Meet Jane! She’s all about giving you options. You can make a sexy jumpsuit, an adorable 1950s-style playsuit (sassy sarong front optional!), or separate pants, shorts, and bustier. It was inspired by the fabulous Ceeb of Miami jumpsuits of the ’50s, with their curve-hugging fit and sparkly appliqués, and also by Jane Russell’s amazing cruise wardrobe in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Whether you’re feeling more like a bad girl or a bathing beauty, this mini wardrobe will bring out the rockabilly vixen in you!

Fabric Notes

For the bottoms/jumpsuit/playsuit: light- to medium-weight stretch wovens: cottons like stretch twill, denim, sateen, bengaline, and gabardine. Rayon/poly/spandex blends, wool/spandex blends, and four-way stretch wovens also work well.

For the bustier (This applies to the separate version only, since the elastic shirring in the back gives it its stretch): lightweight non-stretch cottons like quilting cotton, poplin, broadcloth, shirting, chambray, lawn, and sateen. Note that heavier cottons do not work well with the elastic shirring, so choose something suitably lightweight.

This pattern was designed specifically for stretch woven fabrics. Fabrics without stretch will not fit comfortably and snugly due to the limited ease provided in the pattern. (Plus, the stretch gives you that sexy curve-hugging look!) Shop specifically for fabrics blended with Lycra/spandex. I recommend fabrics that have at least 25% stretch, meaning that if you take 4 inches of relaxed fabric in your hands, it should stretch to 5 inches. However, the separate bustier may be made in a non-stretch woven, as the shirred back provides the stretch needed.

Note the direction of greatest stretch in your yardage and place the pattern pieces so that the stretch goes horizontally around the body (perpendicular to the grainlines indicated). It’s important to note this before cutting because while most stretch fabrics stretch across the width of the yardage, some fabrics stretch lengthwise, and you must position the patterns accordingly to take advantage of the stretch.

Supplies

• about 1/2 yard (0.5 m) stretch knit/tricot fusible interfacing
• thread
• 3/8-inch-wide (1 cm) lingerie elastic (also called picot edge elastic or lace elastic)
• 1/2 yards (.4 m) of 1/2-inch-wide (1.3 cm) bone casing or bias tape
• 1-1/2 yards (1.3 m) of 1/4-inch-wide (6 mm) spiral steel boning
• metal cutters
• pliers
• boning tips or Teflon tape to finish boning ends
• 3/4-inch-wide (1.9 cm) elastic
• 14-inch zipper for playsuit/jumpsuit
• 7-inch zipper for separate pants/shorts
• Hook-and-bar closure for separate pants or shorts
• 2 spools of elastic thread for bustier option
• 1 yard (0.9 m) 1/4-inch-wide elastic for bustier option
• Two 5/8-inch buttons for halter strap
• Four 1/2-inch buttons for shoulder straps
• Three 1/2-inch buttons for V-Neck straps