10.01.2014

you make me feel like dancing

Mood Fabrics Marc Jacobs Floral + BHL Holly Jumpsuit

Hey Gang! I hope life has been treating you good over the last few weeks! Goodness, has it been that long? After coming down from the last crazy show install at work I have been trying to spend some time on 'me' the past month. Trying to find that life balance again of work/play/home/food/exercise/friends/family/hobbies... you know, the never-ending list that makes up a 'life'! And I've also been trying to soak up as much of the summer as I still can. September and October are my favorite months here in Galveston because the tourist season has ended, I get the beaches to myself (little known fact, fall is the best time for the beach here, the water is totally clear, slightly cooler than it's normal 'bathtub' or 'urine' temperatures, and there's no seaweed) and the weather is still summery perfection. I always feel like this time of year is sort of a brand new start - perhaps a bit of that lingering 'back to school' mentality - a great time to make goals, take stock, perhaps slow down a bit, and renew priorities. So that's been my focus these past few weeks.

Mood Fabrics Marc Jacobs Floral + BHL Holly Jumpsuit

And of course I've been sewing! Because 'life' would not be 'life' without the feel of fun new fabrics and the whir of my little machines. I've mostly been focusing on my latest make for the Mood Sewing Network - this fabulous Holly Jumpsuit made up in a bubblegum pink, vintage-y Marc Jacobs viscose print (no longer available online). I originally fell in love with the sister color-way of this fabric (coral and yellow flowers on a deep blueish-purple background) but sadly my 'buy now' fingers were not fast enough and it was sold out in the blink of an eye. Devastated, I consoled myself with this, slightly odd, pink, blue and green yardage you see here. Pink and green seems like a bit of a peculiar color combination to me, but I think that's precisely why I ended up loving this fabric. The green tones down the overall Barbie vibe of this pink and takes into a more unique, even modern, territory. 

Mood Fabrics Marc Jacobs Floral + BHL Holly Jumpsuit

The pattern is of course non other than By Hand London's newest pattern release, the Holly Jumpsuit. I was pretty smitten with the cowl-necked, disco fabulous version of this pattern as soon as I saw it. Many of the versions I've been seeing pop up in the ol' blog feed since the release have been from pattern testers who either tested an earlier version of this pattern, or Variation 1, featuring a cute button-up bodice. Don't get me wrong, those versions are fabulous, but it was this 'Bianca Jagger goes to Studio 54' view that really stole my heart. I wasn't completely sold on using this Marc Jacobs print to make this pattern at first (I had visions of 40's inspired fall dresses) but after a quick consultation with my pal Heather Lou (always a good idea to keep sewing friends on speed dial - or in this case, email - in the event of just such a conundrum) I decided a head-to-toe pepto-pink-and-green look was exactly what I needed in my life!

Mood Fabrics Marc Jacobs Floral + BHL Holly Jumpsuit
Crazy eyes!!
I actually made two - count them, two! muslins of this pattern because I wasn't completely confident about the fit - jumpsuits are kinda tricky like that. I went with a size US8 and the first muslin (here and here) seemed to have a lot of excess fabric pooling above the waistline of the back bodice and some horizontal pulling at the bust. I pinched out the excess fabric at the back and then performed a small 1/4" FBA (full bust adjustment) - not something I usually have to do - to the front bodice, rotating the dart into the pleats of the cowl neck. I felt like these were pretty big pattern changes to make so I went ahead and made another muslin to check fit again, but decided to check the FBA changes before adjusting the back bodice, because I had read somewhere that you should only make one fitting adjustment at a time. Well, my second muslin (here and here) had a nice, neat looking back without any fabric pooling, but my horizontal lines at the bust were still there! Not to mention that the FBA had added width to the side seams (as it's supposed to do) which in the second muslin I felt like I could do without. But I was muslin-ed out and deemed my second go around 'good enough' and decided to cut into my fabric. Also, my deadline for my post was fast approaching... decisions had to be made. 

Mood Fabrics Marc Jacobs Floral + BHL Holly JumpsuitMood Fabrics Marc Jacobs Floral + BHL Holly Jumpsuit

As I was cutting out my fabric I gave absolutely zero thought in regards to print placement. Like less than zero. Seriously, it didn't occur to me at all. Which means that the fact that those green flowers are so evenly placed down the front of my legs leaves me pleasantly baffled! However, not all my cut pieces were quite so serendipitous... my original front bodice piece (which is cut on the bias) featured two big ol' green and blue flowers right over each breast! Yep. Way to go, Sal. Luckily I had just enough fabric left to cut myself another bodice with less suspicious flower placement. 

