Paco Peralta - Pleated Skirt

Zipper Install

I was able to get the zipper successfully installed today and the second fitting done.  I know that doesn't sound like a whole lot, but do consider that I'm working with a plaid, which requires careful matching.  This project is a whole lot of careful matching:  the pleats, the side seams and the zipper.  The first side of the zipper was easy, that just gets sewn in.  The second side is the part that takes a little more time because all the red and yellow lines of the plaid must match up, along with the wide navy/black sections.  I put this zipper in the way I always do when I need to match up lines, detailed in this tutorial.

Needless to say, I had to re-baste a section a few times to get it just right, but the final result is good:

After that I was able to try on the skirt for a second time and adjust the back waist a bit - all I had to do was stitch the pleats a bit tight to take up some excess fabric.  I'll have to change the back facing and lining to reflect that adjustment.

Now I can get the lining constructed and installed, some time this weekend, probably Sunday as tomorrow will be a nice day and I'll be out all day.

Parting Shot:  P-51 Mustang.  One more plane!  On display along with the B-17 and B-24 was a P-51 Mustang.  We were able to watch it take off and fly.  This is a really loud plane for being so small!  I can't imagine the sound of a whole fleet of these things in the sky together.  As an Air Force brat, I've seen a lot of air shows and all the modern fighters, but these little planes are still pretty amazing.  Thank you all for the comments regarding the other planes - I understand the connection some of you have with these historic aircraft and understand the sacrifices some made to fly in them for everything we enjoy in our country today.