Pattern Tour: Sew Chic Patterns & LN1923 Gatsby Skirt or Pant

Hello All! It's been a long spell since I've last written, and I've missed you! It's been a very busy year for me (in a good way!), so it's time for me to check in and share with you my last 4 new patterns. Gatsby sales are topping the charts at the moment, so I thought I'd share with you a few details that make this style pretty special.

All About Gatsby

 With a basic pencil sketch on a scrap of paper pinned to the corner of my mood board for the last several years, the skirt idea had been kicking around in my head for a while. A couple of visitors had commented it was cute, and with a board as cluttered as mine, just noticing it was simply amazing! It was my sign that it was time to bring the idea to life.

Designs do change once I get working on them, and adding curves to the princess seams and including pockets were two good choices. I had some good details, but it still seemed too ordinary for me. I don't like ordinary, so I added the extra flounce in front. It pulls the grain off kilter just a little bit, and the flare follows. It's a great detail for a solid color too.

 One customer asked about matching the stripes with the flounce. As you can see I didn't bother with matching the pin stripes on any seam. My rule of thumb for matching is that the print or pattern has to be bold and large enough to make a difference to the look before I will painstakingly match every stripe. On this skirt with this fabric, it doesn't bother me at all.

If you are a pin stripe matcher, let me just say that not all seams can be perfectly matched. To match stripes and plaids, both adjoining seams must have the same grain and match the same curve. Like a sleeve, they can match at certain points, but not throughout. Because the flounce and side front seams are not the same, they will not be able to match up perfectly. The side front and front pattern pieces also have a curved seam, but they are cut to match the same angle, so they could be pattern matched. Besides, if the stripes were matched, the seam would not stand out as such a great detail. Perfectly matched stripes would force the seam into the visual background.

The flare kicks out just a little bit more (pointing to it on the left), and the soft undulating hemline should help you appreciate the "designer" qualities of this skirt.

After I finished with the skirt, I asked my facebook followers which they would prefer- a jacket to go with the skirt, or perhaps a pant. Mind you, they did not know what the skirt looked like, but hands down, everyone wanted a pant. I personally hate making pants, but these are painless to make and are pretty cute!
 

At this point, let me point out the high top waist (called a hollywood waist) which I love because it visually lengthens the body. This pant leg style used to be called a "stove pipe" because they were wide and uniform from the hip to hem. These pants actually do have a tiny bit of leg flare, but it's not much. It's a pant leg that I like best and one that suits many figure types. Can you tell the difference between these two pant fabrics? Which would you choose and why?

 Find this pattern here:
https://sewchicpatterns.com/product/ln1923-gatsby-skirt-or-pant/
Thanks for coming on the tour, have a great sewing day!