HOWEVER!! After I cut bodice numero uno (the one with the FBA, remember?) I noticed that it grew considerably due to the bias cut in my fabric. Turns out this Marc Jacobs viscose/poly silky, crepe-y, magical fabric is quite susceptible to shiftiness and stretching on the bias! Which means... when I cut out my second bodice I decided I didn't need the extra room after all and went with the originally drafted bodice straight out of the packaging. Yes, that means what you think it means: THOSE TWO MUSLINS WERE FOR NOTHING!

So my final thoughts on fitting this pattern are: 1) a drape-y fabric can hide a multitude of fitting sins 2) strap length can also make a huge difference with this pattern (in my case, it got rid of all that mysterious back bodice excess fabric I mentioned way back in muslin #1) and 3) The BHL gang are currently executing a Holly Jumpsuit sewalong with a myriad of fitting posts!

Mood Fabrics Marc Jacobs Floral + BHL Holly Jumpsuit

Putting this jumpsuit together was really quite straight forward. Those BHL ladies wrote some fine instructions, and, remember, I had already sewn it twice before (no, I'm not still bitter...) I decided to give my pants a deep, 3" hem, and I hemmed them to wear with my clogs. For reference, I'm about 5'6" and my clogs have about a 3" heel. I didn't have to add any length to the legs because these suckers are loooong as drafted.

But just because the instructions and process was straight forward doesn't mean that I didn't muck it up. I ended up cursing my way through attaching the bias binding along the back, armholes, and extending into the shoulder straps. You guys. I. hate. bias. binding. I glued that shit down and used about a thousand pins per inch and still it somehow managed to shift out of place under my presser foot. I think in the future I'm just going to hand sew it in place. It will probably take less time overall once you consider all the unpicking I have to do! But it turned out fine in the end *deeep sigh*.

The other place I made a major cock-up of things was with the zipper. In my sewing haste I did not stop to consider that my bias cut front bodice may have continued to grow as I was working on it and therefore when I went to attach my zipper my waist seam was way off. If you squint you can see it in the photo above. And I left it like that... because.... pink jumpsuit. More of the 'frosting' type of garment than the 'cake', wouldn't you say? In other words, as much as I love my finished jumpsuit, it probably won't be a wardrobe staple, more of 'special occasion' getup. And on those 'special occasions' no one will be looking at my waist seam.

Especially after I stun them with my sweet sweet dance moves!!

Mood Fabrics Marc Jacobs Floral + BHL Holly JumpsuitMood Fabrics Marc Jacobs Floral + BHL Holly JumpsuitMood Fabrics Marc Jacobs Floral + BHL Holly Jumpsuit

Ah HAH! You thought my title for this post was completely arbitrary, didn't you!?!? No no! There is always a method to my madness! In this case, I took those disco vibes I was getting from this pattern very literally.

Now I would like you to imagine me pulling out my worst best dance moves in front of my tripod, with a self timer, on this residential sidewalk, in front of some stranger's home, at around 5pm when everyone is driving home from work.  Picture it in your mind...

YOU'RE WELCOME!

Mood Fabrics Marc Jacobs Floral + BHL Holly Jumpsuit

And on that note, I'll sign off! Until next time, my friends, Happy trails!

xx

*The fabric for this post was provided to me free of charge by Mood Fabrics*

32 comments:

  1. I normally have no use for jumpsuits. But, I really really love this on you!

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  2. Jumpsuits don't work for me but you totally rock this.

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  3. JAZZ HANDS!


    You know who this print reminds me of? Dorothy Draper. I could see her putting this fabric in one of her rooms. She was a visions, and you know what she would say about the pattern placement? "If it looks right, then it is right." She was a rule breaker in all the right ways.


    Sometimes muslins are worth it and sometimes they're not. Rather be safe than sorry, especially when you've got a date with Marc Jacobs!

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  4. Am a big fan of jumpsuits, love seeing them on peeps.

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  5. Gorgeous as usual, Sallie! I think I could fill a wardrobe with Studio 54 jumpsuits. Well done on the muslining... I quite like the drape in the front! (Remember that Rachel Comey blouse, which you inspired me to make and I so want to make again... all those bias pieces ended up having a mind of their own especially after several wears...)

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  6. You make me smile Miss Sallie Oh. Your visual story of public dancing, your beautiful jump suit which has totally and utterly inspired me to create my own homage to Miss Jagger, and your lovely face. This jumpsuit fucking rocks x

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  7. You make me want to get one of these and start dancing! Was so looking forward to seeing this after your instagram muslims and it turned out even better than I expected. Love that fabric on you!

