Base Layer Bodysuit – Simplicity Pattern 8435

Viola!  I just finished making my third bodysuit!  I’ve been wanting a bodysuit for a long time, ever since I grew out of my last one when I was 10 years old!  Bodysuits are making a comeback after taking a long hiatus.  There are many patterns for bodysuits available for the home sewer and also many bodysuits ready-to-wear on-line and in brick-and-mortar stores.

Bodysuits are a great base layer.  They are very comfortable and stay neatly tucked in all day.  They are perfect for layering, easy to care for and they are great for travel.  I wear my new bodysuits all the time, with both jeans, pants, shorts and skirts.  They are my favorite “go-to” base pieces in my wardrobe.

Pattern

The pattern I selected is from Simplicity’s lingerie designer, Madalynne, pattern 8435.  I am a fan of Madalynne’s patterns.  I love her designs and all of the lingerie that I’ve made using her patterns fits beautifully.  The instructions are always clear.  I highly recommend this pattern.

Construction

Honestly I wasn’t sure that the size medium in this pattern would fit, so I made a muslin out of a grey jersey fabric from my stash.  I found that I had to reduce the length of the bodysuit by two inches.  The sleeves were very long, and I actually love having a longer sleeve on a knit garment like this.  I did not alter the sleeve length on the burgundy version.  I reduced the sleeve length by two inches on the blue version.  This is a picture of the muslin.  It fits well, I love it and wear it often.

This bodysuit pattern is easy to make and it can be modified in so many ways, with or without sleeves, and with neck variations.  The pattern has a Henley placket with snaps and this can be altered by changing out the snaps for buttons, or change the look by making a scoop neck, like I did on the blue version, below, or a v-neck.

This burgundy version, below, has the a Henley placket, which is the original design of this pattern.   The Henley placket is a little complicated to do with knit fabric so I’ll be posting a tutorial showing how I made this Henley placket.

Picot lace can be added around the leg openings in place of plain elastic; I used this type of elastic on my bodysuits. Stretch lace can be added around the neck opening.  The modifications are limited only by your imagination.

Fabric

The fabric for this bodysuit needs to be a knit with four-way stretch so that you can get in and out of the bodysuit.  The blue fabric is a double brushed poly spandex knit that I purchased from the Fabric Outlet in San Francisco.  This fabric can also be purchased at their on-line store, Cali Fabrics.  The burgundy is a bamboo jersey knit from the same store.  Both fabrics are great to sew, and even better to wear.  Both fabrics are really soft and comfortable. They are easy to wash.  I have more of this double brushed poly knit fabric in my stash and I can’t wait to sew it, and wear it!

Have you made a bodysuit?  What pattern did you use?  Have you sewn with this wonderful double brushed poly from the Fabric Outlet or Cali Fabrics?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Thank you for visiting my blog!  Merci et au revoir!