’d but off the waistband as the button loop. I’ m not totally sold on the length – I wonder if going a bit shorter still might make it look less frumpy?

This is a pretty good representation of how bright the yellow is! Also, check out my (relatively) neat slip stitching!

I think basically, this is a really easy pattern but I made several stupid mistakes. I’m already planning to make another one in bright turquoise, but I can’t decide whether to make the gathered version or the fixed pleat version. Any suggestions?

(I don’t know why I’m standing with my feet so far apart – odd!)

And here it is with my Gertie Blouse: