Utility Jumpsuit - McCall's M7908

I'm so happy to be able to sport my new jumpsuit. It turned out pretty good.  I'm going to make another one. Lol

Utility jumpsuits are somewhat on trend now.  I just like the way it looks.  

Nordstrom $149

Way back in the 70's when I first started making my own clothes, I made a similar jumpsuit out of a knit fabric my late grandmother gave me.  I wish I had a photo of it.   

Anyway, here is my review.

Pattern Description:  Jumpsuits have fitted bodice with princess seams, exposed front zipper, and semi-fitted straight leg pants with neckline, sleeve, pocket and length variations. A, B, C, D neck and B armhole finished with purchased bias tape.  Note: Separate pattern pieces are included for cup size A/B, C, D.

Pattern Sizing:  6 - 22.  I used size 16, cup D, view C with modification.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?  Yes, my jumpsuits looks like the photo envelope

Were the instructions easy to follow?  The instructions were typical; nothing confusing in them.  But I had a little challenge with getting the base of the exposed zipper presentable. I tested an alternative construction method that I saw on social media; it worked only slightly better than what's in the instruction guide sheet. 

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?  

Likes -

• The style of the jumpsuit. 
• The stretch denim fabric from Textile Warehouse.
• That the pattern include different pattern pieces for A/B, C and D cup sizes.  It reduced the amount of pattern adjustments for me.
• The princess seams.  Easier to fit.

Dislikes -

• The neckline is too "open" for me.  It stands away from my neck.  Next time I will bring it a little closer.
• The exposed zipper instructions.  It could just be me. Lol

Fabric Used:  I used a stretch woven denim that I purchased from the Discount Textile Warehouse.  It is so forgiving and comfortable to wear.  I prewashed and dried it before cutting into it.  The fabric was softer and easier to work with.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  I tweaked the  D cup pattern, swayback adjustment and lengthen the pants leg,  I don't like cropped pants.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  Yes, and yes.  I like it well enough to make it again.  And, I do recommend it to other sewists. 

Conclusion:   I'm happy I finally made my jumpsuit.  My sewing buddy, Marcy, was the motivation for getting this made this spring.

Happy Sewing!

C

 

McCall M7978 - Blouse From Muslin to Fashion Fabric

In the Spring I posted this "Notes on a Pattern - McCall M7978" with all the details on the fit adjustments.  It took six months to finally make the blouse.  So here it is with a full pattern review.

Pattern Description:  Misses' tops:  Tops A, B, C, D have gathered front and back, self faced yoke, button and loop closures, forward shoulder seams and gathered sleeve variation and band.  B: Flounce, A, B, C: Cuffs.  D: Sleeve hand, neckband and ties in one.  I made view B with modifications.

Pattern Sizing:  I used size 16 with modifications and fit adjustments.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?  Yes, for the most part.  I didn't have enough fabric for the tie.

Were the instructions easy to follow?  Yes, the instructions were typical and nothing difficult or confusing in them. 

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?  There several things that I like about this blouse.  For starters:  the neckline and the midriff.  I also like the tie and the full sleeve of A.  I'm hope to make view A with a tie and the flounce of view B.  

My only dislike is the front closure.  This is a very easy fit, though.  I simply built in a little more width across the front to overlap the button area.  So the placement of the buttons is an inch from the front edge. 


Fabric Used:  One of my dear friends' mom passed and she gifted me with some of her fabrics.  This is a paisley print cotton.  It has a smooth hand, and it sews and presses beautifully.  The yardage was about a yard and a half.  So I was unable to include the tie for this version.  Next time. :-)

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  All of my fit adjustments  are noted in my "Notes on a Pattern" posted in May 2024.  See link above.  

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  Yes, I plan to make at least one more version.  Also, mentioned above.  And yes, I do recommend this pattern with modifications based on the sewist's body shape and preferences.  You can mix and match the design elements to your liking.

Conclusion:  This pattern has a few different style options and the "V" neck is great for us busty ladies.  Be careful with the placement of the buttons and the depth of the "V".  The closure as is may gap open and "V" is very low.

All level sewists should be able to make this blouse.  It is definitely more than your average wardrobe builder top. ;-)

Happy Sewing!

C

 

Maxi Dress Wardrobe Staple - Dart Rotation M7386 and M6559

Now that I've shared many of the major events and activities of my birthday celebration, I'm back to playing catch up with my sewing projects from the summer.  Sometimes it is a challenge to take the photos and organize them.  

So let me get started with two maxi dresses that I made in August.  Both dresses are really easy to make.  The first is a "Learn to Sew for Fun" pattern. The second pattern that I used may be OOP. There are so many options for hacking or making changes to either pattern to suit your own taste or design preference.  

One of the major adjustments that I almost always make is a FBA, which I made for these two dresses.  Before I start with all the changes, let me provide some of the basic information about the two dresses.

