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| SMYLY 'Abi' Jumpsuit & An Honest Talk About Body Image |
Everyone has their battles that they don't share online and I'm no different. So when the lovely ladies of new sewing magazine & pattern company 'Sewing Makes You Love Yourself' asked if they could use me as inspiration for their next pattern and name it after me, I didn't know if I was going to be a good fit for their brand.
Mental health and body image/confidence has been a big part of my entire life. Which I know may seem odd as I film YouTube videos and post pictures of myself online. But this is something I have control over, but come at me with a camera in any other situation and I'll be having an internal breakdown. I can't stand conversations about appearances or weight, as they bring up a whole lot of feelings I battle against every day and as I write this post I feel uncomfortable and find it near impossible to voice my feelings on the subject. Whilst I don't want to get into the nitty gritty of my own story, I hope you're getting the gist...
So initially this opportunity made me feel a little scared. Whilst sewing has brought a lot to my life and introduced me to a wonderful online community of creative women, its also forced to address some things about my body I would probably rather ignore. But I hope I can just spread the message that no matter what people are posting online or how confident they make look, everyone is battling something and you're never getting the whole picture. I'm not ashamed to say that I do share the best bits online. I have no intention of sharing anything else! But for me, I can look at my Instagram account for example and feel proud of myself and what I've achieved and that even though I have a world of insecurities about myself, I'm battling them, putting myself out there regardless and I couldn't have done that if it wasn't for sewing.
"We believe that every woman is beautiful in her own way and regardless of her shape, heritage or age. We consider it our mission to create patterns for garments that emphasize this individual beauty and keep the promise our brand´s name comes along with: That sewing makes you love yourself…" SMYLY.
Firstly the whole sewing process of this jumpsuit is so simple and straight forward which, the instructions the SMYLY girls have put together are easy to follow and well laid out. It also comes together pretty quickly too.
If you've watched my latest vlogs, you'll know I've been sewing jumpsuits all over the place, with varied success. Knowing this one is all jersey and nice & stretchy, I hoped fitting this style would be as simple and straight forward as the sewing. Luckily it was! I cut out the size 12 and made no alterations. The jersey fabrics allows for a comfortable fit across my bust and hips, but most importantly when it comes to jumpsuits, this is SO easy to get in and out of (I'm looking at you Simplicity 8608 grrrr).
Can we just take a moment to obsess over this fabric? I don't know what came over me, and even I can't tell you what my style and taste actually is, but I know I needed this fabric. I love prints with a darker background as I find them personally more wearable and I feel less self conscious in them. I love this fabric and sewing pattern together!
Sewing Summary:
Sewing time: A couple of hours.
Modifications: None!
Fit: Spot on.
Difficulty: Easy, great for beginners!
Watch out for: Finishing your jersey seams, I used an overlocker for mine.
Make Again?: Hell yes! I want to make a black & white polka dot one next.
Overall, the Abi jumpsuit (still so weird to type!) is everything I love in a sewing pattern, especially with my current changing style I'm certainly gravitating more towards comfortable, simple projects. I think this pattern would be great for beginners or those new to sewing jersey. I also think if you aren't confident sewing trousers, like me, something like this jersey jumpsuit is a great way to test the waters. The fit is pretty easy because of the stretch and the style, it's like wearing pjs!
Thank you so much to the lovely ladies Athina and Hattie for involving me in their venture, it's a honour to be a part of it. Whether you can say sewing makes you love yourself or whether you're on that journey like me, we can surely agree that sewing is a wonderful creative hobby to have and no matter your age, ability or style, there's something for you.
Thanks for reading, pinups!
Abi xo
