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The Sewing Patterns by Jalie

I chose 3 Jalie patterns for my ensemble; Vanessa #3676 for the pants, Manon #4564 for the cowl pullover and Helene #3677  for the cardigan.  I’ve sewn them all previously, so the sewing went smoothly.

My Pattern Adjustments

• Vanessa: I’m tall, so ALWAYS add to the rise of pants (1-inch) and to the leg length (1-inch) and did to Vanessa as well.  I also deepened the front pockets the same amount.  The faux fly was omitted as was the front tie and the leg cuffs.
• Manon:  I did not make any adjustments, but will lengthen the body by 2 inches the next time I sew this pattern.  I chose the cowl neck version to sew.  Just a side note; the sleeves are quite close fitting, so if you have a large bicep, you will want to make an adjustment.  (If you’re unsure how, please reach out to me and I’ll send you a PDF tutorial.)
• Helene:  I added 1 inch to the body length.  A side note; the sleeves are very close fitting, so if you have a large bicep, you’ll need to make an adjustment.

The Fabrics I Chose

The fabric for my tops is called Printed Hacci Knit on Fabricville’s website and described as follows:  This medium weight pretty printed knit is perfect for creating stylish tops, dresses and garments. It has stretch for comfort and ease.  It’s very comfortable to wear and was easy to sew.  It’s not too thick and wearing the Helene over Manon is a nice weight, even for indoors.  I ordered 2 meters and had enough for both garments.

The fabric I chose for the pants is called Stretch Suiting, and described as follows: This medium weight stretch fabric has 4% spandex for added comfort and ease. Great for jackets, pants, skirts and dresses.  This fabric would be great for travelling as it doesn’t wrinkle.  Alas, the 4% spandex offers no noticeable stretch, so the pattern I originally wanted to use (Renee #4018) wasn’t suitable.  (It shows up very dark in the photo, but is a nice navy blue.)  I ordered 2 meters and have enough left over for a pair of shorts.

Sewing/Serging Tips

I used my serger for much of the construction of all 3 pieces, a 4-thread overlock stitch.

Vanessa Construction Tips:

• Use a press cloth and a clapper for pressing to avoid iron prints.
• Use a ham to press smooth darts.
• Check the waist elastic against your own waist for fit.  My favorite is knit elastic which keeps it’s width even when stretched and is soft to the touch. (Elastic comes in different qualities and some don’t recover as well as others.)

Manon Construction Tips:

• Even though the pattern calls for a soft knit, don’t think you can cut the front on a fold, on grain.  (I tried it when the pattern first came out and the cowl doesn’t drape as well as intended.)
• Check the bicep width against your own measurement, adjust if needed.
• If you trace your patterns from the master sheet, trace the front pattern piece onto a folded piece of paper, cut it out, then you’ll have a complete front pattern piece, making it easier to arrange onto your fabric.
• Fuse the interfacing into the wrong side of the neck facings BEFORE you cut them out, that way they’ll match perfectly.
• I used a wide cover-stitch for hemming the sleeves and the bottom, with Wooly Nylon in the bottom looper.

Helene Construction Tips:

• On the front seam which creates the pockets, measure and mark the pivot points for accuracy.  (I did not use my serger for those seams.)
• Check the sleeve width compared to your bicep measurement, adjust if needed.
• Miter the front bottom corners instead of the described method, it makes a much smoother point.
• When turning in the front edges, be careful to NOT stretch the fabric.
• I used a wide cover-stitch for all the hemming.

Conclusion:

I really enjoyed working with these patterns and fabrics, and I now have a new, very comfortable outfit in my wardrobe.

As a Jalie Creative Ambassador I have sewn most of their garment patterns and use them to teach sewing classes, in person and virtually on Zoom.  Find me on Substack, Facebook and Instagram as « SewWhatYvette », where I share my sewing adventures.  Teaching is my passion!