Pattern Descriptions:

M7386 -  McCall's gives a really basic description:  Pullover top, dresses and pull-on skirts have narrow hem.  One of  my favorite elements of the design is the fishtail skirt of the maxi dress.

 M6559 - Close-fitting, unlined jacket in two lengths has front extending into single-layer tie ends (wrong side shows).  Very close-fitting, pullover dresses.

Pattern Sizing:

M7386 - Size groupings (XS, S, M and L, XL, XXL)

M6559 - Size groupings (6-14 and 14-22)

I used what would be large and size 16, respectively.  And, of course, I made some modifications.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

The silhouette is basically the same. 

Were the instructions easy to follow?

The instructions are simple.  Any level sewist should be able to follow them with no problems

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

With my changes, my likes are the ruching in the bust area, the fishtail skirt, and the finishing of the bands at the neck and armholes.

Fabric Used:

My knit fabric is from Hobby Lobby.  It is a spongy knit, similar to Liverpool knit.  It was very easy to work with.  Before cutting into it, I pre-washed and dried it. 

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

the adjustment is made for the length of the front and back pattern pieces.

#1 dress - animal print (M7386). 

• FBA and Dart Rotation - For this dress I used M7386 front and back.  The FBA was made to rotate the dart to the center front to create ruching at the bust area.  This eliminates the bust dart all together.  I've posted a tutorial years ago if you are interested in the steps to do the dart rotation.  Here 
• This process is pretty easy to follow.  Once I did the dart rotation, I just added seam allowance to the center front.
• Neck and armhole band -  I simply measured the circumference of  each for the length of the band minus 2 to 3 inches depending on the stretch of the fabric.  The width of the bands 2".  The ends of the bands were sewn together (3/8" seam allowance) to create a circle.  Then attached to the appropriate areas using a 5/8" seam allowance; trimmed after sewing.  Then top-stitched for a nice finish.
• Broad shoulder adjustment - I added width across the back.
• Swayback - horizontal tuck across the back at the waist.
• Length - I also have to add length. Lol  Just a few inches so that the dress is truly a maxi dress.
• I did do some tweaking along the way.  The added width across all areas isn't needed throughout the entire dress.  So I adjusted as needed taking in larger seam allowances.

#2  dress rust Solid (M6559) 

• I used the front of M7386.  But for the back I wanted a racerback.  So, I used the top of M6559.  And to keep the skirt silhouette of M7386, I overlaid the skirt back of M7386 folding and tucking the rest of the pattern out of the cutting path.  No need to retrace unless you really want to.  Lol.  So the skirt (fishtail) was the same for the front and back.  All other adjustments were the same.  I did need to add a center back seam.  The center back seam helps with getting that close fit at the small of my back.
• All other changes are the same as M7386.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

Sure.  This is a quick and easy dress, a wardrobe staple.  It has many style options, which can be worn well into fall with cardigans, jackets, shrugs, or a knit t-shirt underneath.

I recommend these patterns to all level sewists.

Conclusion:  Both patterns are easy to sew for all level sewists.  It is versatile and stylish.  

Happy Sewing!

C

 

Romantic Floral Dress - Birthday Dress 2022 B6320 and M8090

Hi There!
 
It's seems like forever since I last blog anything! I've been so occupied with other things.  I took a break from my usual sewing and blogging to complete a major goal, which I’ll share at a later date. 
 
Anyway, I'm happy to post a pattern review on my last birthday dress that I finished in September 2022.  A long time ago, right?  There are a few things that encouraged me to write a post.  (1) I was nominated (by two people on Facebook) to post things I've made for a certain number of days.  (2) Lately, I've been thinking a lot about sewing and blogging, and how much I've missed sharing and interacting with fellow sewists.
 
So today I want to review my birthday dress that I made for 2022.  I designed it using the bodice of Butterick B6320 and the skirt of McCall's M8090.  I really enjoy splicing two or three patterns together to come up with an entirely new design.  The bodice of B6320 is really cute, but for this dress I wanted a fuller skirt.  So I chose the tiers from M8090 to complement the bodice.
 
Pattern Description:
 

Butterick B6320 - Misses dress and jumpsuit:  Dress and straight-legged jumpsuit (semi-fitted through hips) have semi-fitted bodice and midriff, raised waist, tie ends, side pockets, armhole bands, and back zipper.  A:  self-lined sleeves B: bias sleeve band. B & C: front pleated pants. Separate pattern pieces for cup sizes.
 
McCall's M8090 - Misses' loose fitting dress has skirt tiers and sleeve variations.  B:  Lace trim.
 
I used B6320 view B bodice.  The bias binding on the sleeve is a really nice detail.  For the skirt of the dress I used the three tiers of M8090, no pockets.
 
