Salme playsuit, a review.

I finally finished my Salme play suit, just in time for the sunshine. I can’t believe that I have seen people walking around in jeans and jumpers in 27 degrees today (I know this is arctic in comparison with some places in America at the moment). I plucked up the courage to wear this into town and it was just right in the heat.

This project wasn’t the most straight forward and if I make it again there will be a few changes, not least my fabric choice. I think this may look great in a chic black crepe fabric, but this thin batik style cotton makes me feel a bit like I should be walking out of an indie shop in 1995 having just brought some incense sticks (did you go through that phase too?).

I made this in a size 10, and although the shorts are ok, the top was way too big and gaping. I ended up trimming a full 2 inches at the shoulders after I had finished and still it is a little on the large size. I am normally between an 8 and 10, but think this was fairly generous.

I also think that the snap fastener suggestion hasn’t worked too well (even though I love snaps, so much quicker than button holes in my opinion!). Because the fabric is quite light I started by using hand sewn fasteners, but was worried they would tear the fabric when pulled apart. I therefore took them all off, added interfacing to the lining of each edge, and used proper snap fasteners (the ones you use a little holder that I bang with a hammer- sorry not v technical). The result is more sturdy closure, but because they are not attached on the outer side of the fabric it doesn’t lay very flat. Another time I would go through both layers of fabric so that the fasteners are visible, but more sturdy.

I was able to follow the instructions, though they were much less detailed than previous PDF patterns I have brought (I have been spoilt by Rae’s great photo tutorials) and they were quite sparse in places. Luckily my material was double sided so I didn’t have to worry about wrong sides etc for the pocket construction.

I also added turn ups to the shorts, which worked as my material is double sided.

I think this suit will be fine for playing with the children, and better at the park sandpit than a skirt (no knicker showing concerns), but I still don’t feel 100% confident wearing it.

I think it could look great in a more classy fabric, but I wonder whether it would look more finished with some type of collar added.

I have to say I am much more excited by the project I finished just after this, my very first maxi, and it only took me 15 minutes! I’ll blog about it tomorrow hopefully, and try and add a simple tutorial as I made it up myself.  Off for some beauty sleep before we hit the beach tomorrow.