Pattern rated easy- you've got to be kidding me!

I worked on the dress pattern this AM and this evening.  I have undone seams, restitched seams, sewed some more seams, re-read instructions and more to get this dress completed.  I looked at the rating on this pattern and saw once again what I saw when I purchased it --EASY!  Truly, someones rating of easy for this pattern is incorrect.  I think this will be a real challenge for a beginner!

The top bodice piece has three front pieces and the back also.  The back skirt pattern piece has a total of 4. There is a front and back midriff piece.  There is a lot of topstitching and of course, a lining.

Now don't get me wrong, I have made numerous dresses with linings.  But having a lining with as many pattern pieces as the dress in my personal opinion does not make this an EASY pattern.

The key issue for me is the fitting challenge with all these parts.  The top needed a FBA which then impacts the fit of the midriff.  For me I am fuller at the bust  and through waist; then I have shorter distance between waist and hip than the standard pattern size.  Plus I then normally go to a smaller size starting midway between waist and hip.  Transitioning through the multi-sizes of the pattern has been a real challenge.

After attaching the lining to the upper bodice, I decided to undo the side seams and to attach the front midriff to the front bodice and then attach the back bodice to back midriff without sewing the side seams.  This will allow me the best opportunity to adjust the fit through the side seams.  I will then attach the skirt front to front midriff and do the same to back.  I will basically end up with one continuous side seam.

This is one project that I will be glad to complete.  Hopefully the outcome is going to meet my original expectation.  I have so many other sewing projects I want to get started on and this one has taken much longer than anticipated.