Another Piece of Cake

I want to start off by saying that I wish it wasn't me finding errors with the pattern. I really want indies to be successful. It's to everyone's benefit if they are. And I admit I wanted to feel the bliss I've seen around the interwebs. But on the other hand, I'm not inclined toward that bliss when plunking down $15 and then needing to fix the pattern. And it bugs me a little that beginning stitchers won't know what they don't know and will probably remain blissfully ignorant. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

Here goes ...

I was originally going to blend between upper chest/neck and waist. Bad enough that the sizes aren't nested to make it easier on me, but the sleeve angles vary between the sizes. If I line up the sleeve angles as below, look what happens to the center fronts ... they are wonky donkey.

Likewise, if I align the CFs, the sleeve angles go in different directions. Which means you may need a shoulder angle adjustment in one size range, but not in another. BTW, per the instructions on using high bust measurement for the base bodice size, I should be using the smaller size on top. But if I did that, I'd need to add 4" to go over the girls, which is why I decided to blend in the first place. The bust depth alteration on Cake's blog isn't (IMO) a good alteration ... it leaves you with a terrible pattern piece. So, instead, I'm meeting it all in the middle and using the smallest lines on the bigger pattern piece, with the neckline/shoulder lengths of the smaller piece.

This is the front midriff piece, sized using the pattern instructions. Uh ... my body (and I'm guessing yours too) doesn't get *smaller* as we near the hips. Something just ain't right here.

Nor here ... I was right when I said earlier that the midriff pieces don't match at the sideseams. They are off nearly a 1/4". Yes, there is a possibility that the printer was off, but I didn't print this in separate runs so I'm kind of doubting that. And everything else on these sheets lined up fine.

And then we have this ... the wonky midriff piece is over an inch longer than the bodice piece it's supposed to match up to. Even if I undo the tuck, which is supposed to be untucked anyway on the smaller size of each range (WHY?), it still doesn't match up. Note to self: Find the next size out so I can use the tuck for shaping, and then correct that midriff.

And my last entry for the night ... the tuck is drafted without a proper extension. Folded in this direction, it won't fully catch in the seam. Folded the other way, the extension hangs down below the seam line (better for getting caught, but still bad drafting).

And I haven't even looked at the skirt yet.

(If you missed my first post on this pattern, go back one.)