Same Pattern, Different Bodies: Ready to Sew Patsy Overalls

Over here at the Curvy Sewing Collective, several of us are firmly on #teamoveralls, as you may have noticed from our previous posts about the Decades Everyday Ophelia Overalls and Helen’s Closet Yanta Overalls. You can never sew too many pairs of cute overalls, right?

Recently, Raphaëlle from the French indie pattern company Ready to Sew reached out to us and asked us if we’d like to try out any of her new patterns with her newly extended sizing. Seeing how cute the designs looked on her curvy models, several of us jumped at the chance to give them her fashion-forward patterns try, with the Ready to Sew Patsy Overalls being first up for a post.

If you’ve been tempted by the overalls/dungarees trend but are intimidated by the thought of sewing your own, the Patsy overalls are a great option. They’re fairly easy to fit, easy to sew, and they don’t require any hardware, as they have a tie closure.

The Patsy overalls are available in two size ranges. Range 2, for curvy sewists, starts with a 42.3″ (107.5 cm) bust and goes up to a 54.7″ (139 cm) bust. Range 2 is drafted for a D-cup:

Andie

Measurements: 51 Bust, 48 Waist, 53-56 Hips (depending on inflammation)

Pattern Size: 54

Alterations: The only alterations I made was to add a strip of bias tape for the straps since I didn’t like the method of created the channeling for the straps and I shortened the length because of fabric constraints.

Fabric: Cotton canvas

Fit: With no alterations, I think the fit is pretty good. The pattern is made to be a loose fit and it achieves that look.

Changes for future versions: I won’t be making any fit changes for future versions because I think it is good enough. However, I find the straps are a bit difficult for me to get them on and off again. I will be changing it up so they can be unfastened versus needing to untie it. 

Final Thoughts: Just a note about my change to using a bias tape channeling. The pattern has you create channeling by not sewing it between the openings but there is no finish there or topstitching to keep the unfinished edges from flipping out. I prefer the bias tape finish. I love the final result and they sewed up really quickly. I think with a few modifications for my mobility issues they will be great. I love the pockets! So good. 

Martha

Measurements: High Bust – 47″, Bust –50″, Bra Size – 44DDD, Waist – 47″, Hips – 61″, Height – 5’6″.

Pattern Size: 

Fabric and Alterations:

Brush cotton: Pretty much no adjustments but decided that I wanted to take out some volume on my pants leg and so I sewed the side seam with a 1 inch seam allowance.

Sweatshirt Fleece: I added 2 inches in length and a 1 inch knock-knee adjustment.  This adjustment is new to me and I can see the benefit of applying it to pants I make for myself.  I have found that because of my very full kissing thighs, there is an excess of length on the side seam that makes my pants seem to hang “off balanced’ when standing straight. This adjustment makes the pants leg align better with my leg from hip-knee-ankle.

For both pairs I did add elastic on the side so I don’t have any gapping and you are not in full view of my bloomers if you are standing too close.  Due to the big difference between my waist and hips that don’t quit, I find that this addition helps in cinching in my waist.

I love both my overalls but my sweatshirt fleece version is bae!  Why isn’t sweatshirt overalls a thing?!?!?  I vowed never to wear sweatpants after I graduated from college but the 8 different colorways of sweatshirt fleece in my fabric stash indicates I secretly want to so this is a good compromise.  I need  one in every color in my stash!

Fit:  I love how this pattern fits my body.  While it may seem like a lot of adjustments, it really isn’t anything that I wouldn’t regularly do to fit my body how I want.  The fact that I didn’t have to make any adjustments for the rise and these 61 inch hips gets kudos from me.

Changes for future versions: Besides the alterations listed above, I think I have found my favorite overalls.

Michelle

Measurements: High Bust – 42″, Bust –47″, Bra Size – 40DD, Waist – 44″, Hips – 48″, Height – 5’2″.

Pattern Size: I sewed a size 51.

Alterations: I shortened the legs by 2″ total at the lengthen/shorten lines. One thing that I liked, as a shortie, is that the legs had lengthen/shorten lines both above and below the knee. I shortened the legs by 1″ at each line. I also scooped out the front crotch (giving it a sharper crotch curve), which is a typical adjustment for me on most pant patterns.

Fabric: Soft washed linen in “rust”, purchased from StyleMaker fabrics. I love this stuff. I want a whole me-made wardrobe made from washed linen.

Fit: I could use slightly more ease over my tummy, but overall, I like the nice, relaxed fit of these overalls.

Changes for future version: Outside of increasing the ease at the waist/tummy, there aren’t really any other alterations that I’d want to make.

Final thoughts: This is a really fun, unique, easy-to-sew overall pattern. Raphaëlle has some really cute, stylish patterns, and I hope that she’ll consider releasing some of her older patterns with her new, extended size range. I will be giving her Papao pants a try next!