I’ve had my eye on the Brumby Skirt pattern by Megan Nielsen for a quite a while. Those deep curved pockets combined with the exposed zipper and tall waistband. It’s just to die for. My European vacation was the perfect excuse to make it. This is a really fun skirt to make and to wear and a great basic for any wardrobe.
I made version 2 of the skirt, which is a middle length with deep scoop pockets. I originally cut a size small, planning to use a .5 inch seam allowance for a little extra ease. This pattern has zero ease at the waist. I’ve decided that I like extra ease so I ended up recutting the waistband at a size medium. The medium is a little bit loose but it's really comfortable. I hate having a skirt that's comfortable when I'm standing and then too tight when I sit down. Because the skirt is gathered, I did not need to make any adjustments to the skirt to fit the larger waistband. It’s just gathered a little less. For the length, I cut along the largest size. I’m 5’11” and it worked perfectly for me.
I love the look of the exposed back zipper and it was really easy to install. Megan also has a photo tutorial right here that I’ve used before (for this top) with success. I have a lot of zippers in my stash but didn’t have the perfect one. It just had to be a zipper with gold teeth and navy tape. I’m so glad I made that extra trip to the store to buy the zipper. It’s totally worth it and I would have regretted it later.
I chose a lightweight chambray and used a light golden yellow thread for the topstitching. If you haven’t already noticed, my love for chambray is undying. It pairs with any color or print. And it’s casual but not frumpy. Other than fiddling with the sizing, this pattern came together so easily. I think it would be no problem for an advanced beginner to sew. It really helps to use an easy to handle fabric like chambray.
I really love this skirt and I can’t wait to wear it on my trip and for years to come. It’s a classic design and there are so many great features – the exposed back zipper, the topstitched center front seam. And you can bet I'll be filling those big scoop front pockets with all sorts of things.
Here I'm wearing the skirt with these sandals (they are super comfy), an RTW t-shirt and my new wood watch (check out details and a giveaway for that right here). Are you doing any summer travel sewing?
