Gemma’s Carmel Jumpsuit
Gemma had the Luxury fabric this month, a gorgeous Roo-Tid Lenzing Ecovero Viscose “Breeze” and used it to make a Nina Lee Carmel Jumpsuit.
What an amazing fabric to start the year! When I received this fabric I was super excited to work with it, it is so lovely. Not only is it a simple print in a muted colour palette, it is a 100% Lenzing Ecovero Viscose – a fabric that is more sustainable both in production and materials. Made from certified renewable wood sources it is produced to a high environmental standard, so is really changing the game in fabric production.
Sustainability in sewing can be a tricky minefield to navigate: having done my own research I do feel there is a lot of ‘greenwashing’ when it comes to claims of sustainability, and trying to make decisions to have as little impact on the environment can be difficult. I feel making your own garments that fit and doesn’t contribute to the ‘fast fashion’ industry is a start, and although not all fabrics may be considered ‘sustainable’, I think that having a garment that you will get a lot of wear from certainly is positive. Making fabric like this is a great move forward, and I was very interested to see what it would be like to work with!
The fabric itself doesn’t feel like a ‘traditional’ viscose – it has a little weight to it and a slight ‘twill’ texture. I was a bit naughty and didn’t pre-wash my fabric, and found that the ink from the fabric slightly rubbed onto my hands whilst working with it, so I would recommend not skipping this part! It does move a little when cutting, but other than that I had no issues when sewing with it, and it was a joy to use.
Because it has such fantastic drape to it, I wanted to make something that would fully take advantage of this, and decided on a fairly new pattern from Nina Lee. The Carmel Jumpsuit is a modern take on a staple wardrobe piece: it has a high waistline, voluminous legs and really deep front pockets, the perfect combination to create a comfortable yet beautiful looking outfit.
The bodice also comes in several variations – a low, straight neckline with straps, a v-neck or scoop neck, and the addition of a collar. It gives you lots of ways to customise to your preference and create different looks. I would put this pattern at advanced beginner/intermediate level sewing: Nina Lee’s instructions guide you through all stages but it isn’t a quick sew, definitely something to take your time with. The bodice is lined, and you need to insert an invisible zip, so lots of new skills to tackle.
This fabric is the perfect match for this pattern, it flows beautifully and is so soft to the touch. It is a really comfortable garment, and one that I can also layer up with a long sleeve top and thermals right now if needed! I really enjoyed working with this fabric and will certainly be keeping an eye out for more prints in this type of material – so glad to have been introduced to it through the boxes!