Anza Jumpsuit -Itch to stitch

Last year I made my first jumpsuit, the Eliane from SyleArc and after the blue one I made immediately one more. The love for jumpsuits was born! So now I have a bunch of jumpsuits patterns that I want to make and of course fabrics, I want to use for them.  This viscose was bought for a jumpsuit so when this pattern came long this was my first choice. This is the newest pattern from Itch to stitch patterns, the Anza jumpsuit and dress  and it is great!! I say that not because I tested the pattern, as usual, my opinions are mine, but if you will take a look at the tester versions of this you will see what I mean: After seeing all those versions I want at least 4 more.

The Anza comes as a jumpsuit and as a dress, using the same bodice. Of course to make it even more appealing ( for me at least) the patterns has cup sizing to make it easy to fit. I made mine in my usual Itch to stitch size, 4 C. The only change was making the legs 4cm shorter.

The jumpsuit has nice deep pockets, the breast pockets are lined, at the waist casing with elastic and drawstring. I had no nice stoppers for my string so I bought two metal beads, worked perfectly!

I need to wait to wear this as here the temperatures are really no short sleeve adequate and for those times I made also the dress version in a beautiful red crepe, I still need to sew the buttons on.

Love this one and I need to get my hands on some olive Tencel to make another one, and maybe some denim look Tencel....:) 

The Anza jumpsuit and dress pattern is now on sale ! 

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Eleni Top -Designer Stitch Patterns

 If I continue to apply for testing patterns I will never get the time to get the rest of my list ever sewn ( that is only a very small part). It looks like I can`t say NO to testing calls from Designer Stitch and Itch to Stitch; the patterns are either for garments  I like to wear either new styles that I would love to try. 

This one is the newest pattern from Designer Stitch, the Eleni Top. Actually, it is a Top/Dress/ Maxi pattern, with different sleeves styles, with or without flounce, pockets for the dress and tunic version.

This is a style I never made/wore before. I thought that this is the kind of top that you are always fighting with it to keep it on the place but for that problem, I found a solution and now I really love it. Adding a little elastic at the underarm keeps this in place, so easy and so helpful! The top is made in size 4 ( US 8). For this version, I chose a cotton and while I think this fabric was a bit too stiff I think it looks nice and very summery. I opted for the 7/8 sleeve and to add a little extra to my rather boring fabric I inserted a white/silver/blue trim.

Very easy, I cut the sleeve and bodice pattern pieces 10 cm from the hem, serged the edges, turned under and then stitched the trim from the front using as a guide the edges of my trim.

I think the effect is really nice!

The Eleni top is actually really easy to make, in this cotton the most work was to attach the trim but for the rest was a piece of cake. As usual, the instructions are very clear, with illustrations and all you need to make this pattern in a bit.

I need to get some tan on my shoulders...this top is actually good for that but at this moment with 5-10 degrees this will stay a little longer in my closet, the same as my second version of this top, made in a delicious soft silk cotton, with short sleeves and flounce. It is so cold that I don`t even dare to wear it to get pictures, no need to get sick again!

And that is all I have to say about this. Happy I tried a new style!

The Eleni Top/Dress/Maxi at the Designer Stitch Shop 

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La Paz jacket

I have so many projects on my "sew "list but patterns like this are pushing the rest of them at the back of that list. This is the latest pattern, the La Paz jacket, tested for  Itch to stitch. It is designed to be sewn in a structured knit fabric and that makes it really comfortable. I made mine in a leather look ponti with no vertical stretch and just a bit of horizontal stretch. I made the jacket in size 4 cup C; that is another nice thing about this pattern, it comes with cup sizing ( A, B, C, D and DD)

The pattern has a lot of nice features, front and back princess seams, two pieces sleeves with rounded corner vents and button closures, double-welt pockets with flaps. The jacket is unlined and you have the option to use Hong Kong seam finish. Well, this last thing, the Hong Kong treatment, I never did that on a jacket, I always make lined jackets/coats. This is a really nice and neat way to finish the seams on any project but boy, it does take a lot of time, really, is like is never ending. But is very pretty! On the Itch to Stitch blog is a tutorial about the Hong Kong finish .

First I want to say that I only apply for testing patterns that I like and I know will fit my style. One of the things I like is that having that deadline I know I have a limited time to finish that project so if I was   to make this, with the bias finishing and everything outside of the test, was a 2 weeks project but like this, it was one week working 2 hours every evening...approximately .

I can`t remember when I did a double welt pocket for the last time, with a flap, never. But these ones were so easy and that was one of those things I was most scared about. Great instructions there, really easy to follow.

This is not a difficult project, but if you are making the Hong Kong finish, be ready to take your time. I must be honest and say the I bought a fuchsia ponti and lining to make a new La Paz, but lined, I just can`t take any more bias binding. I think I can make it in two days, only to take my revenge on that bias binding thing!

So another successful project for me. I think that this pattern, even if it is looking pretty complicated is actually not so difficult to make, the instructions are very good and easy to follow, it has the cup sizing and that makes it really easy to fit 

Happy sewing! 

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