You probably know I like jumpsuits, and you may remember my summer of jumpsuits back in 2019. One of the favourites I made for a challenge was this “Cherry“ Jumpsuit, a free pattern from Mood Sewciety. If you don’t know about it already, Mood has an enormous range of free sewing patterns to download. While instructions are sparse, they do seem well-drafted.
I liked this jumpsuit so much that I decided I wanted another one. Last time I made it in black stretch Ponte, but this time I’m making it in corduroy.
2019: Sew together for summer
This fabulous material came from a newish bricks and mortar fabric store near me: Cloth Control, and I love it. It’s a dark green with a copper base colour, giving it a really lush effect. It’s a good weight as well, so it feels suitable for autumn/winter wear.
One of the perils of making in a hurry is that errors can creep in. Working on multiple projects at the same time can also increase the chances of mistakes. I was trying to conserve fabric, so I cut my sleeves singly in the odd shapes left by the larger pieces. Unfortunately, I forgot to flip my sleeve pattern. I ended up with two right sleeves (or two lefties, I can’t remember which). Then I had to cut a third sleeve, which was annoying.
Never mind, let’s get back on track. I made a few changes from the original:
1. I added a bit more to the seam allowance and also increased the rise a bit. This was because
a.) I am a bit more rounded than I was 6 years ago, and
b.) The fabric is stiffer and therefore will have less ease than the ponte.
2. I repositioned the breast pockets. On the original, they sat in a position which pointed straight at my nipples. I used larger patch pockets and placed more appropriately. I changed the shape of the lower pockets from square to angled. I remembered the small, high patch pockets were not comfortable for resting my hands in. This is mostly what I use trouser pockets for, as opposed to actually putting anything in them.
3. I also remembered to make a zip guard. My previous iteration left me with little bites on my tummy if I didn’t wear a layer underneath.
Using my coverlock machine, I started getting lots of skipped stitches, and the looper kept breaking. Changing needles and rethreading didn’t help, so I have to accept my machine needs a seeing to. I have to find somewhere to get it serviced and/or repaired, depending on what’s wrong.
Luckily, I have my 40-year-old Janome overlocker to fall back on. It can’t do the lovely 5-thread safety stitch that has become my staple. However, it still does a sturdy overlock. I can back this up with a straight stitch on the regular machine if I want.
I used a length of brown zip from the 5m strip. It was from the “zipper by the yard” that I had bought a couple of years ago. This was my booboo of the make. When I came to try on the jumpsuit, the zip was definitely too short. I don’t know why I cut it shorter than the original. I confess that after deciding I could just about wriggle in and out OK, I decided to leave it. Perfection can wait. I wanted it finished. I think it only makes it slightly less convenient than your average jumpsuit anyway.
I’m very happy with the finished article. The fabric takes it up a notch on the smart scale. It’s a good autumn option as it’s a warmer fabric and I love the colour even more. It’s had several outings already and I think I will be reaching for this one on repeat.
Success!
Thanks for dropping by,
LaineeMakes 