Pattern Sizing:

Both patterns come in sizes from 6 to 22.  I used size 16 with modifications.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

The dress bodice looks like B6320 (View B) and the skirt has the gathered tiered look of M8090.  Together the look is different from either pattern.

Were the instructions easy to follow? What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

The instructions of both patterns are easy to follow.  Nothing difficult to understand or follow.   

Likes:

• Midriff of the bodice
• Bias binding on the sleeve
• Design of the bodice in general
• Tiered skirt
• Fullness of the skirt

Dislikes:

• As the dress is, I have no dislikes.  This style/design works for me.

Fabric Used:

I purchased the beautiful floral gauze from Mood Fabrics last summer.  It is still available if anyone cares to purchase  it.  Here is the link for the fabric,  This fabric is lovely.  It's perfect for spring/summer.  The fiber content is 100% viscose.  Easy pressing and handling.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

My design change was to splice the two patterns together to come up with a new design for the dress.

I did do some tweaking of the bodice.  But it wasn't my usual intense slashing to make it fit.  I used the cup D for starters and made my adjustments from there. Other than that, I really didn't make huge adjustments to get a good fit.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I will probably use B6320 bodice again.  My plan is to make the dress of M8090.  And I recommend both patterns to others if this is a style that you like.

Conclusion:

I like how my dress turned out.  Each year I make it a point to make myself a birthday dress.  This addition was more like a summer dress, but it was a perfect choice for last September.  It was a very bright and sunny day. More summer like than fall.  

As for the patterns, both are great choices to begin your spring/summer wardrobe.  

Happy Sewing!  It's good to be back blogging and sharing.

Minerva Fabric - Black Neutral Jacket Simplicity S1781

I finally finished a sewing project.  This one stayed on the table too long.  I started on it in February, and I had hoped to finish it that same month.  I'm glad to move it from the sewing studio to one of my closets.  

This black jacket will be part of my neutral wardrobe.  Already I know that it will be in high rotation, especially in the coming spring and early summer seasons.  I can dress it up or down.  For these photos I decided to dress it down with jeans and one of my molly tees.

For the review, I will try to be brief; but at the same time provide enough information about the experience just in case someone in the sewing community is planning to make this.  The pattern isn't new, but I don't think there are a lot of reviews online.

Pattern Description:  Misses' jacket in two lengths with front and collar variations.  Closures feature an exposed zipper, hook and eye, or loops and buttons.  Croquis Kit included with each Project Runway pattern allows you to be your own designer.   This is OOP, but you can find a copy of it on Etsy.

Pattern Sizing:  The pattern comes in sizes 6 to 22.   I used size 16 with a lot of modifications beginning with the view.  I really liked the view in the lower righthand corner with the pleated pocket and side back.  But I wanted the length of the red jacket that the model is wearing.  So that is what I decided to make.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?  For the most part. my jacket does look like the jacket drawing, except it is longer.

Were the instructions easy to follow?  The instructions were typical and easy to follow.  I changed a few things.  One being I understitched the facing and along the neckline.  I like the way it slightly rolls the edge to the inside of the jacket.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?  There are many things that I like about the jacket beginning with the princess seams.  This style always makes it a little easier to do the pattern adjustments for an FBA.  The pleated pockets and side back are also favorite design elements.  They help create a balance between my upper and lower body.  They also add some interest to what could be considered a boring classic princess style jacket. I love the two-piece sleeve in a jacket. They look better and are easier to fit.  The buttonhole loops are on my like list too.  Lastly, I like the draft of this pattern.  Even with all of my fit adjustments, it appears to be well drafted.  

No dislikes.

Fabric Used: I chose a recycled polyester suiting from Minerva Fabrics.  This light/medium weight suiting, sewed up without any problems.  It has a "bubble" texture which adds interest to the feel and look of the jacket.  But it does not make it look heavy.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  I made my usual adjustments for an FBA, swayback, prominent shoulder blades, and I added length to the sleeve and the jacket itself.  

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  Yes and yes.  I must use the pattern again.  I spent so much time making the adjustments.  It would be somewhat of a waste if I didn't make it at least one more time.  And of course, I love how it turned out.  The side front and back have three sections.  For the side front there are also pockets.  When I made the FBA and swayback adjustments they affected all of the pieces associated with the side front and back.  So I was doing a lot of slashing and taping.

I do recommend it to others.  But make a muslin and take the time to make the pattern fit adjustments.  

Conclusion:  I really like how my jacket turned out.  And I'm glad I finally finished it.  In the coming months I hope to get plenty of wear out of it.  It's comfortable and the fit is pretty good.  I like wearing it with jeans and a t-shirt.  But it would be great to wear with a skirt or dress. 

For a sewing project like this, take the time to make sure the fit is good and make a muslin before you cut into your lovely fashion fabric. Wink, wink.

Happy Sewing!

C