Tried and True Pattern: BlueGingerDoll Peggy Skirt

Good morning, lovelies! As you can probably tell, the Curvy Sewing Collective editors are big fans of tried-and-true patterns. After all, why go to the trouble of fitting something well, if you’re only going to make it once? The beauty of a TNT pattern is that with a variety of fabrics and embellishments, the same pattern can look vastly different each time it’s made.

When looking at our recent posts, I noticed a trend in our TNTs. We love skirts! I have a theory on that, naturally. Not only are skirts quick to sew, but they’re the easiest of all garments to fit. When you’re on the curvier side of the size spectrum, this is a welcome development. There are no FBAs to worry about or shoulders to fiddle with. Once you have two measurements–waist and hip–they’re straightforward garments to conquer. Joy!

In order to join the cool club, I thought I’d share my personal favorite skirt pattern with y’all. While there are quite a few I adore, including Jenny’s beloved Simplicity 2343, there is one that rises above to true TNT status. The Peggy Skirt from Bluegingerdoll Patterns is, hands down, my platonic skirt pattern.

The Peggy is all things wonderful in one pattern. It has a subtle A-line silhouette, faced pockets, a wide waistband, and optional button tabs. This all adds up to a skirt that can be either casual or dressy, but is always, always comfortable. Though my closet is filled with pencil skirts, I love the freedom of movement that the Peggy provides. Since it’s a curvier A-line, it hugs my hips in all the right places, but the pleats leave room for those little fluctuations of weight and cheesecake.

The skirt is finished with a center back zipper and button tab. I love single button waist closures, because it allows me to use up all those vintage one-off buttons in my stash. As far as alterations go, there is one major one I take every time. As drafted, them hem hits me a few inches below the knees, but I prefer a more modern silhouette. With a deeper hem, it’s the perfect mid-knee length for pairing with both flats and heels.

For the most part, the Peggy is a beginner-friendly skirt. It has two darts in the back, two tucks in the front, and the aforementioned traditional zipper. If you’ve never made faced pockets before, those might be a bit of an adventure. Part of the Peggy’s design is a slightly “poofed” pocket, which means the pocket facing is oversized, in comparison to the pocket bag. This can look a bit weird to the eye, but lining up notches and paying close attention to the directions should see you through perfectly well!

As far as fabric goes, you can make up the Peggy in just about any woven yardage you have. The pattern envelope calls for chambrays, cotton and cotton blends, linen, and wools. In descending order in this post, I’ve used a soft and drapey floral cotton, a midweight ikat cotton canvas, a dishy plaid wool blend, and a stretch polka dot cotton poplin. Personally, I favor the two drapier Peggies, because they soften the lines of the skirt a bit. My absolute favorite outfit in the world, the one that makes me feel the most “Mary,” is the one directly above: plaid Peggy, lace up boots, and emerald green cardigan. It’s both comfortable and effortlessly chic–such a rare combination.

The only downside of the Peggy is, unfortunately, the sizing. Though the more recent BGD patterns have an expanded size range, the Peggy still has the original sizing up to an AUS 18 or measurements of 44-36.5-46.5. With my own measurements of 46-34-46, I blend from a 16 at the waist to an 18 at the hips, to get the appropriate fit. That being said, our very own Tanya recently made a gorgeous denim version of the Peggy skirt, which she graded up to her desired size. The pattern pieces are all beautifully nested, making them pretty easy to grade, if you so choose.

Overall Curvy Score: 3 out 5 –a cute, easy skirt with interesting details, but a somewhat limited size range.