Hello sew-friends! Today, I'm sharing a new make and not to exaggerate but I think this is my favorite thing that I've made all year. I absolutely LOVE this jumpsuit. It was fun to sew and the fit is really good. In fact, the fit is a hundred times better than I ever expected for a wrap style. Let's dive into the details.
The pattern is the Rowena Jumpsuit by Victory Patterns. This pattern was released just in the last month or so and it is the first pattern that I've made from Victory. The pattern comes in two size ranges, 0-18 and 14-30 and goes up to a 58" bust/60" hip. I spotted the pattern on Instagram and I loved the design. In this post, the designer, Kristiann, said that she designed it to be nursing friendly after having a baby. I do not need a nursing friendly garment but I was intrigued and thought that it was a good sign that the design would be accommodating for a larger bust and I'm really thrilled with how well it fits.
This jumpsuit features overlapping front and back pieces that create a V at the front and back. To keep it all in place, there are ties at the back neck opening. The pants are a wide leg style and the waistband has shirring for a comfy yet fitted look.
I did make a hand full of changes and there are a few minor things that I'd do differently next time. First off, my measurements. I'm 5'11" with a long torso. My measurements are currently upper bust 35.5", full bust 38.5", waist 29" and hips 40.25". I started with a size 10, based on my waist and hip measurement. The bodice has a grown-on sleeve and pleats under the bust for shaping. I wanted to do a full bust adjustment but it was a little tricky to figure out the best method. Eventually, I found this blog post from Closet Core patterns for doing an FBA on their Elodie Wrap Dress. Following that advice, I added 1" in width and 3/4" in length. For my height, I added an additional 1" in length.
I cut the pant legs extra long but forgot to add length to the rise. Eeek! I ended up sewing the waistband seams at a 3/8" seam allowance and letting out the crotch seam by 1/8". The fit is comfortable but I don't have the blouson effect that you see in the photos with the pattern. If I sew this again, I'll add a little more length to the bodice and the rise of the pants.
If you need help with lengthening or shortening your pattern pieces, I have a series of video tutorials to help:
I made a couple of small changes to the pattern. First, I sewed the ties with a larger seam allowance so that they would be a little more narrow (just for looks, not function). Second, I applied interfacing to the neck edges of the bodice front and back. These edges are finished with bias facing and I was really nervous about these edges stretching out, even with stay stitching. Alternately, I considered making a facing with interfacing instead of using the bias strip facings, like I did for the Seamwork Reggie dress. I used a black knit interfacing from my stash and I'm really pleased that there was no stretching along the neck openings.
I was really nervous about sewing the shirring for the waistband because in my experience, it can be tricky. And, I've never used elastic thread with this sewing machine. So, I read some tips online and sewed some practice stitches on a scrap of fabric. I ended up using a stitch length of 4 and did not adjust the tension. My machine handled the elastic thread like a champ and I'd be excited to sew with shirring again. (If you're interested, here's a video that I made about my sewing machine.) Instead of marking the shirring lines on my fabric, I just used a washi tape seam allowance guide and moved it 1/2 inch for every row of stitching. It worked great for me.
Finally, let's chat fabric. I think this is a rayon fabric. I got it from the FIDM Scholarship store in downtown LA, so it was not labeled and is a bit of a mystery. But, it was only $3 per yard. Because this fabric was so cheap, I took the risk and did not make a muslin. Fortunately, it fits! I was really worried once I realized that I had not added length to the rise of the pants. By the time I remembered, my best solution would have been to cut a new, taller waistband and restitch the shirring, which I did not want to do.
I wanted the stripes to go up and down so I actually cut this on the crossgrain. I love that the fabric is really soft because it makes it extra comfy to wear. I did try to match stripes a bit and was fairly successful with it, if I do say so myself. If you want some tips for matching plaids and stripes, check out this post.
But, all is well. I wore this jumpsuit to a concert last weekend and felt perfectly comfortable the entire time. The fit over the bust is perfect and as long as the back ties stay tied, the bodice stays in place, which is seriously amazing for a wrap front. One thing to note, the waist piece feels a little tight when I pull it over my hips. I'm able to pull it on fine but there's not a lot of wiggle room. If you're between sizes, you might want to round up to make sure there's enough ease to pull over your hips. (That said, I usually prefer extra ease to a tight fit, so you do what works for you. And, definitely make a muslin.)
I love this jumpsuit and will be wearing it as much as possible. And, I will be keeping my eyes peeled for a fabric that would be suitable for a second one. Something soft with drape, like tencel would be amazing. I'm super pleased with my first experience sewing a Victory pattern. I also have their Sloane Overalls and Ulysses trench. I'm extra motivated now to find fabric to sew those too.
