Petite Stitchery Elliot romper review

 I have been on a mission to find the just right romper/pull on onesie/almost but not quite overalls.  A key feature I wanted is super low cut armhole areas - I wanted to need a top below it.  I hate the tie on the burnside bibs and a lot of other overall type patterns use that concept with straps that adjust into a tie, so all those were out.  I also know I don't wear tucked in things ever, so the beautiful Ronja dungarees didn't go with my vision.  There are a few still floating around in my head, but then I saw this romper and thought maybe in a knit fabric it would be so cool.  I wanted a heavy-ish black knit but I didn't have one and I did have this other fabric, so despite thinking it might be a bit light to be flattering, I went forth and created.  

My measurements fit an S exactly.  I was not sure if I should make some pattern adjustments like shortening the waist, but because of the pockets it's a multi-piece endeavor and I kind of just decided this was a rough and ready muslin.  It was hot summer, which is REALLY hot in Gisborne and I really just wanted this thing to wear.   That attitude means it's not really beautiful up close - my hems for instance are just horrible. I'm not sure if I cut slightly off grain but they would not fold up straight and I gave up.

The fabric is a very spongey viscose knit from The Fabric Box in Auckland. I got it in person, because this is the kind of fabric that you buy online for the colour and you buy in person because it feels so amazing you can't let go.  I thought I would be making tops out of it and had kind of been saving it (which is also why I had an unusually large piece of yardage) but I wanted this romper and it's a bland enough colour to match lots of things.  For sure, this romper needs a top of some kind under it.  I also thought the epic drape would be an ok match for this pattern, though I did worry it is still relatively light weight and would cling in the wrong places etc.  I think in the end it would be better to use a heavier weight fabric as I'd first envisioned, giving up drape for better glide over the body.

 

The instructions are annoying photo ones, but they are sufficient and the pocket area came together ok.  It's a spot where topstitching would lead to less peeking out of the pocket, but I opted against the topstitching. 

The weight of the fabric and the length of the bodice do make the pockets hang low. My major modification is that I added swimsuit elastic - quite burly stuff - into the tops of the straps.  When this is sitting around it kind of gathers up because of that and looks bad, but it adds a lot of heft and support so the straps don't stretch out and it looks ok when worn.  Overall this is not my neatest effort.  I counteracted that with lots of labels...It has been worn quite a lot though, it's very handy around the house and can be worn with not much underneath but still covers you up.  I do a lot of pole dancing and it saves me from prancing around the house in what looks like shiny underwear when random people show up.  (Did this happen?  You will never know.)  

If I find a nice scuba type fabric I suppose I might someday be inspired to make this again in a dark colour.  I don't think it's very flattering but I rather like it anyway...primarily as at-home loungewear.  It would be nice to raise the pockets, they are distinctly low.  The rise in the front is almost a bit short - I look down and I see my belly and it's almost pulling at the crotch, but the rise in the back is long and droopy. This all makes me feel like I would actually have to redraft the entire shape of the crotch curve to fit.  I have now made three patterns by Petite Stitchery - the Finn top, the Drew pants, and this romper, and they are consistent - quite simple, no genius to the drafting, not necessarily things that give you a good finish, but forgiving knit patterns that produce things that you wear despite the finish and that are relatively easy to put together. 

Ethel dress by PM patterns, a review

So, this dress is like a recipe!  So many options and very nice, tempting photography.  I bought it right away.  Don't be like me!  There are so many other designers creating similar designs, and I would not recommend this one. 

The pattern has no A0 option, instead it's a nonstandard size.  My print shop prints these weird shaped things sideways on A0 paper, which uses a lot of paper.  Then, the layout of this nonstandard size requires you to tape pieces together, and literally I mean tape a 2cm scrap from the bottom of one page to the top of the skirt piece!  It's really bad planning on the part of the designer.  The front and back skirt are the same, except that you tape a different scrap on for the front and back, oh but HOLD YOUR HORSES if you are using the empire waist you have to beware of all these scraps as you need a different set yet again. 

I'm not sure whether this tetris is hilarious and clever or just a pain. You be the judge. 

I cut size 38 instead of 36, erring on the side of just bigger rather than just smaller than my measurements.  And then for my first version I did the following recipe: 

-waist length

-crossover front, which I cut four of to self line

-short skirt

-with ruffle 

 

 

Fabric is Rag and Bone white windowpane cotton which I ice dyed!  Isn't it so pretty?

And I added the Bardon pockets which I have already made clear are the best pocket shape known to man.

AND it is huge.  I gave it to a friend who's breastfeeding because this dress with the crossover front is breastfeeding friendly.  That's how much access you have!  

Clearly I should have made the 36.  I was going to leave it at that but honestly I've gotten this far so I wanted to make a long diaphanous silk version.  Yes, cue the future high blood pressure from sewing diaphanous silk.  I know.  But then I realised this silk I have is still available in the shop (I'll need like 6 m to double the bodice and the skirt piece so it's not see thru)...and figured I should do it.  But after this?  Never again. 

I managed to cut the same pieces down to 36

This recipe:

-empire waist

-v neck

doubled front again, same story

long sleeves

long skirt

with ruffle 

Narrow silk chiffon

Gelatin

Blood pressure cuff for data collection purposes

Actually it wasn't that bad but I was kind of over it after all the excitement of planning.  Also it was apparent early on that the empire waist is A Mistake.  It ends at nipple level, creating a kind of french dressing gown look.  It was bad.  It was slightly better after I washed out the gelatin.  This crinkle chiffon actually behaves ok once it's had gelatin applied, it has some texture but irons flat.  I think only a few pieces cut off grain (as you can kind of tell since the stripes aren't uniformly horizontal in the bottom tier.)

Ah well, live and learn.  I sent this on to a friend and hoped she is less picky than I am. This was among the final cluster of stress projects before moving so I count it as a total success, because I finished it.  My interest would not have survived a move. Unfortunately I miscalculated something and ended up with still 2m of the fabric left over (which is how much I started with before buying more for this dress) so I suppose I'll still make the simple flowy top I was gonna make in the beginning...