Pattern Hack: Friday Pattern Company Elysian Bodysuit
It’s been a hot minute since my last blog post. I’ve been taking some much-needed time to relax a bit more as my burnout has reached an all-time low. Like I thought I hit rock bottom in December and I’m still getting slammed. Take care of yourself. Please.
This make was the perfect mixture of fun and ready-to-tear-my-hair-out. I had (well, still have) a few yards of this heart flocked stretch mesh that I purchased 2 years ago from an Etsy shop that’s sadly now closed. I started using the material for some lingerie sewing and realized that I had more than enough to make at least 20 lingerie sets so I wanted to use up some more and make up something that I could wear a bit more socially. Hence this top was born. (Make sure you also check out my Pattern Review of the Elysian Bodysuit coming soon!)
After talking a bit with my friend Emma (sewdoitemma) about some hesitations when it came to Friday Pattern’s Elysian Bodysuit as a plus size person (comfort, appropriate length and fit, accessibility, bathroom needs and struggles to re-snap), we talked about the idea of turning the Elysian into a shirt and I couldn’t let it go!
This was actually a really simple hack. Instead of the 2 layers on top, I only cut one and used the Back Neckline Binding piece as a guide, cutting it on the fold lengthwise for a longer binding to be used for the front neckline since I opted to stick with that single layer. Attach it to the front neckline as you would the back. In the end I ended up using about 7” less material than I had cut but I’d take cutting off excess over not having enough any day. When it came to transforming the bodysuit into a shirt, I simply leveled off the bottom half of the bodysuit right at the top of the leg holes and finished this top as if it was any other top, following the instructions for the bodysuit for the entire construction minus the shirt hem.
Since I was working with mesh, it definitely was finicky. More than once I was ready to throw it out and give up but the image I had in my head of myself wearing it kept pushing me to suck it up and finish, even with approximately 30,000 French seams.
Overall, I absolutely love the way this top turned out. I’d probably make a few adjustments for next time, especially if working with mesh again by adding some more length since it most likely “shrunk” because of the fact that the crotch of a bodysuit helps to pull down the fabric. I’m not disappointed with the length (y’all know I love a good crop top by now) but I was originally envisioning more of a classic top vs a crop. I would probably recommend maybe 4” additional length to give yourself an inch for hemming and to get to more of that classic tee length.
As of now I’m sticking with layering this over my tank (hello cold Ohio winter) I’m trying to brainstorm some more ways to wear this one. Any ideas?!
The Pattern Company: Friday Pattern Company
The Pattern: Elysian Bodysuit
Size Made: 6X
Version Made: 3/4 Sleeve, Narrow Cuffs
Fabric Used: Velvet Flocked Heart Stretch Mesh found on Etsy
Additional Adjustments Made: Single layered front (bias-finished continued from back), Cut across at top of leg openings to create top
