Skinny Pants by Jocole

Now we know for a fact that this is quite possibly one of the most anticipated patterns of the bundle.  The Jocole Skinny Pants first showed up in my facebook feed months ago, and since then the anticipation has been killing women far and wide.  But wait no longer!!!!!  The Skinny Pants are about to be released on Friday in the Bundle UP! sale.  Save those pennies ladies, because this kind of deal on these pants wont be seen again!

Jeanine is here to show off her skinnies, demonstrate how awesomely it pairs with the Jenny Top (also in the bundle), and talk to you a bit about the importance of making a muslin for women's patterns.  Take it away...................

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Hey all!!!! Jeanine here with you today and I am excited to share!

Today I am sharing TWO of the BundleUp patterns with you!!!!! 

I made the much anticipated Jocole Ladies Skinnies in a gorgeous floral stretch denim! and the ever loved Sisboom Jenny in top length with a little hi-lo action happening out of a red gingham! 

These skinny pants are easy on and off, can be made in stretch fabrics, or woven. They feature a knit waistband which has a few options for width and they have FIVE length options, from shorts to full.

The pattern starts at a 00 which is listed as a 22" waist all the way up to a 28w which is listed as 45 1/2" waist. The pattern also has hip and thigh measures in it which are very important for a great fit! 

I love how Jocole gives a little tutorial on blending sizes so if you are between or across a few sizes it isn't difficult to get the fit you want. 

The pattern directions are very clear and precise and the pants sew together naptime fast! This pattern would be suitable for adventurous beginners and beyond. I say adventurous, even though the construction is for sure beginner, only because you really should muslin to get a precise fit, more on that later though.

I chose a stretch lightweight denim to make my skinnies in and I LOVE the choice I made! These pants can move with me! I am really liking how I'm all, "Look at me in my fancy skinny jeans" but really I'm thinking, "Hehehehe, no one needs to know these pants are as comfy as my yoga pants!" Let me tell you, "mom pants" just took it up a notch! 

And now, dun dun dun, the pic you have alllllllllllll been waiting for, the money booty shot !

My husbands first comment on these pants was how nice my bottom looked in them!

Oh, did I forget to mention the pattern includes optional pockets? 

The Sisboom Jenny dress/top has many options to it, from ruffled neckline, modest neckline, regular neckline to cap or flutter sleeves and from shirt to maxi length! 

The directions are clear and precise, and there is a GREAT tutorial and a few tips for the zipper installation as well. The Jenny sews up in an evening, 2-4 hours depending on your speed and comfort with the techniques.  This pattern is listed as intermediate, due to the zipper mostly, but if you are an adventurous beginner don't let that frighten you! The directions are wonderful.

The sizing for the Jenny is from xs (0-2) which is a full bust measure of 32" to a 3xl (26w) which is a full bust measure of 55".  

The bodice is fully lined and you cut your cup size as well as your measured for size. There is a fancy over and across chart to use to help you determine the cup size to cut based on your measurements, and there are measurement hints and fitting tips in the pattern introduction as well that you really should read over.

In addition each waistband has multiple cutting lines so you can have a closely fitting waistband or a looser one based on your preference and there are cutting lines for short, regular, and long torso's! 

For my Jenny in top length I choose a light red gingham and did a hi-lo hemline. I REALLY love hi-lo's with all the bending over and chasing kids I do it saves the people around me from getting views they don't want!

 To get the hi-lo hemline I simply cut the front to a 12" length and the back to a 16" length (pre hemming) and then sewed the top up as directed with the 'skirt' as 2 rectangles and simple folded in half and blended the back to meet the front when I was done. 

I also took 10 inches out of the skirt width for making the Jenny as a top. When I make the Jenny as a dress I do the full skirt width as per the pattern and love it! For a top however, I was afraid having it too full would give me a much too billowy look. I'm very pleased with the results of my choices for the top. 

I highly recommend both of these patterns and I LOVE how they look together!

Now who is ready to start a little dance party with me to get this Bundle UP excitement going??!! I am soooo excited for this BundleUP! I really do love sewing for myself! 

(my posing clearly needs work... I don't think I have the 'if it bends, bend it' thing down pat yet. hahaha)

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BONUS INFORMATION: MUSLINS

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 When you make these patterns, and any fitted women's clothing item, I HIGHLY recommend a muslin, this is nothing negative on the pattern/s. It is simply that very few women can just pick their RTW size and get the exact custom fit they want in a fitted garment. We all have different curves and angles and etc. Even 2 people who measure exactly the same can fit so very differently.

 It is important when you muslin (which is simply a practice run on cheap or not well loved fabric) that you use fabric that is very similar in weight and stretch to the fabric you plan on using for your final pair.

Because I believe so strongly in muslins let me show you mine and my messy house in the background!

For the Jocole skinnies I don't have a start pic (they were a bit looser than you see here). On the left is a half way through getting the fit pic - you can see the rise is a little too high and the thighs and hips are loose causing the bunching look. On the right I trimmed the very top in at the waist by a half inch ish, took some height off the rise and trimmed in the thighs and legs down the inseam to get the perfect fit. I added the waistband to finish them off and I now have a wearable muslin! 

For the Jenny I used the fancy chart to determine the cup size I needed cut and then my measures according to the recommendations for fit and cut my size for the bodice and waistband according to that. For this muslin I used scrap fabric I had in my "muslin it" bin. I could see I liked the fit of the cups and the waistband fit but I wanted to lower the neckline a bit. I didn't line the Jenny muslin, but lining will change the fit slightly as you can see by my completed picture on the right. So I recommend you line your muslins if you are new to fitting yourself/ are unsure of how a linign will change the finished fit. 

If you have any questions on getting these patterns to fit your shape, I would love to recommend for you to join the Jocole facebook group and the ScientificSeamstress/Sisboom facebook group. Both groups have  a helpful designer and their assistants consistently in the group as well as many a helpful and lovely home sewist like yourself!