Category: black and white

Jalie works

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While we have a mild Winter in Australia I still love rugging up.

This month it was an easy choice to make up a couple of activewear layers using Jalie pattern and Minerva fabric to keep me training during our ‘cold’ weather.

A key part of using Jalie patterns is they offer multiple sizes from children to adult sizes in one pattern. That’s a lot of sizes so it pays to also order a packet of tracing paper, which Minerva stocks. 


Get some Prym tracing carbon or any of Prym’s tracing tools to keep your patterns accurate. They are always good to have in your sewing basket.

Back to this month’s patterns:
Leggings (Jalie Isabelle) and a raglan (Jalie Marie-Claude pullover) top.


This year I used Jalie’s Isabelle leggings and skating pants. I don’t skate so I made the long leggings – view B –  for running. I have new shoes and insoles to support my feet after surgery in February.

The plan for the leggings combined black and white. I used plain stretch swimwear dress fabric in black and paired this with the zebra animal print stretch lycra swimwear fabric in black and white. These were simple choices as most people choose to wear basic black leggings, including myself.

The Isabelle leggings pattern needs 60% stretch fabric so these two fabric choices had what I needed in stretch and support. The zebra print is a poly spandex so it keeps it’s shape over time. The black fabric is polyamide and lycra, so again it has good stretch and strength.


The Jalie pocket in the waistband at the front is a good size and I keep my keys in this pocket. All my other essentials are usually strapped to my arm when I run.

Isabelle’s line drawing provides you with the opportunity to play with colour and pattern combinations.
Using amazing prints like this zebra print was lots of fun. I took the conservative option and kept the zebra print on the waistline on these leggings.

Modifications:
I chose the pocket on the waistband and used 2.5cm wide non-roll elastic on the waistband. The pattern states 1cm wide elastic but I prefer a firmer fit waistband when I run.

I increased the centre back seam by 3cm and then had to take out 2cm at the waistband width to make these fit me. The back waistband height adjustment would have been plenty without the width adjustment as the waistband has the elastic so don’t fret too much when you’re making these leggings.

The other adjustment I’m used to doing is lowering the centre front seam, again because of my shape. I kept the waistband pieces as it and only adjusted the main centre front panels.

The obvious change is shortening the leg length.


Raglan top
I had planned to make the raglan top out of a different knit but Jalie Marie-Claude pattern requires fabrics with 40% stretch. Again I had fun with this raglan top finding the best print/plain combination for me.

The zebra print is amazing and I’m so glad the main zebra swoosh (not a technical term) runs across my chest and then turns south. Neat print right!

Modifications:
I used size V and used the black fabric for the sleeves and neckline.
I sewed this pattern up so quickly that I forgot to sew up the sleeve cuff with a thumbhole. There’s always next time.


I would normally reduce the length of this pattern but because it’s a layer for the gym, I keep the top long so I can stretch,


and stretch,

and stretch with confidence.

Jalie patterns use 6mm seam allowances so they are great for sewing on an overlocker. They take no time to make and I made these two pieces on a Saturday.

The only thing I would love is for these patterns to have their instructions on a separate piece of paper. The pattern pieces and instructions are on the main pattern paper so this makes it hard to have the whole pattern open while sewing. The instructions are great it’s just cumbersome.

Jalie patterns have worked for me in the past and they continue to work for me now.

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Piecing it together

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These pieces have been sitting in my stash for at least a year. Last month I decided to piece these together to refresh my work wardrobe.

These ponte pieces are really thick and are factory off-cuts.

It also helped that I had research Carlo Poggioli work on Divergent for lots of inspiration.

Candor dress
This is a midi length dress and the main challenge was matching these stripes.


The stripes are really wide so I didn’t need to use a walking foot to sew the seams.

Butterick 5922 was my base bodice pattern for the dress.

It was worth a try. When I get the courage, I’ll sew the waist in a bit more.

Candor set
Again Butterick 5922 was my base bodice pattern for the top.

The skirt is simply based on the wide of each off cut and pinned to match my hip width. I’ve pegged the base of the skirt for a bit of shape. 

There was no reason to add a zipper so I simply used a wide elastic for the waist band.

