Everyone's Favorite Workhorse - McCall's 7082

I'm feeling so productive these days! Meet another UFO from January that has obviously now transitioned to FO status *hollllaaaa!

I'm calling this piece everyone's favorite workhorse because it's a Black Skirt. Perfect for virtually ANY occasion and it can be mixed and matched with a plethora of different tops and shoes and accessories. I really don't know where you can go wrong with it. ... Which is exactly why I needed one.  While I was going through my patterns, I just wanted something simple. Something with pleats because I love those, and pockets (because, yes.), and something that wasn't going to fly up at any given blow of the wind. That last part was a huge part of it because my rose dress and my mad men dress are pretty impossible to wear outside for too long without me trying to reinvent the Marilyn pose or walk around with my skirt bunched up in my hands -_-. I wanted something basic but not BORING.

I couldn't find a skirt pattern that I was all in with so I ended up taking the skirt from McCalls 7082 (cutting a size 14 at the time but that size is a little big now) and the pockets from Simplicity 1354 and *voila* I have my dream basic skirt pattern.

I got the fabric from Fabric Mart. It's labeled as "Black Corded Light Weight Suiting". I so wish that it photographed the way that it actually looks and feels because these pics do it no justice. It's also a bit see-through so I fully lined the skirt and waistband (with the same pattern pieces) with a remnant of polyester lining that I got from JoAnn Fabrics.

The fabric pressed VERY well but it frays like CRAZY. I had to serge every single seam allowance and the hem. The lining didn't press well but it did join in the fray "fun". I had to serge it's seam allowances as well. For the hem, though, i just pressed up an inch and a quarter and then folded the raw edge into the pressed fold.

One of the things I wish I did was interface the waistband. That is my only regret. It's a little wonky.. This pic is a bit worse than it looks and it's not very noticeable to anyone who isn't inspecting me lol.

This was my first time doing inseam pockets. They came out great so I am proud of that as well. I will be making them a little deeper in the future, though. Just enough so that my phone can sit in them without peaking out.

My invisible zipper insertion went SEAMLESS and I machine stitched the lining to the zipper as well.  The top of the waistband even matches up! I'm pretty proud that I can see my skills improving.

I will also work on my hems from now on. I think I should have done a bias bound hem for this skirt and that's something I will consider for next time. The hem is deep and the fabric has a good weight so it doesn't just go and flow with the wind, which makes me happy lol. One less thing to be self-conscious about. As you can see in the first pic it does swish though so it has a bit of body. I hemmed the lining a quarter inch deeper than the skirt... i think i'll go deeper next time lol

This is what my face looks like when I'm taking blog pics loool my friends hate me for it. I'm trying to channel my inner emo fashion blogger.

[inside] this is after all day wear and what not lol #don'tjudge

Overall, I love the skirt and I KNOW that's it's going to get tons of wear. I'm thinking of making one in Navy and another in Red.
Another shoutout to my friend Alejandra for the pics!

What do you think? What's your favorite workhorse??