Hello All!
Have you ever heard of Do It Better Yourself (DIBY Club) patterns? They have a variety of perfect fit PDF patterns in women, men, children, and free patterns. I had the opportunity to test a few of their PDF patterns. The first one is the Stevie Jumpsuit which comes in misses and plus sizes. The instructions for the pattern read like an eBook and it is amazing. At the beginning you have the table of contents, which is very helpful if you only need a certain section of the instructions. *Post contains affiliate links*
My suggestion is to read the entire instruction manual before you print, assemble, and sew your PDF pattern. There is information on how to join their Facebook group, sizing charts, video tutorials on how to assemble their PDF pattern, and how to sew a V neck. There are several tips and tricks, and also how to do a full bust adjustment and crotch adjustment.
PDF patterns are not my favorite because of all of the cutting and taping but with DIBY patterns, you do not have to trim any paper before taping pieces together. I can’t tell you how much of a time saver this is. The patterns are lined up at the circle and taped together. This saves time and paper.
The instructions are well written and easy to follow. I have to say these are the best instructions I have ever followed to put together a jumpsuit. Most jumpsuit patterns have you sew the bodice and pants separately then attach them but not this pattern. Now that I have tried this method, I want to use it for all other pattern construction. Everything about the construction was made simple, even adding the elastic to the waist.
I omitted the pockets because of my hips. In jumpsuits that are fitted, pockets tend to poke out because my hips are wide. The front bodice has a v neck and I haven’t had great experiences making those in the past, however DIBY has a YouTube channel and there is a step by step video tutorial on how to sew the neckband.
Using the size chart, I cut a 14 for the bodice and a 20 for the pants. The fit is perfect, and I did not have to make any adjustments. I used a purple Ponte knit fabric that I purchased from Fine Fabrics. Overall, I had a great experience with my first DIBY pattern. The instructions are clear and easy to follow; there are several resources to help you successfully make each pattern, and there is a YouTube channel with step by step videos that can help with construction. You can purchase the Stevie Jumpsuit here.
