Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: A Blouson Bodysuit

Happy New Year! Did you spend some of your holiday break sewing? I did! Though, as usual, I didn't complete everything on my "To-Sew" list. I enjoyed every minute with family and friends...and my sewing machine. I hope by now you're back in the groove because 2018 is already in full swing.


I've have been so excited about the bodysuit trend, but it took a while for me to find the right bodysuit pattern. When Simplicity released 8513 I thought "woohoo! This is it!". I loved all the options especially the bell sleeve, wrap bodice and mock neck.

Simplicity Pattern 8513 Misses' Knit Bodysuits
from Simplicity.com

However, after I sewed up View B, I realized I don't (currently at least) have a bodysuit body. LOL In my opinion my tummy is a little too big right now to rock it. Which really sucks, not because I'm carrying a few (ok ten) extra pounds from the holidays - I still love my body - but because I really wanted to rock a bodysuit. I love bodysuits because tees and sweaters have a tendency to ride up when you sit and I hate when a burst of cold air hits my lower back, especially in the winter.


From kommatiapatterns.com


Thankfully I stumbled across the Ferri bodysuit pattern from Kommatia patterns while swiping thru Instagram. Turns out a blouson bodysuit is my perfect bodysuit. It offers the "stay tucked-in-ness" of a bodysuit, but the fullness of a loose tee. Raglan sleeves are already a fave of mine and the wide scoop neckline was a great bonus.

I can raise my arms without worry that I'm going show some belly!

I've been eyeing the Black Superwash Wool Jersey since it was listed and this seemed like a great application for it. It's light weight gives the full top some drape but the wool content should be enough to keep me warm.



When I first pulled the fabric out of the packaging I thought it was going to be too sheer, thankfully I was wrong. Also when I went back to look at the listing it is clearly described as Semi-Sheer.  The Semi-wool feel was accurate as well as it isn't itchy or irritating, though I do not suffer from sensitive skin.  Also, it has a slub like texture that doesn't show well in photos.



Sewing the bodysuit was pretty easy, especially if you've ever sew a swimsuit before. The trickiest part was attaching the elastic at the leg openings. The rest of the construction was the same as any raglan tee.


I really love the bodysuit, though I which it draped over a little more. When I make it again I will add 1.5" to the bodice hem and hopefully that will result in the look I want.

I highly recommend this fabric and this pattern. I think I'm going to order the gray as well. I'm thrilled with my results!

See you next month.

Tiffany
TipStitched

Comments

  1. Love this, Tiffany! I was wondering about this pattern- I'm so happy to see someone has sewn it up with such great results!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I had never heard of this pattern maker, gotta love social media!

      Delete
  2. I love bodysuits and this one is fabulous on you. I love the zipper pockets on the front of your jeans too - they are too cool!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is cute! And making it in black is such a smart move. I'd be looking for all the bottoms in my wardrobe that I can wear it with.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Recent Posts You Might Like

Made by a Fabricista: What to Make with Silk Taffeta

You may have noticed that Fabric Mart has a *HUGE* selection of silk taffeta right now.  A lot of it is either large plaid or large stripes.   I was curious about it, and not really sure what I could make with it, but I just knew it would be gorgeous fabric and had to play around with it.  Turns out, it's actually great for quite a range of projects!  The dress above is my third project. Let me show you the first two. My first was to make some queen size pillow shams.  They are the plaid ones in the back of the photo.  I also made the two printed ones in the center from another Fabric Mart home dec fabric special!  I wanted to make the covers removable with a zipper, and include a braided trim.  As luck would have it, I found a whole card of braided trim at an estate sale that worked with my taffeta for just $2! To start, I used a zipper foot to stitch down the braided trim all around one side of the pillow. Then I serged ...

A Yard And Change

Do you have a fabric that you love and has been hanging around but is too small to use? Maybe you found a wonderful fabric with a super cute print but there's only a yard left.  I've got a few projects I worked on all with roughly a yard of fabric. And I have a few tips for making that yard and change go further! Cutting Layout: You can get a lot more mileage out of a yard of fabric if you can get creative with how you lay out your fabric. Cutting things single layer will give you the most control. My favorite thing to do is unfold the fabric and fold the selvages in to meet in the middle. That gives me two folded edges to work with. I had to overlap these to get enough width for the tank top. Just make sure that your pattern pieces don't also overlap!  This one was especially fun for me because I really loved the print on this swimwear knit but am not yet up to sewing swimwear. But a nice flowy hiking tank is perfect for this! In the future I'd love to experiment with...

Help Our Buyers Shop!

  Comment on this post with what you are looking for right now and our buyers will seek it out!  I am craving wool gabardines and ponte knits in fun autumn colors. What about you?

Athletic Wear Refresh: A Bold New Gym Set

There’s something especially motivating about refreshing your workout wardrobe with pieces that feel like you. As part of my ongoing athletic wear refresh, I’m adding another handmade set to my gym wardrobe—and this one might be the boldest yet. Lately, I’ve been taking a closer look at my handmade wardrobe and thinking more intentionally about what I actually wear in this season of my life. Athletic wear has become a big part of that. Instead of treating workout clothes as an afterthought, I want my gym wardrobe to have the same personality, color, and style as everything else I make. And this fabric made that very easy.  The Fabric That Started It All   The moment I saw this vibrant multicolored paisley, I was immediately drawn to it. The mix of warm reds, oranges, greens, turquoise, and golden yellow against the light background feels bold, energetic, and a little unexpected for athletic wear . There’s something about the print that reminds me of Etro and other higher-end f...