Before we get started on our Durban Sewalong here on the blog, we want to say a huge thank you to all of our incredible testers who have worked on their own Durbans for our test round. We had such a wonderful response from them and some incredible suggestions that have made the pattern what it is today! The testers have (as always) knocked their makes out of the park and we’re so excited to share them with you in this tester round up! Let’s take a look! [Read more…]
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Inspiration & Ideas for the Durban Jumpsuit & Romper
Was it just me who didn’t realise the sheer joy in looking for jumpsuit/romper/playsuit inspiration images online? It’s a treasure trove of joy! If you would like to go down that same rabbit hole, I highly recommend our Durban Pinterest Board or; you can read on for our favourite inspiration & ideas for the Durban Jumpsuit & Romper pattern. When we designed Durban we specifically wanted it to be a pattern you could mix and match to suit your style. You can change the sleeve, the neckline or the leg length & shape depending on what you’d prefer and honestly there are SO many other tweaks you can make to your Durban to make it even more unique! Let’s take a look!
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Durban can be worn with or without a belt, but adding a belt is a super simple way to add a little more variation and a little more shape to your make!
- Sew a belt into the side seams and tie at the front or back to reduce bulk.
- Add some belt loops to keep that belt in place and create a little bit of visual interest.
- A simple wide self-fabric belt is what we have included with the pattern! Tie the belt in a simple tie, or why not add a D-ring or O-ring as a closure?
- You don’t even need to sew a belt! Find a beautiful statement belt and make it stand out!
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Boilersuits are not just for cool girls, they’re for all of us! Super comfy, very warm if need be (depending on your fabric choice) and a real statement piece of clothing! Why not try making a boilersuit with some topstitching? You might prefer to use lightweight linen for a cool way to cover up from the sun in summer; or pick a thick cotton or corduroy to make a suit you can use to knock up some DIY’s at home!
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Such a lovely thing to put on in the warmer months, there are endless options for summer styling of your Durban Jumpsuit as well!
- You don’t have to convince us that linen is a wonderful option for a jumpsuit in the summer!
- Try a tencel in a light, bright colour to make your jumpsuit stand out in the summer.
- The length of the leg on the Durban is completely up to you! If you’re after a breezy, cool playsuit that still protects your shoulders from the sun, bring those legs up a little shorter but add longer sleeves; if you want a little more coverage, you can always crop the leg around the knee.
Durban is designed with a button placket, but there are a few other options that would work just as well. Using a zip instead adds an industrial touch (and certainly makes the ‘on and off’ process much quicker); or you could create a closed placket to cover up those buttons for a seamless finish. Another option is to add some elastic to the waistband and use buttons from the waist up only. Just be sure your bodice is blousy enough to allow you to pull the shoulders up and onto your body.
A block colour romper or jumpsuit is going to be an easy go-to piece of clothing. Whether it’s a safe neutral of black or natural linen or a colour like burnt orange, olive or navy it’s a safe bet you’ll love and wear that make a lot! But…don’t you think there is something so special about a gorgeous printed fabric? Gingham, stripes, spots, checks, florals (the list goes on) in a super cute pattern like the Durban jumpsuit will turn your make into something really unique and could be your favourite piece to wear for a long time to come.
I know playsuits and rompers are a little in the ‘warm weather’ camp, but jumpsuits are absolutely an ‘all weather’ item of clothing. Let us show you the ways!
- Adding a jacket. Simple, effective. Why not try the Hovea? ;)
- Layering with a turtleneck or t-shirt is a perfect way to add a little warmth.
- Making your jumpsuit out of a thicker fabric like heavyweight denim or corduroy is a great way to make it a little more insulated.
Looking for even MORE inspiration? The Durban Sewing Pattern Pinterest board is full of so many ideas for your Durban make, be sure to check it out! Here is a sneak peek!
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Here’s the full list of Durban posts and tutorials:
- How to Choose Between Durban & Durban Curve
- Inspiration & Ideas (this post!)
- Durban Tester Roundup & Durban Curve Tester Roundup
- Prep, Stabilizing & Darts
- Bodice Seams & Sleeves
- Sleeveless Facings
- Inseam, Patch & Back Pockets
- Combining Bodice & Pants (this post!)
- Placket & Inseam
- Placket Tips
- Closures, Hemming & Belts
- D-Ring Belt
- Durban Maker Roundup
We absolutely love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to tag your creations with #MNdurban and @megannielsenpatterns when sharing on social media, and check out what everyone else is up to!
Don’t have the pattern yet?!
Order Durban today in sizes 0-20 and Curve sizes 14-34
Tips For Making A Hovea Jacket From A Vintage Quilt
We often have serendipitous moments here in the studio when it comes to writing blog posts. There’s the time Naomi had an obsession for Rowan tees and when Meg learned a tough lesson on stretch percentage that is a cautionary tale on what NOT to do when sewing stretch jeans! Recently, what started as an offhand comment to Meg & Naomi that my childhood quilt was sewn in the Megan Nielsen Patterns brand colours has officially turned into this post! How to turn a vintage bed quilt into a Hovea jacket. [Read more…]
Hovea Planning Template
The design & planning part of sewing is one of our favourite parts, especially where Hovea is concerned. When deciding on the design of a quilted jacket, we find people tend to approach it in one of two ways…complete free-style improv; or careful and strategic planning. If you fall into the later group, or if maybe your style includes a little bit of both – well, today’s post is for you. We’re talking about using our Hovea Planning Template to plan out your next Hovea quilt/patchwork coat! Available to all newsletter subscribers (you can subscribe here if you’re not already), all you need to do is print it out and get creative! Let’s go through a few ideas on how to use the template! [Read more…]
Hovea Curve Tester Round Up
I know we say it all the time, but it’s always true – we are SO grateful for our incredible testers who take time out of their busy schedules to give us feedback on our patterns before they are released. We are so excited to finally be able to share with you some of the gorgeous makes our Hovea Curve testers made! As often happens with testing we made some changes to the pattern based on feedback from our testers to get the best fit possible, and in this case, the sleeves were shortened and shoulders were narrowed post-testing. Thank you so much to our amazing testers, we’re sending you hugs across the internet! Without further ado, lets have a look at some gorgeous jackets and coats!