Pattern Puzzles

Following on from the earlier post for the Pattern Puzzle - Empire cowl Knit I have the chance here to detail the manipulation of the pattern pieces to achieve the new design.   Below is the production sketch of the style.  I hope to eventually develop all these styles into pattern making worksheets for the website.

This is an idea from my Sketchbook (visual diary), from at least 3-4 years ago.  I believe I found it in a forecast magazine of that time (Textile View).  The design is elegant but may have some inherent problems to be dealt with in the first toile/prototype.   Your fabric choice will be important as the ruching suggests much of this skirt will be cut on the bias and there may be a little tension between the ruching around the thighs and the flare I have drawn into the hem.  I'm also concerned that the gathered hip yoke could be puffy if not sewn well.  I would probably work with a light-weight, finely woven wool suiting as I know from experience that it behaves well when cut on the bias.

The last Pattern Puzzle generated some curiosity so I have decided to take it from the "what a great idea" stage to reality.  This will reveal all potential issues as we work our way through all stages of prototyping to the final sample.
To begin I have a Production sketch with clear front and back views.  For this pattern I am using my undarted kimono block to begin my pattern plan.  When working with this block I tend to work the back and front on top of each other.  The reason is that so much of this block is the same front to back with the exception of the necklines and the shoulder/overarm line.  (If this is not clear please comment and ask - always, always happy to respond).  Pic below is the entire pattern plan, with more detail in the following images.

According to the notes in my sketch book I had decided that this jacket will be cut in a wool Ponti (double knit).  Unfortunately, wool ponti is hard enough to come by at all, let alone in these colours.  It would also be fantastic in a sports fleece or polar fleece) which is more likely to come in a variety of colours.  Use your overlocker and contrast thread to make a 'seam cover' style hem to show through the facing shape.  I also love the idea of the collar facing and hem facing being cut in a contrast colour.
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