Laura’s Amy Jumpsuit
In August Laura received the Lady McElroy “Life In Venice” viscose challis and made the Closet Core Amy Jumpsuit
Help! I’m a jumpsuit addict and can’t be stopped!
Yes, it’s *another* jumpsuit from me. They are all quite different in style and silhouette though so hopefully you’ll forgive me.
This time it’s the Amy Jumpsuit from Closet Core Patterns. When it first came out, I thought that this was definitely NOT for me, but here we are! Funny how our style evolves over time, especially when we sew our own clothes.
As soon as I saw the fabric for this month, my heart sang. Absolutely beautiful. I’d actually had my eye on this fabric for a while, so I was smitten when I saw it in the box. This “Life in Venice” fabric totally transported me back to my Italian holiday last year (although Venice was not actually a place I visited). The colour palette is beyond gorgeous with the sky blue and the bright pink flowers. The challis lawn is so light and airy it is perfect for the hot and humid weather we are currently getting in the UK.
My first thought was immediately to make a dress, but when it’s hot like this, I like having something between my legs. So, when I thought of the Amy Jumpsuit, which is described as “the soul of a floaty slip dress in the body of a jumpsuit you’ll never want to take off”, it seemed like the perfect hybrid.
There is no waist seam; it is a full-length piece top to bottom which makes for quick cutting out and quick sewing. There is a centre seam running down the front and back. I didn’t bother pattern matching as it is quite a busy print and I think I just get away with it.
I did a super easy hack and made the straps into ties to give it that more “dungaree” look should I choose to wear it with a t-shirt underneath. It was quite simple, I just took the original strap piece and lengthened it a little bit, tapering it to a point. Instead of cutting 4, cut 8.
Sew each pair right sides together, trim the SA and turn out, using a point turner to get a nice point. Then instead of attaching the one strap to the front and back, sew each piece individually. I hope that makes sense! Other than that, I didn’t make any adjustments and thankfully it is the perfect fit for my proportions.
It is also the perfect length in the body so it fully conceals my bra strap at the back. Winner!
There is a small invisible zip closure under one arm to easily get it on and off. Although if you have narrow hips, you could forgo this. I would recommend basting it first to make sure!
The top portion of the jumpsuit is lined with a full facing which is good as this fabric is slightly sheer so it gives that little extra bit of coverage. It also lends to a beautifully neat finish inside. It got a little bit fiddly around the zip, but no major issues.
The pattern also comes with an optional belt piece which I think just pulls it all together. I do find it slips down a little bit, and you have to keep hold of it when you go to the bathroom! I’m going to add some thread chain belt loops in the side seams where my waist hits to keep the belt in place. Tilly and the Buttons has a great tutorial for this on their blog.
As soon as I tried it on, it was pure love. The fabric itself feels so gorgeously soft and silky against my skin. I think it is a match made in heaven with this pattern as it showcases the beautiful print. It is wonderfully swishy and loose fitting (perfect for warm, sticky weather!) whilst not looking oversized. I love this silhouette.
Well, they were right… It is truly the jumpsuit I never want to take off!