The Spero skirt is designed for knit fabrics, and is a simple high-rise, pull-on skirt. It has a relaxed silhouette and an elastic waistband, and falls to midi length. It has a slit at the centre back, which means that there's plenty of room for movement so you're not restricted when walking.
The pattern covers waist measurements from 23 to 58" and hips from 32 to 67".
Proceeds from the pattern go to supporting causes that are important to the designer. As I'm writing this post, they're going to Community Aid Network MN.
Spero is a fairly simple pattern, with just two pattern pieces – one for the front (cut on the fold), and one for the back (cut as two pieces). The waistband is formed by folding over the top of the skirt.
As a result, it's no surprise that the skirt sews up quickly and effortlessly. The instructions are very good; clear and easy to follow, with just the right level of detail and helpful diagrams.
The sizing is good. The pattern recommends that you choose a size based on your hip measurement, which I did. My hips are 42" so I made a size 10 – my waist is 32.5", so between an 8 and a 10, but it's easy to adjust the waist a bit by cutting the elastic to your preferred length. Personally, I think the skirt has the perfect amount of ease to make it comfy and relaxed for everyday wear, without being baggy or shapeless.
The skirt is drafted for a height of 5'5" (side note: I love that this information is stated clearly in the instructions, often it's the kind of thing you have to hunt down on a designer's website). I'm closer to 5'9" so I lengthened my skirt by 2".
There is a lengthen/shorten line on the pattern (another plus point; they're often not included), but it's in the lower half of the skirt below the slit. I thought that I'd probably want the extra length above the slit so I drew in my own lengthen line in the top half of the skirt, and I'm glad I did that. The slit (and the skirt as a whole) falls at pretty much the perfect length for me now.
The fabric that I used is a French terry that I snapped up in the Threadquarters closing down sale. This fabric is now out of out of stock, but there are some other beauties still available at the moment if you're after a bargain.
My Spero skirt is so comfy to wear, and I love the colour. All in all, it was a really enjoyable project and I could definitely see myself making another Spero or two in the future!
