sallie in sallie!

Ok, you guys had to know this was coming... Closet Case Patterns just released her newest pattern and it's named after meeeee!!!! SQUEEEE!!!! I'm a sewing pattern!!! And not just any pattern, but a JUMPSUIT!! Seriously friends, if I had to pick an article of clothing to personify me, I can think of no higher compliment than to say I'm a jumpsuit.  It's just... *tears*... it's just too much for words! When I think of all the high kicks and funny lunge-y walks and disco grooves that women around the world will be doing in their Sallie Jumpsuits, well let's just say I can die happy.  But the Sallie isn't just a jumpsuit, it's also a maxi dress, as you can see in this post. That means options you guys.  And as much as I love pants that are directly attached to tops in my sewing patterns, I think I love a pattern that gives you options even more.  But I'm getting ahead of myself here...

Deep breath.

Hey! How are you?  Summer going good? Or is it winter where you are? That's nice...

Alright, let's get back to Sallie!  When Heather told me she was going to be naming this pattern after me I was so excited (can ya tell?!?! Can ya tell I'm excited!!!!?!?) And then I saw the pattern and I Lost. It. Heather designed the Sallie Jumpsuit and Maxi Dress with the sexy disco vibes of 70's Studio 54 and glamour girls like Bianca Jagger in mind.  Basically everything I want to embody. And best of all, it's designed for knits, so not only do you get that 70's glamour girl look, but you get it while wearing something that essentially feels like pajamas! I mean... can you see why I am proud to have it be my namesake??

I of course jumped at the chance to test this pattern.  As excited as I am about the jumpsuit version of this pattern (and you better bet your britches I'm excited) I opted for the maxi dress for my test.  The reason for this being that it is approximately a-million-dee-ba-jillion-dee degrees outside these days and about the only clothing I can wrap my head around at the moment are dresses.  So the maxi dress won this round.  I also thought that this gorgeous raspberry rayon knit from Mood would look exceptional in a floor length dress.  

Construction-wise, this thing went together without a hitch.  I cut all the pieces one evening, and sewed it up in a few hours the next day.  I've loved every pattern I've made from Closet Case Files so far, but I have to admit, I have a soft spot for Heather's knit patterns.  Her instructions always teach me a little trick for working with knits I never knew before, or a better way to do simple things, like create an elastic casing, from how I had been doing them.  Admittedly, as much as I love them, working with knits has never really been my strong suit, so I appreciate the opportunity to learn.  This pattern can pretty much be sewn entirely on a conventional sewing machine.  The bodice is a double layer, so all seams are enclosed.  I sewed the long side seams of the skirt, and the waist on my serger, but a zig-zag stitch would have worked just as well, and maybe even better for the side seams because of the split sides.

In terms of fit, you really can't get any easier than a knit! The Sallie calls for a knit with a good amount of 4 way stretch, which makes it oh-so-comfy and oh-so-easy-to-fit! I made a size 6 based on my measurements, and then measured the elastic for the waist by pinning the elastic and wearing it around for a bit to make sure it was comfortable.  One of the things I love about the maxi dress is that it's actually pretty darn adjustable! You can adjust the waist elastic to what's comfortable for you, and you can adjust the shoulder ties for a comfortable fit.  Seriously, does it get any easier? In my drapey rayon knit, the single layer skirt is a bit clingy on the rear, which doesn't bother me, but could bother some.  A thicker or less drapey knit (or a slip if you don't live in the fiery furnace of hell and can stand an additional layer) would totally solve this.

I should also note that while I'm showing you the tester version of this pattern, Heather ended up not changing too much to the maxi dress after testing besides altering the hem curve slightly, so this version is pretty close to the finished pattern.

Well guys, thanks for letting me gush! I'm so excited to have such a fun pattern named after me (HAVE I MENTIONED I'M EXCITED?!?) And I wish I could convey the little giggle I get at the thought of a bunch of beautiful ladies "wearing their Sallie's" or "sewing up a Sallie"... Hmm... upon further reflection that kind of makes me think of people making freaky skin-suits of me... Scratch that!!! Let's just say I'm excited for people to get their jumpsuit on! And try the maxi dress version too!! Your sweaty legs won't regret it!!

Heather my love, THANK YOU. I know I had absolutely ZERO to do with all the hard work that went into making this lovely, but consider me a Proud Papa all the same.  

Now everyone, go forth and make some Sallie's!!!!

xx