Mirri Jumpsuit in Teal Linen

July 19, 2021
Posted by de Linum

The Fabric

Firstly, I loved this teal linen so much, I jumped online and ordered more as soon as I finished this garment. It’s very true that not all fabrics are created equal and this fabric is outstanding in colour and hand.

It’s a yarn dyed linen, which means the thread is dyed first and then woven. The teal weft fibres are woven with a black warp fibre (which runs parallel to the selvedge) and this woven combination adds depth to the teal and adds a beautiful dimension to a garment when the fabric is pleated or gathered. It is a lighter weight linen at 140gsm and was a perfect match for the Papercut Mirri Jumpsuit, whose crossover bodice with its soft folds lends itself to lighter woven fabrics.

The Pattern - the Mirri Jumpsuit

I have sewn many Papercut patterns, this is the first hardcopy I have used since the release of the new format.

I do prefer the instructions being separate to the pattern sheet and the instructions are more extensive than earlier Papercut patterns. The pattern paper is lighter than the previous pattern releases, but still much more robust than the tissue paper used by the “Big 4” companies.

Be aware, the Mirri isn’t a traditional ‘wrap’ in the sense of the wrap ties putting the bodice in closer to your chest. The bodice has a softer, blousy effect which I really quite like.

I traced the pattern with “Trace and Toile” and then sewed the pattern pieces together with basting stitches. I found the jumpsuit was short through my torso (I am 5 foot 4 for reference).

The pattern has lengthen/shorten lines for the pants but not the bodice, which I found a little odd. I prefer adjustments lines for both the bodice and the pants. I added an inch to the pants rise, I like my jumpsuits to be generous through the torso as you need to allow for arm movement and sitting etc.

The pattern piece on the far left of my layout is the bodice front which has the ties integrated to the bodice, a clever and fun design element.

Button Loop

Attention to the smallest things is very satisfying and ultimately led to a better finished result.

In this case, a button loop!

The pattern recommends you cut a 3cm x 6cm strip to make into a button loop. I cut my loop strips longer than recommended. This gives your sewing machine foot/feed dogs more to grip when you start to sew the strip and it’s easy to cut off the excess.

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend purchasing a clapper. Simply placing your pressed seams and items until they cool results in the crispest seams you can hope for.

Below is an example of a steam pressed/clapped loop and one that has just been steam pressed. The sharpness you can achieve with a clapper is striking.

Why would this matter? When you have multiple layers of fabric, your seams become bulkier and it’s harder to achieve a neat result. At a neckline, which is highly visible, aiming for a neat edge/corner is important.

For the opposite neckline corner (where your button will be sewn). I recommended folding over and pressing your seam allowances before you turn the bodice right side out. It’s a simple way to achieve a much neater finish.

Thread

Gutermann 904 is a good match for this fabric - as you can see below.

Some other construction tips

I hand stitched my hems and also hand stitched my facings to the seams allowances under the arms.

I used a longer zip as I find it is easier to install a slightly longer invisible zipper, cut off the excess and sew the end of the zipper to the seam allowances to keep the garment lines cleaner. I used a black invisible zipper (no teal zips available where I live in regional NSW) and it blended beautifully with the fabric. I also used this Kenneth King invisible zipper tutorial as a reference as I was interested to see how not using an invisible zipper foot would go - very successfully it turned out!