Gemma’s Kielo Jumpsuit
I don’t tend to sew with jersey fabric as much as I would like, so when Hayley features it in the boxes it makes me so happy that I finally have a reason to work with some. Even better when it looks as magical as this month’s one does, how beautiful is it?!
I love that it is a viscose jersey, as I find the lighter weight easier to work with, the drape of it makes it more comfortable for so many kinds of garments, especially if you want to make something other than the classic t-shirt!
As I had a large amount of this fabric I really wanted to make something quite substantial, but when it comes to jersey patterns inspiration tends to run thin. For me, my go-to jersey jumpsuit pattern is the Sirocco by Deer and Doe, but I wanted to try something different.
That leaves a dress option, and I think for me personally this is one of the reasons I don’t tend to work with a jersey that much – I’m not keen on anything that is overly fitted over my stomach area, so the idea of a body con type jersey dress is a no for me. However there is one pattern that is pretty popular that I haven’t made yet, and seemed the perfect compromise for this make!
I’m usually always late to a pattern party, and this particular one is no exception – the Kielo wrap dress from Named Clothing. Designed for knit fabrics, it has 2 options of either a dress or jumpsuit, with sleeve variations. It does look like a great pattern and I have heard nothing but praise, so decided it was time to give it a go. As popular as it is, I didn’t see many versions of the jumpsuit option, so obviously that meant I wanted to make that one, also I think it would suit my style more too!
Downloading the pdf, I did regret that decision as the pattern pieces are rather large, and meant sticking together over 50 pages! I went for the sleeveless option, as I like the idea of being able to wear a long sleeved top underneath (thinking ahead to thermal season!) and had no trouble fitting that version out of my fabric. The sizing for Named Clothing put me at a size 22, and I was intrigued to see how much give it would have.
I have to admit, I didn’t enjoy the sewing process as much as I would have liked. As the front and back are whole length pieces, you are basically sewing with the whole jumpsuit on the table, which proved tricky at some points as there was so much fabric! The instructions aren’t the most straightforward to follow (this is what happens when you are used to sewing with pattern companies that hold your hand with their instructions!) and some parts had me scratching my head, most notably attaching the facing to the front/back neck line and making sure I was actually sewing the right parts! But I kept going, and was in wonder with how it all came together, as it is magic!
Once I had finished sewing and tried it on, all the sewing woes disappeared and I fully understood why everyone loves this pattern – it is amazing! Such a comfortable fit, and the front wrap both pulls me in in a way I like but also disguises the part I am conscious about. The fabric plays a big part in how wonderful it looks, so magical, and will be great for dinners out (dare I mention… Christmas?) If I was to make any adjustments, I would shorten the ties as they are very long, and obviously I had to shorten the legs as they were also too long on me. I love the ‘secret pyjamas’ feel to it, so I am now a Kielo convert!