Tag: Jalie patterns

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Sewing Adventures – Matching Rash vests

Due to an enormous backlog of finished projects to share, I’ve decided to dive right in and not adhere to strict chronological order. Mostly because if I don’t start now I never will and also because it doesn’t matter when they were made only that they were made! So let’s get to it!

A trip to Fiji (2023) is a pretty mind blowing thing to prepare for, not only is it not the normal type of holiday for us to go on it was also preceded with a super busy time period. Having now been on the holiday it was amazing, we loved it and would do again!


Being the water lover that I am I knew I’d be in as much as I could and thought a second long sleeve rash vest would help protect me from the sun. Using Jalie Valerie I quickly whipped one up from this gorgeous pink swim lycra from the stash (originally from Pitt Trading now The Makers Society) my only changes were to make the arms longer than I normally do and make the neck band slightly wider.

and yes hats and sunglasses in the water were very necessary for anyone wanting to avoid some sun. The water is very calm so it’s not like you are going to lose everything when a wave hits you or anything like that.

Sewing wise I did the entire of the seams using my overlocker and then hemmed the sleeves and body using my coverstitch machine, super speedy nice and secure.

In some of these photos I’m wearing my previously made Jalie Valerie in a white and blue floral lycra also from The Makers Society.


At the last minute the day before we flew I decided to make one for The Englishman in whatever I had on hand which was some navy swim lycra and some athletic lycra in a sharkskin type print for the side panels.


Am so glad I did because we practically lived in these things as we explored the waters around the resort. we had an absolutely wonderful time and we didn’t get sunburnt so winning all around.

Can also highly recommend reef shoes, these are a neoprene upper with a rubber base and it made climbing through rock pools or traversing sand littered with coral a breeze. A must for anyone who wants to explore and swim.

Pattern: Valerie from Jalie – made my sleeves longer and wider neck band for me (in a previous version I have blended the sizing from my bust size out to my waist and hip. I found doing this stops it from riding up while paddleboarding, this is now my base pattern I use), no changes for The Englishman

Fabric: embroidered cotton lawn and plain cotton lawn both from the stash originally from Pitt Trading

Changes: pattern changes as noted above

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Sewing Adventures – Tights

This year I’m taking on my stash, I’m using things up to make useful things. I have no interest in making things that are wasteful or making them with the aim to giving them to charity so it’s using with a purpose in order to get the stash down.

First up is a remnant of athletic Lycra from Pitt Trading, I think I had got it to make a swimsuit or maybe a rashie but then realised I could make a pair of 3/4 tights. I grabbed my self drafted tights pattern and got cutting.

I didn’t have enough fabric to cut the waistband with the greatest stretch going around  (I use the waistband from the Jalie Clara tights as I love how high it is) so I did some calculations and cut it on the opposite stretch. It makes it feel very firm so you have to be careful with your calculations or you feel very sausagey. Due to a scar on my torso I wear my waistbands very high to avoid irritating the area with the scar.


Using the 4 thread on the over locker I threw it all together with some swim elastic in the top waistband join. At this point I had to stop working as I was off to go dog sit for some friends so I threw the tights in to finish while I was there.

Working with what I had with me I used black thread to top stitch the top of the waistband (where I inserted some swim elastic). I used a 3 step zig zag so it sat as flat as possible. Hems we’re done with a regular zig zag.


While the yellow colour feels very uh yellow! I know these are going to get a tonne of wear for doing workouts on the roof and this week they’ve been great for dog walking.

Pattern: self drafted tights with Jalie Clara waistband (modified as I adjusted the size based on stretch and I changed the construction).

Fabric: from the stash, originally from athletic Lycra from Pitt Trading

Alterations: cut shorter leg to make allowances for the fact it was a remnant, cut waistband on the cross grain due to fabric useage.

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Sewing Adventures – kids crop tops

When my niece sent me a message requesting some sports crop tops I immediately went to my Jalie patterns to find one. Not only would it be one of the few patterns I have with kids sizing, they also just work. No faffing about, no issues they just go together and fit really well.

