Made for Mermaids Willow romper review

 Size "purple"

Fabric: lightweight merino, probably a blend, from Otara, which is the land of cheap fabrics in south Auckland. 

I bought 4 patterns by this new to me company.
I have now made 3 of them: the Avery, Logan, and the Willow. 

As far as I can tell this is either a friend, subsidiary, or someone who stole the concept from Patterns 4 Pirates.  The designer uses a very similar layout in her instructions, though the patterns are slightly different - using colour coding for sizes.  They feel very similar in character as well.

My first large irritation is that I had these printed as A0 patterns and the paper usage was horrible.  Pieces were not placed tightly on the paper, and I think there was an entire huge sheet for a single A4 element that could have been put somewhere else.  I pay for the luxury of A0 and it's $7 a sheet.  When a pattern lazily takes up 3 sheets, that's 21$ I have paid on top of the cost of the pattern!  

I have mentioned elsewhere that I passionately hate instructions done as colour photos.  This is unchanged.  The way I survived these instructions is that basically, I rarely needed them. 

This was a fast pattern, as were the Logan and the Avery. Thus far my feeling is that this company puts out easy to make patterns with very lazy drafting, in knits where it doesn't matter.  I made the higher crotch romper, and I might have shortened it.  The fit is fine, though not at all flattering. The pockets are a bit too low.  I don't really like the strap method.  You precut the straps and sew the ends together then treat it like a bias strip, sewing it it as a binding for the armhole which is just not sewn to anything at the top. There's instruction on how to put clear elastic in the tops - which I recommend, but my straps are gaping all the way around, suggesting that this method overall doesn't create a very good structural finish for a garment.  I do like the bodice fit enough to be semi tempted to make the dress, but not until I have decided how to fix this strap issue. 

Halfmoon Atelier Summer Jumpsuit Tofo

I was a pattern tester for this pattern, which is the most intricate that Meghann Halfmoon has put out so far.  Here is the pattern - there's a discount on until 9 July.

It was a really fun surprise to make up the jumpsuit.  Initially I was suspicious because things without straps don't generally fit me.  Unlike everyone else my high bust is larger than my full bust, but it's because of my back muscles.  Everything usually just falls down.

The jumpsuit does have straps, which go on with buttons and can be adjusted in length or crossed in the back.  I didn't put the straps on because I didn't have access to a buttonholer at the right moment!  The top has a yoke front which comes up quite high, gathers below the yoke and a bloused shape.  The back has a facing with 2" elastic in it, which creates the pull that holds the bodice on and is really secure due to the high front.  The pockets are generous and there is a tie belt with belt loops which I suppose is all optional if you wanted to skip that part.

I cut a size 3 which has been consistent for me across all of Halfmoon Atelier patterns.  I think that if you are long waisted you might want to lengthen the drop in the crotch, because it fit me perfectly.  On basically all RTW the crotch is way too low for me.  The bodice fit really well and bloused nicely, so yet again if you have a long torso you might want to lengthen it.  The bodice is pretty adjustable, in the sense that you can wear it higher or lower as you desire but I preferred to have the yoke up high to give me a feeling of security.

The fabric is rayon which was perfect - drapey but well behaved.

yay i match the balcony!

This was a really exciting pattern to see come together!  Since the temperatures here have dropped I might not be wearing it until spring but it's the first strapless item I think I've ever considered wearing out of the house, and the instructions were meticulous.  The aesthetic is unique and fun and I'm already thinking of making a top using this pattern.