StyleArc Goldie Woven Skirt in Black Corduroy

I recently sewed up the Goldie Woven Skirt by Style Arc. I've been obsessed with pants and jeans-making this fall, and haven't really done too many skirts, so this was fun and quick.

There are two length options, and honestly I wanted one right in between the mini and knee (though on me it was below-the-knee). I ended up cutting the mini and was panicking about how short the pattern pieces looked! But it's ok. I decided to do the zip front because I happened to have an open-ended metallic zip in my stash just the right length I needed. For the fabric I used this stretch blended black corduroy from Mood fabrics (stretch wovens are not required though).  This corduroy is gorgeous and almost looks like a velvet.

This was a pretty quick make. There are separate pattern pieces for a zip or button front, so decide before you cut into your fabric.  The lack of side seams means there isn't a lot of opportunity to adjust the fit, so measure yourself honestly and carefully.  I bought a size 10 based on the finished hip measurement listed on the website and the fit is perfect on me, maybe a bit of gaping at the back waist.

This is very straightforward so the typical Style Arc instructions aren't a huge problem.  Actually, there is a nice diagram for attaching the front facing, so I'd say the instructions are average to better-than-average by Style Arc standards.

The black fabric doesn't show off the style lines too well, but they're in there. I brightened the photos to try and show them better.  Also, curved seams and corduroy aren't best friends, since you can't really get in there and press the corduroy as much as you'd like, but the seams look cleaner in natural un-photoshopped light.

The length turned out fine on me, and I knew I'd wear this with tights so I could get away with the shorter version.  Also it sits below my belly button, so the lower rise helps compensate for the lack of length.
Overall, I liked this pattern, it's an easy silhouette with some unusual design lines, and you could use a lot of different fabric types.  I'd like to make this again in denim with the button front option, and maybe make the longer length version in wool.  Happy sewing in 2017!


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