I started the year by joining in with Sew Japanese In January (An Instagram challenge which is exactly what it sounds like) and made a pattern I'd long wanted to make....
….only, I made it in a fabric I never wanted to use. :)
This little rompersuit comes from one of my Heartwarming Life books by designer Yuki Araki ("Let's Go Out Girl's Clothes"), the sizing only goes up to 130cm so I was mindful that it was this summer or never.
I added 2 inches length to the bottom of the blouse panels and 1 inch height to the top of the shorts panels. She has a long torso and there's nothing worse than a jumpsuit wedgie, right?
Here's how cute the jumpsuit looks in the book when made with a tasteful double gauze (or is it washed linen?):
So what on earth possessed me to start the year sewing with purple, floral seersucker? I could definitely blame the heatwave, or too many G&Ts... But I guess I'm just mindful that I really need to use the fabric that I have on hand, and while I would have happily re-gifted or tossed this particular fabric (it was gifted to me, I sure as hell didn't buy it :) ), I knew A would love it. And she does. Sigh.
The matching hairband and scrunchies were made in an attempt to use it up, but I'm afraid to say there is at least a skirt's worth left. I have to confess, though, that it has softened up nicely in the wash and I imagine it's actually pretty nice to wear.
The pattern's details are lost somewhat in the print, but the bodice has some pintucks on each side, three little centre buttons and then there are some of those cute, but useless pocket flaps in the shorts/waistband seam.
Even though that makes it really hard to stand still for photos, and too blurry for roll-by shootings...
I may have become a little confused about which pattern pieces were the top of the bodice, and which were the waistband and which were the facings for those two parts.... I recall doing a bit of gathering or stretching to fit, which probably meant I was sewing the wrong thing at the place, but since it's then gathered with elastic at the top and waist it hardly seemed to matter.
She's really keen for me to make her more jumpsuits and use elastic in gathered tubes at the shoulders rather than the ties which are a bit toilet-break-fiddly. Really the bodice is only a rectangle so upsizing or drafting a bodice onto a pair of shorts shouldn't be hard once this pattern is outgrown.
Some years ago I started my first blog post of the year with the title "Start as you don't intend to continue" and it was the first garment I ever made for me. Well I've gone on to sew pretty much all of my own wardrobe since then, so that was a poor premonition.
I hate to say it in this post in case I jinx myself, and I have NO desire to continue with purple, floral seersucker. I promise there's plenty of beige, brown, neutrals and linen coming up soon. Stick around :)
Hi Shelley, I have read your blog for a few years without commenting. I like the clothes you make for yourself and your children. If A wants to wear purple flowers at her age, I am suggesting you let her, so she gets it out of her system while she is still young, instead of wearing it at say your age. I wore seersucker shortie pjs, nighties and brunch coats in summer all through my childhood during the summer months, probably because it was cheap, and softened up beautifully with washing, and being cotton was cool to wear. Our winter pjs. and nighties were made from flannelette. As you have probably guessed by now, I was raised in the 1950s and 60s. If you would like to contact me, my name is Sue and my email is haggis69@optusnet.com.au I do have some suggestions for easier jumpsuits than the pattern you used. happy sewing, Sue
ReplyDeleteHi Sue, thanks for the lovely comment. I'm all for wearing whatever makes you happy at any age. I'm not sure I believe in age appropriate dressing - it's just that I, personally, don't like purple, or small ditsy florals. I don't mind seersucker cotton in principal though, and I've seen some lovely Japanese ones that are much more to my taste. Thankfully, the kid was delighted with her purple, floral seersucker and I managed to use long stashed, gifted fabric and a pattern I already owned. So while I might not consider it the most stylish of garments I'm very happy it exists :)
ReplyDeleteLove the rollerskating photos, burst on your iPhone is the perfect way to get those shots, and let A enjoy the purple floral while it lasts.
ReplyDeleteHas A tried to smooth the bubbles?
ReplyDeleteI always had Summer rompers made from seersucker (as my dad called it) or plisse (as my mum did). I would get it wet in the sprinkler, and smooth it out but as soon as it dried, bubble!
So frustrating, ;)