Closet Case Patterns Sallie top & 2-layer Renfrew

This Sallie top is totally cobbled together out of scraps.  I adore this rayon and wish forever that I'd bought 12 meters instead of just 2.  I was struggling to find a pattern that I could use for it.  Trying to mix and match a bunch of different weights of jersey turns out looking very homemade, so I wanted to avoid that.  And luck had it - I couldn't make a Renfrew out of it because I would have had to use different sleeves and bindings.  But I could fit the two pieces of a Sallie out of it - and I had been musing on making a Sallie top.

I was going to upcycle a merino wool skirt for the lining but the skirt looked like loads of fabric...until I got cutting.  No matter how I turned things, I could only get one piece out of it, and was left with the conundrum - what could I put together with that?  I ended up using some black stretch silk left over from another project.  I knew it would be tighter and so I used that as the front.  It's also rather short but you can't tell.

I made the top as normal.  As you can see I didn't do anything so boring as cut the bottoms even, I just left them as the bottom of the fabric.  It's important when making this as a top to still sew that line of stitching along the bottom in order to hold the layers together - that is what keeps the neckline from rotating out.  My common denominator was the bottom of the silk, so I sewed at that level all the way around - but it wasn't done yet when I made these photos so that's why the lining peeks out a bit.

This was really an epic save.  I got a second top out of the best fabric ever and it's got a cozy silk and wool lining and I love the ragged bottom.  As you can see, since I carried that ragged theme over and made a two-layer Renfrew out of tissue weight jersey from Anna ka Bazaar:
 

 This fabric was meant to be a Sallie back when I bought it, but it was much more transparent than I expected so I set it aside.  Then I was going to make a Style Arc Kylie, but after looking at the pattern pieces I realized there was no way I had enough fabric.  (Reality doesn't seem to come into play when I buy patterns - I always assume I can somehow jigsaw all the pieces into any size fabric...)

The rule of tissue jersey is to touch it as little as possible.  It's nice not to do much finishing but the fabric is still a finicky pain to work with.

I used the standard size 4 Renfrew with a 2 inch shortening at the waist but the length is the length of my pattern pieces.  As you can see I didn't cut these even either.  I just put the shorter layer over the longer layer.  I sewed the shoulders together and the side seams separately.  The sleeves are elbow-length and are unfinished at the ends.  For this one I sewed the sleeve continuously with the underlayer and then sewed the overlayer separately.  I have varied which side I sew the sleeve with and I don't think it matters much.

I thought eventually I might cut the overlayer into something specific but for now I'm leaving it as is. 

Closet Case Patterns Sallie jumpsuit in navy

My first Sallie jumpsuit was beautiful but undeniably huge.  I can't make any excuses for deciding I was suddenly a size 8.  This time I made a size 4 and I think it is the right size (me: 33.5-27-37).  I also shortened both the front and back rise by 1.5".  I noticed they were the same as the size 8 which hung halfway to my knees.  I could probably have done without this in order to get a more drapey look but I really don't like fabric hanging between my legs.  The blue fabric is from Hart's Fabric, it's a rayon jersey (I think) and is slightly lighter weight than the red I used for my first version.  They had such fast shipping - I think I ordered the fabric on a Friday and got it by Monday.  It is so soft and drapey and amazing, and I bought it specifically for this project...so why didn't I buy enough? Arg!!  I had to cut the bodice lining and the pocket lining from something else.  In the end though, I really like the colour effect of having a different coloured bodice inside, and I think I will keep doing that in the future.

In my lighter weight fabric, I feel like it shows all but the fit is great and the jumpsuit is so comfortable.

Making this a second time highlighted the construction issues I still had: the triangle meeting at the underarms.  Maybe the instructions need to tell you what to do for the big hole that you have there?
And the pocket instructions, which have you put the two parts of the pocket together before applying them to the pants.  I believe on my first version I made one wrong and had enough fabric to cut it out again.  This time I had them all the way attached before I realised my mistake, so they are inside out.  Because the lining of my pocket is also pretty slippery knit, the pockets hang open more than I would like, but friends have assured me I'm the only one that thinks so.

This took, again, less than half a day (once you exclude the running break, coffee break, rock climbing break, etc)  and the pictures are a bit dusty because I put it on right after rock climbing, with my chalky fingers.  I'm still in the process of figuring out how much shorter to cut the hems - I cut 2 inches so far and I think one more has to go, but I'm going to wash it again first.

I love this jumpsuit.  I am finally ready to make multiple versions of it - I have some more red fabric but I think I might also just lengthen the bodice and make it as a top too! 

Sallie Jumpsuit by Closet Case patterns

I prepared this pdf pattern while deep in my sewing preparations, and went for a size 8 based on so many people saying to go by your measurements.  I'm sort of a 6-8, because I have been exercising and my already square torso has become more square.  Nobody mentions that when you get ab muscles you lose your waistline for them!! Hah! So, I forgot that I should really size down for knits and in fact being both shortwaisted and short, I think I might have best been suited to a size 4.  Because of that I disagree that you can cut exactly according to your size.

I used a drapey rayon.  It's heavy, as rayon tends to be, in this great saturated red, and I really was dreaming of a Sallie short dress and I kind of wish I had just done that straightaway, because I ran out of time and couldn't do it at all : (

There were a few moments of irritation - when you sew the underarm together it looks like a snaggly mess, but a snip into the seam allowance and some ironing makes it look great on the outside.  I really really adore this top.  It's substantial with the two layers of fabric and so comfortable!!

I took about 3 hours to make this - a concentrated morning.  It came together with no mishaps, although I had not checked what elastic I needed so I used the 1/4" elastic I had, and something a bit thicker would hold the heavy legs better.  I cut off 5" from the bottoms.

If I made this again, other than using a size 4, I'd probably raise the crotch a few inches.  I'm not completely sure it's a success - it's comfortable but is too low cut to feel right at work, and because it's red it's very attention grabbing and I'm not sure I like how I look in it enough for that.

I would love to make another one, but the dress is probably more of a priority; I think this would be an absolute staple in my wardrobe as a short dress.  I will probably go with a less flashy colour when I made the jumpsuit again, because it's already quite unique looking.   

It was my first Closet Case patterns and I did enjoy it!  I'm looking forward to eventually having the time to work on this pattern because I adore the top half, and of course I'll eventually make some Ginger jeans, but sadly the sewing vacation is over, so not any time soon.

The final good news is that one of my coworkers looks amazing in this jumpsuit!  So it got a new home!  Everyone is happy.