Closet Case Amy Jumpsuit in Italian Cotton: A Pattern Review

Hello all! I've been a bad blogger lately. We're renovating our bathroom, and it has caused all kinds of chaos around here, not to mention the usual juggling act that is my life. Quite honestly, if I have a few minutes, I'd rather sew than blog right now!

However, something came along that I just had to share. One of my colleagues showed up in the most amazing jumpsuit the other day. I've been ignoring the jumpsuit trend-- no adult onesies for me, thank you very much. But hers was elegantly loose, totally unstructured waist, just a bit strappy... so perfect. All the sudden I was browsing the available jumpsuit patterns, and drawing a complete blank. The closest was the Peppermint Magazine Jumpsuit by In the Folds. It's free! But I'm not sure how I felt about that narrow leg, I thought maybe I'd hack it and widen it.

And then, what jumps into my inbox, but Closet Case Patterns' Amy Jumpsuit announcement. Heather Lou is psychic. Just what I wanted!

That was Wednesday-- bought, printed, assembled. Thursday, late late, it was done. Friday pics.

Having sewn many other Closet Case Patterns, I was pretty sure it would fit. So I made no muslin, and jumped right into a precious piece of fabric.

I was going to go for a nice sedate black linen. But... then I remembered I had a gorgeous and special fabric in my stash from my first trip to Italy, nearly six years ago. It's a light weight cotton, finer than a quilting cotton, but with just a bit of cotton crispness.

I had 2 meters, minus a small chunk that I had used to make a shirt yoke, so it was a bit of a struggle to fit the HUGE pattern pieces onto my fabric. I decided to cut off-grain. I know-- sewing sinfulness. Well, I thought I might just get away with it in this case.

All other pieces (facings, pockets, straps, ties) are cut from black linen.

Everything is french seamed. Sewing inseam pockets with french seams is something I've always avoided, but I used the various online tutorials and it went beautifully. I don't know why I have always avoided this technique.

Construction went beautifully. Having the straps as separate pieces makes sewing the facing a breeze. And I skipped the zipper.

Basically I didn't try this on until I finished it... and it fits beautifully. My only reservation is that the straps feel like they are going to slide off my shoulders. I'd love to find a way to cross them in back on my next version.

I plan to wear it dancing, tonight!

Happy Sewing!