Digging through my athletic fabrics I found some suitable small pieces and got to cutting. The fronts are all double lined with the same moisture wicking fabric. On many printed athletic fabrics there is a white panel along the side (normally where the fabric is wider than the sublimation machine) I use this section of lining to reduce waste.

Everything was overlocked together before encasing some wide elastic in the bottom which was finished with a triple needle coverstitch. I debated if I should add elastic to the neck and armholes, in the end I didn’t and I’m really hoping that decision doesn’t come back to bite me later on.

On the pattern I raised the seam allowance of the neckline and armholes to allow me to turn the fabric back and topstitch it down and an additional 1cm to lower hem to account for the wider elastic I had on hand.

Pattern: Jalie 3247 size 10

Fabric: Moisture wicking athletic spandex from Pitt Trading

Alterations: check and see how the wash and wear went and then decide if it didn’t need additional elastic or not

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Sewing Adventures – Jalie Cocoon cardigan

Ever have one of those moments where you are searching for a pattern but you aren’t entirely sure what it is you are looking for and then a sewing friend suggests something you are “yes, that’s what I was after!”

That is how I discovered this pattern the Jalie Cocoon Cardigan. I am so glad because it’s really kind of fabulous even in an over exposed photo. Note to self don’t take photos on really hot days where you have the entire house enshrouded to try and keep it cooler…it makes every grey looking.

Small number of pattern pieces, huge size range and it goes together perfectly with no issues at all. The only one tiny change I made was to shift the centre back join to be at the shoulder seam. Centre back joins make things look so obviously homemade and they kind of make me cringe at how unnecessary they are. The band itself went on so smoothly, so good when patterns go together with such little effort.

Apart from that loved it was made for a present and they like it and I know I’ll be making more of them as presents in the future. It also wraps up tiny so perfect for presents that need to be posted or to make and take travelling.

Pattern: Jalie Cocoon cardigan
Fabric: merino wool jersey with a good drape to it. From the stash but originally from The Fabric Store
Alterations: moved the band join from centre back to side neck seam

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Sewing Adventures – Jalie Clara Tights Camo edition

It’s winter which means its cold and the temptation to stay on the couch cuddled under a blanket eating biscuits, drinking tea while reading books is big.
Sadly I know I need to move more. I have to get fitter and rebuild strength in my core and back.
So in an effort to motivate myself with new clothes to workout in I purchased the PDF of the Jalie Clara tights.


These are so intriguing as they have no centre front seam and only a back seam and an inside leg seam.
I measured myself and decided to go with the size Z with the 3/4 leg option of size O.


Cutting was easy and I added in the gusset, centre back seam and inside leg. At this stage I tried them on and decided I need to size down. Instead of unpicking and recutting I basically used my overlocker to cut down a size.


Tried them on again and decided on taking a dart like wedge out of the centre back and tightening the inside leg from mid thigh down the leg.
Popped them on again and was satisfied. Added the waistband using my overlocker and then twin needle stitched it in place using my coverstitch and hemmed (also on my coverstitch) and I was done.


I’m 5 foot tall so the top waistband sits really high on me (like just under my bra high) which is fabulous as it goes well up and above my surgery scar. It also goes above the weird swelling shape and weight gain which means it’s not going to move while I exercise.


There is some wrinkling around the knee that I’m not wild about but am going to wear them for awhile and see if there are any other changes to be made before I set about fixing that.


Great pattern, really impressed at the results and loving this Lycra from Pitt Trading which has no grin through of the white base fabric and isn’t see through even when stretched!

Having worn these a little am definitely going to size down even more, I want the Lycra to work a little harder as right now it feels a bit loose particularly around the crotch and thigh. It just doesn’t have that “firm” feeling yet so am going to do some tweaks. However I feel like the changes would be less if I wasn’t using such a nice quality Lycra.

Pattern – Jalie Clara tights pattern

Fabric – from the stash but originally from Pitt Trading

Changes – go down at least one to two sizes, take an extra dart shape wedge out of the centre back, tighten up knees a bit more