12 Variations on Beignet

In the last few months Colette Patterns’ Beignet became my absolute favorite skirt  and since the fit is just perfect for me, I have decided to make it my basic skirt pattern.  However, I don’t want/need a lot of skirts with button front closures so I decided to get creative and tweak the Beignet pattern a little bit.

I want to sew 12 variations of the Beignet pattern and post the process here in my blog. Without any fixed timeline, there is not going to be 1 skirt per month or something like that. Maybe I’ll sew two in one month or maybe there’ll be 2 months without any skirts, I don’t to put myself under too much pressure. Also I am not going to stick to the order in which I posted the ideas below, I’ll just go on with whatever suits my fancy. 

Here are the first ideas that came to mind. By way of illustration I made a few (rough) sketches – I’ll never become a fashion designer with these drawing skills, but I think you’ll get the impression. 

1. Buttonless or Basic Beignet “BB” – I already made this one in 2011 genäht, und showed it here. I’ll post a tutorial how to tweak the original pattern in a few days. This one is also going to be the basic pattern for many of the other variations (hence the name “basic”).

2. BB with 2 kick pleats in the front panels – already made that one as well – description coming soon.

3. BB with pleated inserts in the side front panels.

4. Fishtail BB (ruffled godet or pleated insert in the center back panel)

5. original Beignet with fancy button closure

6. original Beignet with box pleat in the center front

7. BB with flounce

8. Beignet dress – either buttonless or derived from the original pattern – not decided yet.

9. 5-Pocket-Beignet made from denim – that’s going to be challenge!

10. BB with suspenders or dungaree beignet

11. BB with button closure in the upper third of the front seams 

12. Two-Tone BB

… and I can think of even more variations. BB with detachable peplum (50ies style), BB with patch pockets or with pockets in the side front panels, “cargo” beignet with zipper and many pockets (not my personal style but interesting nonetheless), “gipsy” beignet (shortenend form fitting upper part using beignet pattern with gathered thin flowery fabric in the lower part), Beignet with godet inserts in the front and back seams, and …. many more.  I really think this is an excellent basic patterns for something like 1001 different skirts … but I’ll stick to 12 for starters .