Love Notions' Prisma - with a woven skirt?

Pattern - Love Notions Prisma
Fabric - l'oiseau fabrics - Solids Basic charcoal,  Fabricland - woven rayon
Skill - pleats

 Love Notions' new Prisma - a drop-waisted dress for girls.  Versatile in the extreme, Prisma offers 3 sleeve lengths, 3 neck options and A-line, flared and pleated skirts in sizes 2T to 16.  I was assigned the pleated skirt option with a scoop neck.  During the testing process a question was asked about the skirt - could it be made from woven fabric?  I immediately thought, "Yes!"  Provided the fabric chosen was appropriate, there was no reason that it wouldn't work and I decided to give it a try.

My chosen fabrics were cotton/spandex knit from l'oiseau fabrics for the bodice and short sleeves with a woven rayon for the pleated skirt.

The pattern piece for the skirt is very clearly marked and in no time at all the pleats were pinned into place.  You can find a video tutorial for making the pleats on the Love Notions website.  A half inch space is left open at each end so that the front and back of the skirt can be joined.  Later I learned of another way to make the pleats - a method involving a fork!  But that is a post for another time.

Now to the sewing machine.  With a long basting stitch, I sewed the pleats down taking care the pleats weren't disturbed on the back side.

Using a woven for the skirt worked out extremely well - no stretch at all and the skirt fits perfectly to the bodice piece.

Next step - pin the skirt to the bodice front, right sides together.

On to the serger - serge the seam.  Then repeat for the other skirt and back bodice pieces.

After the front and back have been joined at the shoulder, the sleeves have been serged in place and the neckband added, it's time to serge the side seams.  And at this step, it's important to change your serger's differential - N through the woven material and 1.5 through the knit.

Almost done!  Pin the hems for the skirt and sleeves and finish - I decided to go with a reverse coverstitch with thread in the looper to match the rust in the skirt.

And that's all there is to it!  I still have to press the pleats although they look lovely unpressed as well.  The Prisma is a versatile pattern with a little something for everyone.  Quick, easy and adaptable - what a great pattern!