Sapolette Fiona Or Sofa Fiona?
Whenever I wear my Fiona Overalls, I get a lot of stares. I can’t decipher whether it’s an eyeful-success or an eyesore-failure. I’m pretty sure that some glares judge me for being a walking baroque sofa on the street. To hell with them! The trick to wearing such a bold print is to give no Fs. I admit I was mad when I picked this lime green velvet with multicoloured birds and flowers printed on it, but I stand by my madness.
The fabric is an all-cotton Indian velvet that is ultra-luxurious to the touch. I should get some more if it’s still available to make some cushions for the couch. Then I can be a walking sofa, and camouflage myself in one. There was an immediate magnetic attraction to this fabric. It was love at first sight. I remember standing in the store for a full half hour just looking at it, dreaming of all the different garments (or furniture) it can be transformed into. And I made a decision that it should be a pair of Fiona overalls designed by Make My Lemonade, also known as Wear My Lemonade (@makemylemonade on Instagram).
The 70s-inspired cut of the pant, with its high-waist and wide leg (slightly flared) would be a perfect match for the fabric. There is a rounded curve drafted into the pants that accentuates the curve of the derriere, which is something I haven’t seen before. It’s a good detail in the pattern, and I would make a pair of Fiona pants without the bib because they are such a flattering fit around the tushy. The waistband is curved, and there are two darts in the back pant. The closure in the back is constructed with a zipper and button or metal hook and bar. The pants are a really good fit on me, and even the instructions on the booklet promises that you will “feel your bottom lifted with its delicate cut”.
The second thing I like about the pattern is that there’s a built-in option to have the braces inserted to the front bib straight-on from the back or at a criss-cross. You just have to place additional buttons or buttonholes on the braces to make that happen. The braces are secured into the back waistband, and attached to the front bib with buttons. I chose to put snaps on mine, and had installed them into the back waistband and the front bib.
After completing this project, I realised that the the front bib should be reinforced with a lining or a facing, especially since buttons or buttonholes have to be installed into it. Also, for the front bib to deal with holding up the weight of the garment, this reinforcement is absolutely essential. In my humble opinion. However, it was lacking in the pattern. At the same time, I was lacking in experience back then to understand that this was an adjustment I needed to make.
There were feelings of disappointment mixed in with the excitement for my newly-made Fiona back then. Whenever I have the time for it (and if my scraps provide enough fabric), I will put the seam-ripper to work and redo the whole bib. This is the main flaw of the pattern. Be warned. For the next sew, I will definitely add a lining into the front bib.
Sizes for the pattern come in EU34-46. The size 36 is a pretty good fit for me with my waist measurements at 26”/66cm and hip at 36.5”/90cm. In the pictures, I’m pairing up my Fiona with my Adrienne Blouse by Friday Pattern Company (AGAIN! That’s 3 times the blouse has appeared in my blog posts in the span of a week) because the latter goes with everything. I am making a mental note to make more of these blouses.
I’m happy there’s a break in the weather so that I can parade around with my Fiona. The birds in the print look completely at home pictured with the tree in the background.
