Hibou bodysuit sewing pattern by Small Bobbins. Pattern review, sizing, fitting, sewing, pattern adjustments. Sewing pattern for an intermediate sewist.

Name: Hibou bodysuit
Pattern designer: Small Bobbins
Price: 13,50 Euro
System: Metric and Imperial

 

Design options

Hibou bodysuit features a full-body coverage: full coverage bottoms, and a bralette part with a three-piece cup in the top. All design is sparkled with contrasting panels.

There are 4 design options covered:

• All over fabric finished by fold-over elastic
• All over fabric finished by picot elastic
• All over fabric with stretch lace - decorative edge facing in
• All over fabric with stretch lace - decorative edge facing out

Size range

Size 32-56; Cup size A-G
Full Bust 70-132 cm; 27 1/2 - 52 inch in 4 cup sizes
Underbust 62-118 cm; 24 1/2 - 44 inch
Waist 58-120 cm; 22 3/4 - 45 1/2 (47 1/4 inch)
Hip 82-142 cm; 32 - 55 inch

For more details, please refer to the size guide.

Let's get started!

Printing

The pattern looks really messy at a first sight, so don't forget about the layers in this PDF.

You can turn off all the layers you don't need.

I really like the shape line and the seam allowances! It's really useful.
But it can get messy if you need to print out several sizes at once.

I love a little note saying to you which pages to print out for your selected cup size!
That mean no extra pages printed :)

Greyscale? Yes.
No need for color print

Easy to print and tape? Yes.
There are 18 pages, but you don't need to print them all.
You can skip some of them as mentioned in a guide - especially blank pages for smaller sizes and other cup sizes than yours.

 

Materials

Fabric with 50% elasticity in one direction and 30% in other

Optional: Elastic lace trim

 

Selecting size

Sizing:

Step 1:

First, you select the size of your Underbust, Waist, and Hip.
This doesn't have to be all same size. It is okay when you fall into several size ranges.
There is an alternation guide included, that tells you how to blends different sizes.

Step 2:

Then you select a cup size according to your Underbust size.

Step 3:

The bodysuit is drafted for a person who measures 173 cm.

If you are taller or shorter, consider altering the pattern pieces length-wise.

There are also alternations included how to adjust for a longer or a shorter torso.

 

Fitting

My measurements: Full Bust: 91 cm; Underbust: 76 cm

I made size 38 for all - hips, waist, and underbust (Exactly based on my measurements)

I made size 38 F/G for cups (I went a size up for the cup size just by my feel)

 

He is the same height as the person the pattern was drafted for, so I didn't make any adjustments length-wise.  

 

 

Sewing level: Intermediate

The designer label this pattern as intermediate and I do agree.

I would recommend this pattern to intermediate sewists especially because of this tricky sharp V design.

If you want to sew the pretty velvet bodysuit, you may need to bring a little more patience.

 

Mistakes I made

I have sewn the mesh parts to the main fabric with the straight stitch.

And then they just poped during the first wear.

So it is easier to sew them with a straight stitch for me personally,
but definitely stick to the instructions and sew this with a zig-zag stitch.

 

Instructions

Illustrated x photos

Instructions are nicely illustrated and clearly described.

 

There are two PDF guides:

 

1) Instructions

The instructions are guiding you through the sewing process.

They start with materials, fabric, notions, continue by selecting your size, printing, seam allowances for different versions, pattern preparation, cutting, and sewing.

Basic instructions cover variation with picot and fold-over elastic.

They offer both gusset options: with and without a snap closure.

Extra: Printable page you can use to design your own Hibou bodysuit.

 

2) Alternations guide

The alternations guide introducing:

• Optimal order for pattern changes
• Pattern adjustment for waist and hip (when your waist falls in a different size range than your hips and underbust; you may have a different size for each of them)
• Torso length adjustment (When your torso is shorter or longer than the sample size. You can also use this adjustment if your fabric is less or more stretchy than the recommended 30% lengthwise)
• How to incorporate lace with a decorative edge into your Hibou bodysuit (2 versions)

 

Pattern pieces

Pattern pieces match nicely, I didn't experience any problems with assembling pattern pieces or fabric pieces.

Seam allowances

The pattern uses 7mm seam allowances and there is marked a shape without seam allowances as well

 

That's the basic description of the pattern, now to my own making.

Fitting - Pattern changes

I made two versions - the first tester one from lycra and the second gray one from bamboo velvet.

The first bodysuit is made with very stretchy lycra like fabric,
so I lined the cups with a stretch mesh to give them a little more shape and support.
I didn't lined the velvet one.

 I added elastic under the cups to gain more support since there is a seam already for both versions.
This step is optional, so it's not exactly a change.

The cups were a little short in a bottom cup for me - it may depend on the fabric I use.
If I use very stretchy fabric and don't line the cups, it would be probably good.

I kept the upper seam allowance while applying Fold-over elastic to provide a little more coverage in the cups.

The length and bodice part runs true to size for me.

 

Design

Does it look like in a photo?

Yes. The illustrational photos are very corresponding.

 

Support

Light to medium

It depends on used materials and if you are including lining.

The sheer upper cup makes the top nice and secure, with no falling-off.

 

Bra guts

The pattern does not work with a lining so you need an overlocker to have a nice clean finish.

I still prefer enclosed seams, because my result is quite messy.

There is no other need to use a lining since the velvet is nicely supportive.

I would still add a lining to have a better finish and enclosed seams next time.

 

 

Conclusion

I love this pattern!

This is a perfect pattern for intermediate sewists to cheer up your lingerie drawer.

Perfect for winter months to keep you warm and fancy.

It is a little challenging because of this V shape corner, but it's such a cute design!

It offers you many possibilities included and so much more if you play with a lace placement.

You can easily hack it into bralette and high-waisted underwear.

It includes a few common adjustments and tells you what to do in certain situations, which makes your life so much easier.
I know how annoying it is when you stuck just at the beginning while selecting a size!