Vogue 1263: Pattern Ratings

While working on Vogue 1263, I've been thinking about the "easy" rating that's assigned to this pattern.  

 

The description from the pattern envelope states that it is a "very loose-fitting jacket [that] has front extending to shawl collar, side front dart seams extending into pockets, two-piece sleeves, back princess seams, no side seams on lower jacket, back darts stitched down and flat fell seam finishing." 

This pattern has a variety of darts throughout the jacket, a double pointed front dart, back hemline darts, neckline/shawl collar darts. The darts on this jacket give this pattern the three dimensional shaping that makes it so unique. The flat felled seams finish off the look both inside and out. 

It made me wonder how Vogue patterns define "easy" since some other sewers have rated this "difficult but great for advance sewers" over on Pattern Review. Vogue patterns offers these definitions:

Ease of Sewing—Know Before You Sew
VERY EASY The easiest and quickest patterns to sew. Great for beginner or the experienced sewer with limited time available. Expect limited construction details, hand sewing and fitting. Easy-to-sew fabrics are recommended.
EASY Easy-to-sew patterns but with more details than the Very Easy category. Perfect for those with limited sewing knowledge or little time. Expect a wide variety of sewing procedures—there will be more details when the techniques are simple and fewer details when the techniques are more involved. Some fitting knowledge required.
AVERAGE These patterns are perfect if you have more time to sew, and more experience sewing. Look for challenging designer techniques, tailoring, unique construction details. Expect more fitting and inner construction. Find more variety in fabrics from the stretchiest knits to synthetic leathers and suedes.
ADVANCED The finest patterns featuring the best of European and American Couture. Perfect for those who like the sewing challenge of professional tailoring and fine couture techniques. Expect intricate fashion shaping, hidden construction details, couture inner construction, fine touches of hand sewing and bias draping.

I don't know if I would rate Vogue 1263 an "easy" project after making Vogue 8916. Vogue 8916 had princess seams just like Vogue 1263 but no darts, not even flat felled seams. It did have a lining which was simple to sew as it was a direct copy of the outer pieces. Yet, Vogue 8916 was given an "average" rating. 

Even with underlining the Vogue 8916 jacket I still felt that it was an easy project. I thought that Vogue 8916 was easy and this project, Vogue 1263, is an "average" project because of all the time that went into sewing the numerous darts and finishing off the seams and even the pocket construction took more time that the pockets on the previous jacket.  

I don't know if I would say this jacket is "perfect for those with limited sewing knowledge or little time," I will say that I would highly recommend it. I wonder if I would be more agreeable with the "easy" rating if I chose a "novelty organza, wool crepe, taffeta or cloque" fabric recommended on the pattern envelope? 

Anyway, the latest version is almost finished. Just have to solve a buttonhole issue, sew the button and snap some pictures.  

Happy Sewing!