All About Talam

Say hello to our newest pattern, the Talam Jumpsuit!

We are so excited to share this versatile knit jumpsuit with all of you. Whether you have plans for holiday parties or cozy nights in, Talam is a perfect choice. Featuring deep, functional pockets and pants that flow through the waist and hips yet taper in like leggings at the calves, you’ll feel fabulous no matter what knit you choose and how you style you Talam. The fitted calves can be worn scrunched up for a casual look or straight for warmth on a chilly day. The lined crossover bodice has a gorgeous V-neck that secures with a wrap-around waist tie, and either long or short sleeves.

One of the best things about sewing with knits is that most of the time, they make fitting easier, and this is surely true for the Talam. The tricky part is remembering that often with knits you are looking for negative ease, rather than positive ease, as you usually are with wovens. Read the body and finished measurements charts carefully – they will help you choose your size and determine any areas that may need personalization. 

For Talam, the bodice is designed to fit closely, with negative ease through the bust and a wrap waist closure. The wrap front allows you to step into the pant, then put the sleeves on and secure the bodice by wrapping right over left. The pants are dropped crotch, with plenty of room for moving about comfortably. You can blend sizes through the hip if needed, and if you have a high hip to waist ratio you can blend between sizes for the bodice and pants. Because the pants are gathered to the bodice, it is fairly easy to cut and sew a size or two larger than you are cutting in the bodice and sleeves, but if there’s only a one size jump between your bust and hip, you probably don’t need to. If you’re right between sizes in the bodice, sizing down is often the best option, so the shoulders don’t get too wide. Since the bodice wraps to close, erring on the side of larger shoulders can have a negative ripple effect in the security of the bodice wrap. I sized down for my Talam and I am glad I did.

There are a few occasions where you might choose to do some pattern modifications

If the bottom half of your body is several sizes larger than your top half, or if your hip is two or more sizes larger than your waist, you might need to adjust the pants fit. Aside from using a different size for the pant than the bodice, which absolutely works, there’s a way to add depth to the crotch of the pants pattern by way of a gusset. Depending on your size, fabric choice, and personal preference, this is a very practical fitting solution for this style since there’s no “usual” crotch seam. Judith guides you through that process here.

Talam features a dropped crotch pant. You might decide that you want a more or less exaggerated drop for your Talam. (We really, really encourage making a muslin/toile!) If you do, you can raise or lower the crotch curve, either redrawing it or blending between sizes to lower it. Be careful not to raise it too much! For any jumpsuit you need at least 2 inches of ease in the body length in order to sit and bend. For this particular jumpsuit, that length through the dropped crotch is actually working to get the fabric from the front of your body to the back, so tracing off a pair of lounge pants that have a crotch curve will produce… uncomfortable… results. That extra length above the required 2” of body ease is there for a reason! I decided to raise my curve, just by an inch. I marked a line 1 inch up from the apex of the curve for size 2 on both of my front and back pant pattern pieces, and followed along the curve of the pattern piece, blending my line into the leg. I then double checked to make sure my front and back curves matched. 

My Talam has a close legging style fit through the calf and ankle. For a more relaxed fitting pant, you can blend out to a larger size by adding to each side of the leg. Just divide the total amount that you want to add to the calf circumference by four, and add the amount to the inseam and outseam on the Front and Back calves.

The pockets are constructed differently than you might expect for an inseam pocket. Since the waist seam must be sewn before the front and back are attached at the side seams, the pocket must be fully assembled onto the Front Pant. (It’s similar to the pocket on the Otis Overalls, if you’re familiar with that pattern.) The curved pocket opening serves to prevent the pocket accidentally being sewn closed during the side seam’s construction. Just take your time, follow the written instructions and the diagrams, and take deep breaths. You can do it! 

Making a sample (muslin/toile) is a great idea to test the fit and practice the techniques before you cut into your good fabric. You can even muslin just parts of Talam, such as only the bodice, or only the pants, to speed up the process. We hope you enjoy sewing and wearing your Talam Jumpsuit. And remember, we are always here to help! Just send us an email to support@sewliberated.com. 

Xo,

Meredith and Judith