Holy Crud what is going on here!?
Well I started out thinking it would be neat to try an actual harem style dropped waist pant, instead of the hacked Anima pants I made last year (here - and actually one of my top 5 makes of 2020).
I went with size 8.
The pattern is very simple, only two pieces and a waistband. You have to cut them out flat instead of with the fabric folded, which on my oddly sticky rayon-linen knit was kind of a pain (or maybe it was the heat, ugh, so hot right now.) But backing up - the pdf was easy to put together, and I think I chose the correct size. To the best of my recollection, size 8 in StyleArc consistently is the correct one for me, although I'm not sure I've ever had great success with the patterns because of fit problems.
The fabric is from Backstreet Bargains, and as I bought it to specifically make these, I actually did buy enough yardage. (I'm allergic to buying over 1.5 meters of anything, arg!!) It was cheap, and linen, yay!
The instructions are sparse (they always are with Style Arc). I didn't realise the pleats should be done with the wrong side up, so my pleats might be reversed, oh well. And I think the waistband instructions are ridiculous - the technique listed is to fold the waistband, insert the elastic into it, baste it shut...and THEN sew the crimped up thing onto your massive pleated waist. No thanks. I sewed the waistband on sans elastic, leaving a gap in the back, inserted my elastic in standard fashion, and then sewed it shut.
Also of note, the SA is 1/4" so my notches were too deep. They left holes along the waist that I had to fix later.
Though these are not terribly unflattering, I have two major problems here.
The pockets are created by sewing a line from the top down between the pocket part of the pants and the waist part of the pants, and voila, a pocket flaps forward, which you then sew towards the front. There is no such line at the bottom of the pocket, which means that it's just another pleat among pleats until you go looking for it. Once you find it, the pocket seems very shallow because nothing is forcing it to stay fully flapped right side out against your thigh. My sticky fabric might be making this worse, though it is linen, and does drape nicely.
The other issue is of course everything happening below the knee. Really I'd call these pants a success if they didn't narrow so much, but this is ridiculous - about the knee, they suddenly become leggings. Like, absolutely leggings. Way too long, too. It's a fabric hungry pattern and I could have saved a lot of fabric by cutting off the bottom 4", which are all hunched together down there. But better yet, I'll probably cut them off below the knee because I think the legging bit is horrible.
Saved! But not for repeating as is. Beware the calf tightness, and widen appropriately. Pockets: hm. Maybe better when objects are in them.
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