It’s been quite a while since I wrote a blogpost, but I haven’t been sitting around doing nothing. When you take a look on my Instagram profile, you can see I’ve been sewing all along. But I lacked the time to write the past few months.
My latest project is a hack, and I would like to share it with all of you. I was inspired by this jumpsuit I saw in a webshop online, and had to try something similar. I like the open back with a tied knot as an eyecatcher.
Because of the wrapped front, I immediately thought Ellie&Macs Southshore Romper would be a great start. It does not have the shoulder ties, but that is not what I was looking for, since I want to be able to wear it to school. For the same reason, the open back should still be modest.
I redrafted the backpanel of the Southshore romper, and decided to make the bodice fully lined. That way, I can omit the neckband, which I couldn’t use after adjusting the back panel. For my final version, after trying out, I wanted to make a sleeveless jumpsuit, by using the burrito-methode.
Version 1
For my first attempt, I have redrawn the back panel, splitting it in two halfs and adding a tie to it.
I have cut the front panels and the back panels mirrored, both in my main fabric and lining fabric.
To start with I have sewn the shoulder seams, in both my main fabric as my lining.
Then I placed my lining on my main fabric, right sides together, to sew the neckline starting from the front and over the shoulder seam, passing the ties all the way through. I did that for both sides, so you end up with two pieces.
You turn those inside out (the waist seam and side seams are still open) and topstitch.
Now its time to close the side seams, if you are adding sleeves later on.
Before you do so, don't forget to gather the sides of your front wrap pieces, that will get sandwiched in the side seams.
Since I was just trying out, I didn't mind the stitching of the side seam would still be visible on the inside once finished, and just went ahead and closed the side seams, making sure catching the wrap parts as well.
To finish of the bodice, I stitched the side seams of the sleeves and hemmed them, before adding the sleeves to the bodice. To add the sleeves, I turned my bodice inside out, and pinned the sleeves so that the right side of the sleeves was touching the right side of the rest of the bodice (your sleeves are inside the bodice).
If this step is done, your bodice is ready.
I made the pants by following the tutorial, and then turned it inside out after adding the elastic to the waist.
I turned the bodice right side out, and shoved it inside the pants, making sure the front bodice was touching the front panels of the pants, with the right sides of the facbric together. I pinned the bodice to the pants. For the back, I just started pinning at the side seams on each side. I stitched the bodice to the pants with my overlock machine, and then turned the seamallowance down, and topstitched it all the way around.
I chose the three quarter sleeves and capri length, which is not quite my style, but I didn't have enough fabric to make it pants length. I wasn't very happy about this first version, since I thought it was showing way to much skin, and it was to deep in the back. So on to version two!
Version two
I adjusted the back bodice, by not splitting it in two halfs, but create a deep neckline and then adding the ties. I still had to cut it mirrored, since I wasn't able to cut it on the fold because of the ties.
Once again, I have cut all bodice parts mirrored and both in main fabric and lining.
At first, I pinned and stitched the middle back seam and the shoulder seams. Once for the main pieces and once for the lining pieces.
Next thing I did, was sewing the lining and main together by following the neckline. Starting at the side, all the way over the shoulder seams, ties and neckline back to the other side seam.
I clipped all the round edges, making sure not to cut through the stitches I had just sewn. Once that was done, I turned my garment inside out, showing the right side of the fabric.
Time to sew the gathering stitches at the side, to gather the front panel pieces at the waist, before finishing the bodice by closing the side seams.
Using the Burrito method, next thing I did, was closing the armopening, as you can see above.
After gathering the front panel side seam, I layed down the back panel pieces on the front panel, right sides together.
I pulled the lining from under the bodice, matching the raw side seams with the side seam of the main fabric and the front bodice pieces wrapped in between. Making sure I cathced all the raw edges of both the front and back panels, I stitched the side seams, thus finishing the bodice.
All that was left, was sewing the pockets and pants, and then attaching it to the bodice by just following the instructions that come with the pattern.
I love the result!
Underneath, you see me wearing my brand new jumpsuit.
Because of the open back, I am wearing a stick-on bra, thank God for those things!
(Written by: Deborah Ingelrelst)
