Patti Pocket Skirt

Disclaimer: I was a pattern tester for Amy and received the pattern for free, but below are all my own honest opinions.  

In the past, I have discussed my obsession with pockets, especially in dresses and skirts. So imagine my excitement when I got to test a pattern with "Pocket" in the name! Like really, leave your purse at home, cause you could fit your life in these pockets. Most dress/skirt styles have a hidden seam pocket (that is if they are lucky enough to have pockets at all), so it's really refreshing to have the pockets front and center like the all-stars they are.

Style

I wouldn't say that this skirt especially speaks to my sense of style, but it is a design that can easily find a place in any wardrobe, with the right details. Here I've tried to make the skirt look a little less "sweet" by pairing it with stripes, a chain necklace, and leather-look booties. Another plus is the versatility of the original design. I have also paired my Patti with a simple top, cardigan, and tights for a more work appropriate look.

There are is a lot of easy options for making unique versions of this skirt as well. Since I was pattern testing, I decided to go with a straight forward interpretation in a simple fabric. For future makes I would really like to play with the shape of the pockets, and maybe add some piping to highlight the lines. I'm not great at mixing prints, but I think there is also a lot of mixing and matching fabric potential.

Fit

Finally a pattern just for petites! On bottoms patterns, I always end up removing at least 3-6 inches, which can sometimes cause proportion issues in addition to being annoying. I did not have to make a single length adjustment on this pattern and it was glorious. (Average/tall sewers use caution, if its perfect on someone 4'11", it may be a little too short for comfort as is.) I have only made View A (mini version), but I expect the midi version is also well proportioned in length. I made size 2, and it fit well when I put it on in the morning, but I tend to expand A LOT throughout the day, so next time I may let it out just a little bit. The generous pleats are really handy for waist fit adjustments as long as you cut your waistband long enough.

Pattern Review

The pattern itself is good, but the instructions really stand out! Firstly, the instructions and images are clear and easy to follow with nice easy to read text. I like setting my instructions next to my machine as I sew, so its nice to be able to read without picking holding them up.  Amy included a lot of really cool features in her instructions that I haven't seen before. In a lot of the images she included color coded stitch lines to show the stitches you are currently on, and the ones you had just done. If you read the instructions as a PDF, you can also use interactive features, like selecting and jumping to various sections as well as links to supplemental materials if you need a little extra help with certain techniques. I actually like to print my instructions, but I love to see sewing tools and techniques using technology. One last feature is the "Cheat Sheet," which is one page that contains an abbreviated version of all steps without images. I wasn't able to utilize it with my first make, but I can absolutely see it being useful for a more advanced sewist or after you have already made a couple and only need a simple prompt for each step.  

One tip, that I learned the hard way, is to make sure you know which side is the "wrong" side, when using a  fabric that looks the same on both sides. If you are using a fabric without a clear "wrong" side, putting together the pocket pieces can be a little confusing if you're not paying close attention. I ended up making two left side skirt pieces multiple times until I used chalk to clearly mark the wrong side of the fabric. This was more of a personal problem, and not an issue with the pattern or instructions themselves. I probably could have avoided this if I had looked more closely at the diagrams.