Sarah Wraps Herself Up in Jumpsuit Luxury

Oh, the world of PDF patterns! With so many indie pattern designers, it’s hard to resist these, especially when they are popular on Instagram. I had been wanting to try making a jumpsuit for a while and was eager for more loose-fitting summer clothes. Living in Newfoundland, I could get by wearing leggings in the summer but Colorado summers encourage much lighter, more flowy outfits.

Sarah Wilson

@wren.handcrafts
Zadie Jumpsuit by Paper Theory (PDF only) (We recommend the Kielo Jumpsuit if you prefer a hard copy, printed pattern.) 
Size 10
Auburn River Tencel and Indigo Chambray No notions
Modifications: Shortened crotch rise by 2", added 5" to hem

After pondering other jumpsuit patterns for a while, I came across the Zadie Jumpsuit and was sold instantly. I love wrap style dresses and skirts, so why not a wrap jumpsuit!? 

When I am trying a new pattern, I like to see what the slow fashion community has done with it on Instagram. I was a bit concerned with the number of modifications people were making. I was already worried about the fit of a jumpsuit since I have a short torso and long legs. Despite all the modifications, it seemed like everyone absolutely loved the pattern and had plans to make more Zadies.

It didn’t take long for me to pick fabric for this project - I love Tencel and have made a few garments with it before. I fell in love with the River Tencel in Auburn and was drawn to the drape of the fabric. Most of the other Zadie Projects I had seen were made with stiffer fabrics like double gauze or linen. With the wide pant leg I wanted something flowy, lightweight, and most of all - comfortable. There are so many vibrant colors of this fabric that I believe there’s a color for everyone!

While the Zadie Jumpsuit is overall a very quick and easy project to sew, I was challenged by picking a size and getting the pattern pieces to fit on the fabric, despite buying extra yardage. Based on my measurements, I was anywhere between a size 12 and 18. After studying the finished measurements more and reading pattern reviews I decided to make the 10. The pattern only suggests a pattern piece layout and says it will vary based on the size. I tried to follow it, but had to lay my pieces out several times before deciding to cut. Lengthening the leg may have contributed to this, but in the end I had to shorten the pockets, and cut the bias tape in pieces. 

I was worried about the fit, so I decided to make a muslin with our Slub Chambray Indigo by Robert Kaufman. This is a wide, lightweight cotton fabric and very cost effective for wearable muslins! For the test run, I shortened the leg to reduce the amount of fabric I needed. After reading several pattern reviews and measuring the torso length, I decided to shorten the rise by 1”. The crotch still sat very low on me (a bit too close to my knees…) so for the River Tencel jumpsuit, I shortened the rise by another inch, and added 5” to the pant hem. I could have shortened the torso as well, but I wanted to make sure there would be enough ease lengthwise to get in and out of the jumpsuit. For the neckline, I sewed the bias tape using the french method so that my pieced tape would not be visible.

This was a fun project to do, but I think I am set with having just this Zadie and my wearable muslin. I am eager to try the Kielo Wrap Jumpsuit, which we carry at the store if you prefer your patterns already printed! I have made the Kielo Wrap dress and it’s my absolute favorite dress to put on and wear. The Kielo also has no zipper, is a very quick sew, and much more straight-forward for laying out pattern pieces.

With so many options out there, I hope you can find a jumpsuit pattern that you love!