I made my first business suit this year.  I used Butterick 6142 for the jacket and Simplicity 8056 for the pants.  I usually purchase McCall patterns and know what modifications I need to make to get those patterns to fit correctly.  I made the same modifications on both the Simplicity and Butterick pattern and seemed to get the fit close – but not quite right.

I did make a muslin of the jacket and decided to go down a size based on the fit of that muslin.  But, the jacket still doesn’t fit quite right in the shoulder area.  I heard on one of my sewing podcast that a lot of people have fitting issues in the shoulder area due to our bad habit of hunching over our computers and phones.  Good to know for future projects!

I didn’t make a muslin for the pants, but I did make my usual modifications and cut the size I normally wear for McCall patterns… and ended up with pants that are a  size too small.  I can still wear them, but at the end of the day I can’t wait to take them off!  (I’m not one for tight fitting clothes).

I purchased the fabric for the suit at JoAnn Fabric… the good thing is I didn’t spend a lot on it, so I am considering this outfit my ‘wearable muslin’.  This weekend I’ll be making a trip down to Portland with plans to stop in at a fabric store known for its large selection of fabrics.  I’ll be on the look out for some nice suiting fabric for a fall/winter suit.  Wish me luck!

I wish everyone a happy and safe 4th of July!

Nikol