Striped Anni Jumpsuit

Happy Thursday! Over the past few weeks it’s been really hard to get motivated and stay motivated . I find myself having good days and bad days, but am fortunate to have a great partner who frequently tells me it’s ok to have bad days. We’ve been playing a lot of ping pong and UNO, making sure we take time to just relax and breathe.

At the end of March, beginning of April, I made 80 masks for friends who work in hospitals, and for family working in grocery stores. If you’ve made masks, you can know how time consuming it can be, but more than that, how exhausting. While it was hours of labor, it was also mentally exhausting for me thinking about who would be using them, and the guilt for not making more or not going fast enough. It became a little too overwhelming and I had to stop. Last week I took some time for selfish sewing and made a project that’s been on my list for a few weeks.

I picked up this stripe fabric on my last trip to Fab Scrap, and originally planned to make some sort of dress, but the more I looked at Pinterest, the more I was attracted to striped jumpsuits! I had bought the Anni Jumpsuit Pattern for a different project that I didn’t have enough fabric for, but I had just enough striped material to make this jumpsuit.

What really attracted me to this pattern was the unique bodice design. I fell in love with the diamond shape and the options that came with the Building Block Bundle. This pattern was a little pricier but with several options, it was a price that made sense to me, and a pattern I could see making multiple versions of.

Now, if you want to make this bodice option, I do not recommend this as a beginner pattern. I don’t consider myself a sewing expert but I do have experience, and I wanted to throw these instructions out the window. The instructions and photo representation for this bodice pattern were not enough for me. I spent hours sewing seams, then directly ripping them out. It was frustrating. But eventually I got it, and it was one of those “ah-ha” moments. Once it was actually sewn, the instructions made sense. I could see how it worked, but couldn’t explain it to someone else. While it was frustrating at first, I would make this bodice again in a heartbeat. I don’t say this information to scare you away from making it, but as a warning that it may be difficult to get it at first.

Pattern details: I made Anni Size 4, shortening the bodice by 1” and shortened the pant length. I forgot to save the bottom of the pants to confirm how much I cut off, but my full length pant pattern measures 37”. After sewing the pants, I shortened the top rise by 1.5” as the crotch was just too long for my torso. I also tapered in the pants by 1” as well. I spent so much time making sure my stripes were as matched as I could make them, the last thing I wanted on this jumpsuit was a poor fit.

The last step I did was insert the zipper – and then found another fit issue. After sewing in the zipper, it felt like the jumpsuit back was too long. I went back in and removed 1/2” from the center back, under the waistline to eliminate some of the sloping. Seeing the photos made me question what was actually wrong – and I figured it out. The belt is tied a little too tight causing the zipper to puff out and the butt to look a little more sloped than it actually is. I have since tried it on with the belt tied looser – and no belt- and the fit is great.

I had just enough fabric left over to make a fabric belt to complete look. The pattern does not call for a belt, but I really love defining my waist, and think this striped version looks cuter with the belt.

I love this jumpsuit! I’ve been spending a lot of time defining my style, cleaning out my wardrobe and re-thinking my look, and this fits right in with how I want to dress! Floral prints are definitely still my style, but I love adding in stripes as well.

For anyone interested, the pattern I used for my masks was from Instructables – for a nurse, by a nurse. For family I have been making the pattern from Mimi G.