Gemma’s Kewbello Jumpsuit
I am definitely more happy sewing spring/summer makes, as I don’t have to consider if I can wear whatever I’m making with several layers and it can be its own stand alone piece. For this reason I tend to sew more jumpsuits and co-ords, and I’m so happy it’s finally that time!
When I saw this month’s cotton fabric, I knew instantly it was going to be a jumpsuit. The simple star print has a slight nautical vibe, and the fabric is the perfect weight for any kind of garment – both to sew with and to wear, as it will be super comfortable.
I knew the ideal jumpsuit pattern for this fabric would be the Kewbello by Nina Lee. The strap version looks to have a similar vibe for my nautical theme, and will be a great match for this type of fabric.
The Kewbello is a hybrid mix of two of Nina’s most popular patterns – the Portobello trousers and the Kew Dress. With a front button placket, invisible zip in the back, and of course, pockets, it’s everything you could need design wise from a jumpsuit. Having made several pairs of the trousers I knew how great a fit they are, and was anticipating that this jumpsuit would hopefully be as wonderful as I envisioned!
I will be honest here and say I played a blinder of pattern cutting Tetris to cut this out of the amount of fabric I had! Luckily for me it’s a non-directional print and a wide width which always makes it easier, also having to shorten my leg pieces really helped!
Size wise I went for the 20 on her larger size bracket, as I wanted to make sure it had plenty of ease over my hips and front, knowing I could make the bodice slightly more fitted with the button placement. Cotton is one of my favourite fabrics to sew with as it’s so easy: no movement when cutting, slides through the machine easily and takes a press really well. Nina’s pattern instructions are also top notch, and I had this jumpsuit made up in just over a day.
There are some fitting points when making it so I do recommend trying it on several times over the course of sewing it. There are a lot of darts, both on the bodice and trousers, so ample opportunity for getting the best fit, as well as the length of the straps. The only adjustments I made was to shorten the legs (which is usually a given for me), and pull in my bodice slightly more with the buttons. Fit wise I feel the trousers are quite over sized (as these are a size up from the Portobello trouser size I usually make) but I like that, as I feel it balances out with the fitted bodice. And it makes it super comfortable! I think it’s a great fabric and pattern match, giving such a simple and stylish vibe, and I will definitely be getting a lot of summer wear out of them!