Erudite dress
New Look 6808 was the basis of this dress. I originally tested this style using the Stormtrooper print so I could make sure the neckline worked.

This dress uses fabric I bought from Pitt Trading last month. This fabric is really thick and possibly scuba fabric. It didn’t need lining but I had to be accurate with the fit. 

This fabric stretches so if I went for a body con look like Kate Winslet, I may have looked like a ‘fan-reject’.

It’s been an awesome ride making each of these pieces.

It’s too big

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I love using New Look 6977 for quick knit tops, especially when I about 40cm spare from a larger project. That happens a lot.
I’m showing you the back view as it looks sloppy. It’s too wide. The front view is ok but I’m using an 8 and that’s the smallest size this pattern offers.
Above is the original back pattern piece shortened to my size.
Above I’m marking out to fold out the width I don’t need – 3.5cm in total.

Lastly I’m doing an above waist sway-back adjustment. So the fullness is only folded out at the centre back. This fold tapers to 0 at the side seam. No length is lost at the side seam, only at the centre back seam.

Finally I have to ‘true’ the grainline and add centre back seam length at the hem. Otherwise, the back hem rises and I want the hem to be straight.
Here’s the new back piece. The width is a better fit and there’s minimal fabric pooling now.

A Cherrypix post

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Anne loves all things black and white. Well, in “Fashion and styling”, Bill Cunningham from NY Times did a review of the chicest fashionistas recently and while I was losing interest in a weekend project I made this b/w print for a pick me up.
This Tessutis remnant black and white ponte print ($11.60) bought at the November Sydney Sewer meet up and an old TNT t-shirt pattern gave me the “I really can sew” pick me up I needed.

Not too sure about this print or shoes – but I keep smiling.

I extended this pattern from waist to my knees with ample tush room for a dress version. With a bit of fold over elastic on the neckline, a centre back dart and coverpro hems this quick knit dress was finished.

Side shot – the shoes look better. Still thinking about this print.

By the time I finished the dress, I had thought of a resolution to my shirt lining issue. I cut out a neckline piece and added this to lining.

Ok – so the print is ok and the shoes are too.

BurdaStyle and TJ
Congratulations to TJ of The perfect nose for her great feature story on BurdaStyle this week.

UFO shirt – McCalls 5433

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Sharon’s rust shirtmaker dress made a strong impression on me because she always does excellent finishing and she’s got a great eye for detail. Her dress is really well made and fits her perfectly. Anyway, she inspired me to pay more attention to my sewing so at the last Rhodes Guild session I cut out a shirt length style with the aim to lift my game. I got to the point of adding the collar and put it aside do to Mum’s sewing.

This weekend I made time to work on it a bit at a time, and not rush into it. DH was helpful in deciding what buttons to add to the shirt. First time! Anyway, I wanted a cap sleeve, so I took the sleeve from B5328.
Here’s how my shirt turned out. I do like the fabric contrasts. The skirt was made earlier this year and it’s become a work staple.
The front and back pieces are lined because of the embroidered cut out bits in the fabric. The lining is a lightweight poplin. I’ve used this for the front and back pieces, collar band and button front.

 
The back needs more adjusting and the black buttons were from a Lincraft sales years ago. 

This shows the french seams, bias sleeve finish and the lining effect on the inside.

The tropics – Kwik sew 2689 + Style 1558

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Technically speaking I have used an unused pattern.


The fabric is from Pitt Trading when Roberta was still in Sydney and that was a few years ago… I’ve used Kwik Sew 2689 before but I did need to adjust the bottoms for my own comfort. I added a black band on top because hipsters don’t suit me.

The second top was Style 1558. Style 1558 is a pattern from the 70’s that I discovered when I was trying to put my patterns on a spreadsheet. Sorting my patterns is a winter task, when I want to get inspiration and am stuck for sewing ideas.
Style 1558 was available at a time before current swimwear fabric was available. How’s that for a textile history lesson?

Both tops and bottom are lined and I’ve used a zigzag stitch on all seams. I’ve also used butterfly clips on both tops.
The reason I’m currently making swimwear is because I’m heading north for a week to escape the cold soon.