Project 1-2 Add A Cool, Retro Belt Buckle

One thing I've found in sewing is you need to try combinations out first before you sew them together permanently.  It's funny how certain you can be that colors will look great together or a certain button is perfect...and you are wrong!

With that in mind, I laid the skirt fabric on my bed and placed a plain white and then a black shirt next to the fabric to judge what looked the best.  The black shirt won hands down...and then I decided to add some black accents to my outfit.

- I pulled out a black belt buckle from my stash--very 80's looking, cool.

-  I pinned some 1" straight black lace at the bottom of the skirt hem.  I wasn't sure if it was going to be too much...as it turned out, it looks nice and isn't overpowering because the skirt fabric is so dramatic.

- I have several pairs of black shoes that I will share with you, wedges, pumps, sandals and mary janes--they'll look adorable with this outfit.

- I will use a 7" black zipper

Adjustments

I have cut out my skirt fabric and made the following adjustments:

The pattern was a size 14 and I need a 16-18 pattern.

1) The pattern is cut out for a waist size 14 or 28" but I needed a 32" waist.  I subtracted the pattern waist size from my waist size and divided by 4 (4 = the two front side seams and two back side seams). 

       32       -         28              =    4     divided by        4         =                   1 inch
 (my waist)    (pattern waist)       (answer)                   (4 seams)        (add to each seam)
 
 I added 1" to each of the side seams, facings and belt.

2) I moved the front and back darts over 1/2 inch towards the side seams.

3) I took 2" off the length.  For my body type, I make this standard adjustment to the skirts and sleeves of all the garments I make.

3) Because I am now adding 1" black lace on the hem, I made the hem an additional 1" shorter.

4) I am putting the zipper on the side because I don't want an additional seam in the back to disturb the pretty pattern and sequins.  I cut the back and facings pieces on the fold.

5) I am adding a black lining fabric.

 Posts for the First Project Challenge:  Introducing the project, discussing pattern changes, making the skirt and recreating the belt (I lost the belt pattern piece).