Hi! I'm Ajaire from Call Ajaire and I can't wait to share this super easy romper mashup with you! To get started, you'll need the Ultramarine Cover-Up (designed by me) and the Made by Jack's Mum High Kick Harem Joggers patterns, which can both be found here in the Project Run & Play shop.
The top of the Ultramarine Cover-Up view A (no hood) is generous enough with the front and back v-necks that it can pull on and off the shoulders without any closures. Thanks to a discussion with my friend Randi, it seemed like it was just screaming to made into a romper, so I searched the PR&P shop for a jogger bottom that would work well as a romper. I immediately fell in love with the High Kick Harem Joggers and their comfy yet stylish look.
My number one tip for hacks and mashups is always do a trial run of each pattern in the correct size before making any modifications. That way you know how the pattern fits as intended and you can make your changes from there. I made a size 2t jogger which is bigger than her measurements, but she wears a giant cloth diaper so I wanted to make sure there was ample room in the tush. They ended up perfect in width with some extra in length, which is just what I was hoping for - she'll grow into them in time for the cooler fall weather.
I already knew her fit size in the Ultramarine Cover-Up is 18m so I was ready to get started using the 18m cover-up and 2t joggers. I printed out all of the pieces for view A of the cover-up, but only the front/back piece would need to be hacked. The High-Kick Harems have the option for colorblocking and since I wanted a shorts romper, the colourblocked upper leg piece was the perfect length to make the romper. So I only need that one piece printed out from the jogger pattern.
For the mashup, line up both the front/back cover-up piece and the jogger colour blocked upper leg piece along the center fold line. Slide the jogger piece down until it's 1" (2.5cm) below the waist cinch marking on the cover-up pattern piece. This inch will make up for some of the waistband depth that would normally be in the jogger since we're not using the waistband piece.
Beginning at the waist cinch mark, trace up and around the neckline and shoulder of the Ultramarine Cover-up and back down to the other side of the waistline. Then draw a line down to the jogger leg opening, curving the line slightly near the waist to hug the cover-up pattern line. From there, simply trace around the High-Kick Harem Joggers and back up to the waist cinch mark.
Be sure to trace the actual waist cinch mark and the notch at the raglan sleeve and then measure the width of the jogger leg opening. Subtract 3/4" (2cm) from the opening measurement to remove the 3/8" (1cm) seam allowance on either end from the true measurement. You'll use this measurement as the "leg opening" to determine the length of the leg bands in the next step.
Plan to cut two of the front/back mashup pattern pieces on the fold. For my romper I only cinched the back so I could show off that cutie unicorn panel, but there's ample room to cinch both if you prefer. The waist cinch mark will tell you where to place the cinching later on. You'll also need two leg bands which are cut with the width along the direction of greatest stretch in the fabric. Take your leg opening measurement and multiply it by two to get the full leg measurement of front and back without the seam allowances. This measurement is multiplied by .85 to get 85% of the full opening. This will give the band the ability to stretch around the opening and hold it together nicely around the leg. Add 3/8" (1cm) seam allowance to the bands at either end to keep the seam allowances in the mashup consistent. The height of the band should be 2" (5cm) which already includes seam allowance.
To sew the mashup, decide if you want to cinch both the front and the back or just the back and follow the instructions in the Ultramarine Cover-Up and the waist cinch markings to do so. Then use the neck bindings, raglan sleeves, and instructions from the Ultramarine Cover-Up through the neckline.
Here's the only "hack" part of the sewing and it's super easy. Sew the side seams together and the crotch seams together using a serger or stretch stitch. Then sew each of the leg bands' short ends together so you have two loops. Match the seam of the band to the inner leg seam and the halfway point of the loop to the outer leg seam and pin, stretching the band to fit. Sew the band to the leg opening using a serger or stretch stitch. Repeat with the other band and leg.
Finally, use the arm bindings and instructions from the Ultramarine Cover-Up to complete the armscyes, cinch the back waist, and your romper mashup is complete!
I've already made three of these for this 20 month old, but I'm dying to make one for my 9 year old. When I do I'll be sure to share over on Instagram. I can't wait to hear what you guys think about this Ultramarine/High Kick Harem hack/mashup so please remember to tag me @callajaire!
Now how's that for amazingly comfortable?!?!? And the cuteness factor is through the roof!
Today's giveaway:
What a great hack !! Thank you
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