Here's one I made earlier...

Quite literally, this is a dress I made on a day's annual leave from work.  Although I didn't quite manage to finish it in one day, I have finally got round to completing it (it was beginning to gather dust)!

It is the same dress as English Rose from May 2012, that is McCall's M6027, except this is view D.

So having made it before I didn't find it too challenging, although the cap sleeves were a little tricky to get right.  I think it will make a nice addition to the work wardrobe for winter as it is made from a navy lightweight wool.

Jumpsuit - Part 1

Back at the end of 2012 I tried on this jumpsuit in Ted Baker:

Being 5'' 2', and Ted Baker thinking women are all 6'', it drowned me.  So I got out my pen and tape measure and drew a little sketch before handing back the garment with its £120 price tag. 

At the start of this year I began to contemplate how I could make a similar outfit myself.  Unfortunately, the jumpsuit patterns I could find by the leading manufacturers did not match the look I was after.  Most of them had a low elasticated waist rather than the high fitted waist I wanted to create.

So I went about it by taking a wide leg trouser pattern and a pencil skirt pattern from April 2012 Burda.  I placed the skirt pattern underneath the trouser one and heightened the waist on the trousers.  

I then used the pattern to make up a trial pair of pants.  Alterations were made which I marked with a running stitch.  I then unpicked the pants and transferred the running stitch markers onto my paper pattern. 

125 Trousers

118 Skirt

The pattern paper I am using is by Burda.  As you will see below, it is not very resilient to pins or needles; in fact it rips very easily.  Also pencil marks do not show up well.  I have recently ordered some Swedish Tissue Paper, since seeing it used on The Great British Sewing Bee, from Gloriarty at www.gloriarty.co.uk. When it arrives I think I will transfer my patten onto it so that it can be used again. 

Front with marked alterations

Back with marked alterations

Back patten piece

Front pattern piece

I then used the altered pattern to make the pants using a navy lightweight fabric.  I opted to add a lining which ends at the knee.  

I am giving the jumpsuit a smart casual feel by using an emerald satin on the top half.  When I made my Duchess dress in June 2012 (McCall's M6508) I cut the bodice on folded fabric so that I had 2 of each piece which were mirror images of each other.  I used one set to make the Duchess dress and made the other bodice up at a later date.  I am using the spare bodice as the top half of this jumpsuit.  It is the same as the image below, except that it does not have the ruffle:

I am up to the stage where I attach top and bottom halves.  Maybe time to get sewing again...