This Wave Set caught my eye immediately when it was released last spring. I haven’t bought a Big (6?) sewing pattern in years – maybe even 2 decades, but I snapped this up and two other patterns too. The Know Me line is the freshest thing to come out of the Big Simplicity sewing group in, well, decades!
I sewed this from previous project scraps (light blue linen and the Sea Glass print) as well as gifted stash from someone else’s stash (SES). This is my (absolutely wearable) muslin, if you will.
I went down one size before cutting, based on the fact that the designer (Handmade Millennial/Ella) said to do that. So I did. I’ll also share what edits I’ll make for my next one and what my next TWO are – because you know I sew everything three times. Though not usually in succession and that’ll be true this time too.
The set is relatively easy to sew – in that an advanced beginner can do this. The patterns come with a detailed video sew along by the designers and the QR code is in the pattern instructions. They are well done videos with basically a sewing course in them. She said to pin the shit (her words!) out of the curves, and I agree. PIN AND NOTCH is your friend. Go slow when you sew. When you are done pressing them to one side, you can serge or zig zag as I was too lazy to change the thread on my serger. If you get a tiny pleat, take it out with a seam ripper, press it like mad, sew it again. Don’t be afraid to mush the fabric around under the presser foot to get the little gathers out – the fabric itself will steam the poufiness of it, but you don’t want to sew in any tiny pleats on those curves.
The fit overall is excellent for out of the envelope – but I cut a whole size down before I even began because the Handmade Millennial told me to, LOL. Truth! Also because I wanted to buy the size 16 pattern group not the 18+ sizing, I had to make a decision and I did. My intention is to lose more weight and this felt like the right decision. I sewed a 16 but measured in at an 18 (in sewing pattern sizes. I’m a 10-12 in ready to wear.)
There is some room in the upper back (see the video) that I need to take out – and some people said they had to remove this from the front and back, but I think my 34 DD bust and maybe my posture is such that the front fits fine, but the back definitely needs that pinched out of the pattern piece. I’ll show a photo of how I do that on my next one.
Speaking of next ones, I’m all about “sew it three times” here at Sew Paradise, and my next two are going to both be in stable knit fabrics. I have a double knit that’s black on one side and gray and black herringbone on the other and I’ve always wanted a garment that used both sides, so this is it! Plus, I want to make a cozier one in a sweatshirting.
If the panels seem too colorblocky overwhelming for you to make three, you can use the shapes and sew it all in the same fabric for a very subtle look. But I’m planning on it in shades of a color for winter. Next spring I may very well end up sewing another one in cotton / prints because I just love this set.
Fit wise, it’s just AT the belly button on me and the rise in back and the back fit is excellent as you can see. I made the elastic a teensy bit smaller than the guide size because I intend to topstitch through the back elastic and didn’t want to regret the size decision later and have to take that out to make it smaller.
What I love about ME 2033
The waves! Seriously. So fun.
The barrel leg pant shape – modern, wide but not overly wide
The elastic waist. I am team soft pants!
The cropped but not too cropped length of the top
What I didn’t like:
The fit across the back allows the shoulders to fall down. Fixing this will make me much happier. I’m pulling on it now and I hate to fuss with my clothing. If I pinch a half inch out of the CB of the facing and the back (where it’s the straight-across part) I think this will improve the fit. I have had other tops with similar designs with similar alterations so I think it’s just my body. I must stand straigher up or something. Good posture! Years of dance and yoga, I guess 😉
The pants should be a little more cropped and I might shorten them – but I might not!
Now, I just have to trim off one million thread tails on this and it’ll be fine. I’m wearing it on date night tonight at a cider bar and I’m sure I’ll be sitting there with a nail clipper nipping off the threads as I see them 😉 It’s our LAST 70 degree plus day of the season for sure, next one won’t be til May so I am wearing it today and then not until either a winter getaway to a sunny locale or next spring.
It takes a little longer to sew because you are making the pants and top “fabric” with piecing first, but once that’s done, it’s a pretty simple sew. You’ll be notching a lot of things on this pattern – the compound curves, the squared off neckline – so get used to doing that. I also used pinking shears to cleanfinish the edge of the facings, instead of stitching them. It’s smoother and less itchy.
I sew everything three times, at least, so here’s my second version, in a stable knit. Read this one to see my use of a double sided fabric AND how I recommend you start with a stable knit, for your first sew of this. You might have to size another size down in a knit at the waistband – I ended up cinching up the elastic twice!