ME2008 Knit Jumpsuit Hack
When I started designing my ME 2008 twist front jumpsuit, I had it in mind for a woven. Specifically for the rust red silk charmeuse that I made for one of the cover versions. But this pattern also works amazingly in stable knit fabrics! In fact, maybe even better. I’ve hacked it in a few different knits now and wanted to share my learnings in case you’d like try too!
And the best part? This thing comes together FAST!
I sewed up this version in three hours flat on a monday night after work (granted, I could sew this pattern with my eyes closed by now). It is so stylish, flattering, simple, and also cozy in this stretchy knit!
Here’s what changes we’ll make to the pattern:
Consider sizing down. This pattern starts at a size 10 which is what I sew, so I was not able to do so, but I did end up taking in the side seams and darts to fit my waist, and there’s plenty of room in the crotch. It would have been easier to size down, if thats an option for your size. If your fabric doesn’t have much stretch to it, consider cutting to size and being ready to fit the jumpsuit at the waist.
Skip the back zipper. Instead of cutting the back in two pieces, fold the center seam in 5/8in (what would have been the seam allowance) and cut this piece on the fold instead, so you have one back piece instead of two.
Skip the band facings. These are meant to prevent the twist section from stretching, and offer stability, but are more needed for the woven version. Unless your fabric is particularly heavy, I’d say you can skip them and attach the bottom of the bodice to the legs of the jumpsuit as instructed.
Sleeveless hack: You can attach the sleeves as normal, or omit the sleeves altogether, and bind off the armholes with strips of fabric. I cut two strips of fabric 19in long and 1.5in wide with the stretch of the fabric lengthwise, and used a normal bias binding method to finish the armholes.
To make your version extra speedy: I skipped the inseam pockets in this version and left the hem raw. These are personal choices!
I’d recommend this for stable knits, but it could easily be done in normal knits too, you’d just want to pinch out the darts (These darts are necessary for shaping in a woven fabric but with stretch fabric, this is less necessary.) Follow the directions as otherwise noted or check out the youtube Sewalong video. You can skip steps 4-7 that attach the band facing.
For those wondering, this is a pleated fabric in a champagne color, sometimes called a plisse. Happy sewing!
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