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  8. this looks so fantastic! not many people can pull off that color head to toe, but it looks great! i really love the cowl on this bodice, such a flattering cut.

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  9. I am totally not in to jumpsuits, but this makes me want one. Those super wide legs are really fantastic. And I LOVE the fabric. Super cool all around.

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  10. It takes an especially dazzling disco diva to pull off a jumpsuit that stunning! I love you in this pink and the super wide legs and drapey neckline are just fabulous! Also... Great hair day. Xo

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  11. You look like a sweet summer night. Love the wide leg romance of this whole outfit. You look divine!

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  12. i have no words to express how amazing this jumpsuit is and how fabulous you look in it. as a side note, i do not get the first draft of the holly jumpsuit, and i am secretly happy it was rejected, as i feel this is so. much. better. of course holly needed a snazzy, strappy, disco cowl top!?

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  13. Ahaha, love your disco moves! If someone had described this jumpsuit to me verbally, I would have just stared at them. But you've got such a good vision for unusual fabrics and patterns, and you totally carry this color! You'll have to make some special occasions happen so you can bust this piece out.

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  14. Haha! Thanks!! Funnily enough I DID describe this jumpsuit to people, and they DID just stare at me!

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  15. Thanks Joelle! I agree, I probably would not have been half as into this pattern had they gone with the first draft. Smart move, ladies!!

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  16. Thanks Liza Jane!! I really love how wide the legs are! They feel great on! All swishy and swirly...

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  17. Thanks Lisa! I wasn't sure if I could pull of this color head to toe!! But I just decided to go for it!

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  18. at first i was like 'wow, great fabric, and what an interesting bodice cut on that dress, and sallie is cute playing that shy sallie in the first pic' and then i scrolled down and was blown away! dress would be fabulous enough, but this jumpsuit is just pure perfection, is out of this world fabulous! i want it, accessorized with colorful drink! that jumpsuit needs a party to go to!

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  19. Seeing this again this week seriously made me want to drop everything and make another Holly. YOU TEMPTRESS!

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  20. Hi Sallie. I think you look fabulous in that pantsuit. Your blog caught my attention when you mentioned you were in Galveston. I grew up in Pasadena and Clear Lake is where I met my husband. He was stationed at the Coast Guard station on Ferry Road. We had our first date at the Italian restaurant that was on the sea wall. Good memories and it's now almost 30 years later. Anyway, sorry for going on but meeting a Texas girl online who rocks her sewing machine is awesome. Keep sewing. Corina

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  21. Sallie you are the best, and I love your sweet dance moves!
    Once again you dish out another exquisite garment. You have such a great eye for prints and creating great fabric and pattern combinations. The way the print is set up on the pants looks so well thought out, It's hard to believe it just happened! I think you must be a print placement jedi who just does it in her sleep. Look at the bright side, at least the unfortunate print placement happened on one of the smaller pattern pieces and it wasn't an unsightly crotch flower. Those are THE WORST.

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  22. Hi Corina!! Wow, so nice to hear from another east Texas lady! And I'm pretty sure my husband and I have had a few anniversary dinners at that Italian restaurant! Good memories, indeed! Glad you said 'hi'!

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  23. Not everyone could pull this particular garment off, but you sure do! I love that drapey neckline and you look totally festive!

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  24. This is SO fabulous! You pull off pepto-pink alarmingly well. Plus, your hair is incredible, which I think just adds to the fab-factor.

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  25. I LOVE the second picture - your legs seem to go on forever! And I totally appreciate the dance moves in front of strangers :D

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  26. A Stitching OdysseyOctober 5, 2014 at 4:17 PM

    Wow Sallie! Only you could make me covet a pink jumpsuit!!! How on earth do you manage to take something that shouldn't look good and totally rock it? The blue and green floral clusters really break up the pink nicely, your pattern placement is superb and your body is banging in this number!!! Major swoooooonnnnnnn!!!

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  27. This is cute and you are so adorable.

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  28. glorious sallie, i've had those pictures of you boogie-ing in my brain since you posted. you beautiful boogie-er.

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  29. Fantastico! This looks so great on you and is such a fun outfit!

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  30. I cannot believe I am so late to the party and only just spotted this SUPERB disco diva outfit! Absolutely love love love it and may just have let out a little squeal over my morning coffee. xx

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  31. Awesome! There's just something about this pattern that makes people look stunning! You look great!

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