Jalie 2565 - Singlet Top

In my sew-cation I gave myself over the Christmas break, I wanted to try finding a good singlet top pattern. As this is an item of clothing I wear most days, my current RTW ones are getting a bit tatty looking.

I have a good selection of Jalie patterns, and found a couple of options that were either similar to what I had, or were a style I was interested in trying. I decided Jalie 2565 was first up.

I had some merino/cotton left over from my Muse Tahi shrug, that was juuust enough to get the main pieces out of. I used some black cotton/elastane for the bands.

It went together quickly with no dramas, and fit as I wanted to. It is a good length, and fits closely without hugging every single cuddly lump and bump.

The only issue, which was a case of fabric choice rather than the pattern, was that the fabric I used for the bands had a lot more recovery than the main fabric, so tends to pull the neckline up a little higher than shown in the pattern photo.

Verdict: I do intend to make more of these, but will use the same fabric for both body and bands, so they are not fighting each other.

Jalie 2567 - Bathrobe

On a  recent shopping trip where small people came too, we returned home with some Pokemon fleece.

So that it didn't lurk in stash for longer than was necessary, I decided that it should become a bathrobe. I used Jalie 2567, which I had on hand.

Despite D. only having just turned 4, I decided to make a size 5 so there would be plenty of room for growing (and to use as much of the fleece as possible!!)

I duly traced out the pattern and cut the fabric, but am still left with about 60cm of 150cm wide fleece! The shop must have been doing very generous cuts, as I do tend to find the Jalie fabric requirements to be very accurate.

This sewed up quickly and without fuss, as have all the Jalie pattern I have tried.

D. is very happy with his new bathrobe, and has been wearing it round the house since it was finished!

Men's (and Boy's) Rugby Jersey - Jalie 3137

Pattern Description: Polo shirt with standing collar, buttoned placket, shoulder tabs, back yoke and forward shoulder seam, short (A) or long (B) banded sleeve, two chest pockets with flaps and side seam slits.

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Pattern Sizing: Toddler 2 to Mens 50" chest

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, the instructions were excellent - well written with lots of diagrams.

Fabric Used: 100% cotton rugby knit for the shirt body, and cotton ripstop/cotton drill for the collar and front placket. Snaps instead of buttons.

Hubby's jersey - still haven't managed a photo of him wearing it!

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: 

I changed the collar to a woven fabric to make it look more like a traditional rugby jersey. This worked fine as the rugby knit used for the body does not have much stretch.

Next time, I would make a size or two up for the rugby knit, as it ended up quite slim fitting. My husband was initially a bit worried it was too slim fitting, but decided it was fine after he got some favourable comments when he wore it to work. My son would also prefer his a bit more roomy.

T more than happy to stand around for photos. (and show off matching side seams)

I would also possibly merge the back yoke and back piece into one, as it doesn't provide any shaping.


Would you sew it again? Yes, I will be making this again, as both my husband and son have requested more. I can see this pattern getting a lot of use for both polo tees and more rugby jerseys.


Conclusion: A great TNT pattern at our house full of boys!

Indie Pattern Month

Indie Pattern Month is being hosted by Mel of the Curious Kiwi, and Kat of Modern Vintage Cupcakes. Head on over to their blogs to find out more, and join in the fun.

Despite, having quite a substantial pattern stash containing both Big 4 patterns and Independent pattern designers, it is the Indie's I tend to reach for the most. 

Case in point, the last few patterns I have made;

Hot Patterns Cabana T shirt

Hot Patterns Superfantastic Shirt

Made By Rae Parsley Pants 

Colette Laurel

Jalie Winter Accessories

Jalie Mens and Boys Rugby Jerseys

Liesl + Co Woodland Stroll Cape

and about a dozen different wallets and bags from Michelle patterns.

On my immediate to-do list (this list is really long, so this is just the highlight reel)

Jalie's .... so may Jalies.

Most of the Hot Patterns catalogue, most notably their pant/trouser patterns ;-)
And these beauties below ...

Decades of Style 1930's Capelet

Decades of Style 1950's Object dArt Dress

Onion Coat with cut on Collar.
If you order your patterns from shopOnion, you can even have the instructions in English!

For even more Independent Pattern Designer inspiration, head over to A Good Wardrobe for an ever expanding list.

Jalie 2911 Women's Pullovers

The next Jalie pattern I tried out was 2911, a pattern for Women's pullovers, either with or without a hood.

I made this up for my Mum's birthday, as she mentioned wanting a new lightweight sweater. I found a caramel coloured sweatshirting, that didn't look too heavy and gave it a try.

The instructions were again straightforward with the aid of the diagrams, and this went together easily. 

The only bit that was a bit difficult was getting the neck band in with no puckers. One of the previous reviewers on PR mentioned getting better results when she sewed from the centre back down toward the front, so I gave this a try and was happy with the result.

Not too puckery?!

I am really pleased with the finished result, and my Mum likes it too. I am planning to make one for myself, perhaps in fleece for the winter.

Jalie 2794 Sweetheart Top

This was the first pattern I tried from Jalie, a Canadian pattern company, that I discovered through Pattern Review. I ordered a couple of different patterns, and decided to try this one first as it currently has 80+ reviews!

I chose a pink and black stripe synthetic, probably polyester, and used a black cotton/lycra for the bands around the neckline. I made a straight size Z, as Jalie recommend you choose your size based on your full bust measurement.
It went together easily, as the instructions while a bit sparse also include step by step diagrams which are very clear. The only change I made was to sew the sleeve hems before I did the seams, as the sleeve wouldn't fit around my free arm very well once sewn.

A good representation of the colour

Unfortunately the neck and shoulder area was quite loose, and I ended up having to wear a tank tee under it to cover my bra straps, and feel comfortable wearing it.
Also, having been through the wash just twice (in a lingerie bag), the black parts of the fabric unravelled and the top had big slits where the black had 'washed' out. It ended up in the bin, as there wasn't even any salvageable fabric left!

After going back to PR for advice I made another attempt, this time using a size X (my high bust measurement) through the shoulders and armscye, and then a size Z from armscye down. I also used a better fabric, this time an ITY knit, again with the cotton/lycra bands. Again I sewed the sleeve hems first, and I also stretched the elastic at the bust a little more to get a bit of extra gathering.

Overall, I am much happier with the fit of this version. The neckline sits against my chest better with no gaping, and no bra strap flashing. The smaller size resulted in the neckline being raised, and also the shoulder seams being closer together, essentially a smaller neckline 'square'.

So far, the top has gone through the wash with no signs of spontaneous combustion too.