Most of you know that I’m a big fan of Jalie because the patterns include 22 sizes and the instructions and diagrams are usually accurate and detailed. Jalie patterns are pricey: $12.99 for this one, plus shipping. But the heavy paper and the multiple sizes make up for it, I think.
I always download and print the .pdf instructions for the Jalie patterns in advance because the company prints them alongside the pattern pieces. Those big sheets of paper are difficult to use when I'm sewing. You can find the printable instructions on the company's site.
In the past, I’ve sewn Kwik Sew #3051 for Ice Girl’s figure skating practice skirts, but I’m not a big fan of the waistband on that pattern.
The Jalie waistband is very clever and easy. There’s no waistband to cut – the skirt and panty make their own waistband.
The instructions explain that sewers should pin the skirt and panty top together with the wrong side of the panty to the right side of the skirt. That just didn’t seem right, but it is.
Here’s the genius of it: the top seam forms the top of the casing. Once the panty is back inside the skirt, Jalie instructs sewers to topstitch the casing and stitch a straight seam an inch or so under the topstitching, leaving about a 2” opening. Sewers insert the elastic between the panty and the skirt, sew the ends, and finish the seam.
Smart, hey?
If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you can see the online pattern instructions and diagrams here: http://www.jalie.com/product_printing_guide/2215.pdf
Anyway, this practice skirt went together very quickly: about one afternoon, start to finish. I had to take in the panty and hike up the skirt hem for the little munchkin, but this is my new go-to practice skirt pattern.
What sort of material do you use and/or where do you go for material? I can never find a great selection at Michael's or JoAnns....
ReplyDelete:)
Hi, Ethelapple.
ReplyDeleteFunny you should ask! I'm going to post an interview with my fabric source soon.
I buy my fabric either online or from a supplier. My favorite is yourdesigns.com, but you need to buy her samples.
Another source is spandexworld.com, but you have to buy a minimum of 2 yards and $20 worth.
More soon, I promise!
Ice Mom
Spandex House in New York City is great. Good website also.
ReplyDeleteThe hardest thing is trying to match different fabrics. Like a chiffon skirt to a lycra body. That's why I like Spandex house. They will match swatches I send them. They will also send swatches to you if you call and tell them what you need.
No minimums. Edward is very helpful. If it sounds familiar, they were featured on Project Runway a couple times.
I haven't ordered from Spandex World yet, but I have their website bookmarked just on case I need it.
For those of you near Hamilton, Canada (outside Toronto), that town has a ton of fabric shops. Anne's Fabrics has an entire floor packed floor to ceiling with stretch fabrics.
One more thing, for those who are adventurous or desperate, here's a site for dyes: http://www.dharmatrading.com/topnav/dyes/
They also have a lot of info about dyes and techniques. And they sell the foil tranfer that has been showing up as embellishment on dresses for the last couple years.
Ice Mom, feel free to move this to another area. Sewing's my thing, so feel free to pick my brain.
Ice Mom. You may be very loyal to your pattern supplier; however, Patternreview.com carries almost the whole line of Jalie patterns and most of them are $9.00. Shipping for the 1st pattern is only $2.85 and each additional pattern is $.85. After $35 in patterns your shipping is free. They ship out of MA and have been wonderful to me.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to try this pattern - off to make an order.
Hey, Justpat! I have never dyed any spandex, but I'm eager to learn. Would you like to write a guest post? E-mail me at icemom.diane@gmail.com and we'll set something up. I'd love to learn from you.
ReplyDeleteHi, Penny. I buy from patternreview.com, too. Shipping's cheaper and so are the patterns! However, I like the Jalie site for their downloadable .pdfs of the instructions. Thanks for the great tip!
Ice Mom
eBay is also a great source for fabric.
ReplyDeleteMost spandex fabrics dye beautifully, however, some won't dye at all. (found that out the hard way) It's a good idea to test a small sample before trying to dye a bunch of fabric.
I have sewed both the skirt and the fabulous skating pants with that pattern. I found polar tech stretch heavy weight fleece at lucysfabric.com for 10.99 a yard. The pants only take a yard and a 1/4 for a size 12. do the math... not an expensive pair of pants. Compare that to a $50.00 price tag at your local skating store. I am a fan of spandexworld.com for my lycra too! but thanks to everyone for the other websites to check out!!
ReplyDeleteI just love Jalie patterns, I started using them when I needed to make my daughter's first competition skating dress, it was also the second garment I had ever sewn...and it was so easy to make! I was scared of working with knits my first time, everybody kept telling me I needed a serger to work with knits, but the Jalie method for the sewing machine is so easy, I was able to make the dress on time for my daughter's competition...and after that I tried the knit tops, and just fell in love with all of their patterns. I bought so many skating dress patterns, I just hope my daughter keeps skating long enough so I can use all of them...As for the knit tops, I'm already in my 4th versions for most of them...and I'm also really proud that this company is from the province where I live, in Quebec, Canada...
ReplyDeleteI've been eyeballing this pattern! I have a lot of Jalie patterns, too, and I love them!! Do you find that because this skirt doesn't have a slit on the side, that it rides up when the skater is skating? Let me know, if you can!
ReplyDeleteHi, Cheryl.
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't noticed the skirt ride up, but I made it for a little kid, so I wasn't watching her on the ice like I would my own kid.
You can put a slit in it pretty easily, though. Here's my method: zig-zag all skirt seam edges to finish. Measure the panty side seams. Pin the skirt sides and plan to sew that same length. Sew the skirt side seams with a narrow zig-zag from the waist toward the skirt until 1/2" away from where you plan to end the seam. Switch to a straight stitch to finish the seam. Snip the seam allowance 1/4" up from where you stopped sewing. Fold the remaining edges to match the seam allowance and topstitch the slit in the skirt's side.
Hope it helps!
Ice Mom
Thanks! I think I might try it out. I'm getting addicted to Jalie patterns!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter loves ice dancing, but prefers a skirt over a dress for practice. So, I just finished a skate skirt for my daughter using the Gored skirt pattern #2681 and put the panties from this pattern in with a bit of modification to them. All I had to do was lengthen the sides of the pantie pieces to meet the waistline of the skirt. Then I finished the waistline as this pattern states rather than the gored skirt pattern. I am not very good at altering patterns so was quite excited when the finished product looked really nice.
ReplyDeleteVery smart, Sk8nLane!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great pattern the skirt is so easy to make. I even made a reversable skirt with this pattern shinny green on one side and shinny purple on the other. You can also use up scrap fabric pretty easy with this pattern. Some of the skirts I made for my daughters have a seam on the back of the panties because I couldent fit the pattern on my scraps and they look just fine you just have to match up the stretch of the fabric and give extera for the seam. I look forward to trying more Jalie patterns.
ReplyDeleteReversible, Bonnie? I don't get it. Please explain because I'm all over the reversible thing.
ReplyDeleteWell it was an experiment so I may not recall all the steps but here goes. You cut out pieces to make two skirts and two panties, different colors same type of fabric. Then you sew each skirt and panty as you would normally don't hem yet or attach panties. take the two skirts with side seams done put right sides together and sew around the bottom, then turn so you have two right sides showing press bottom edge and top stitch. Next the panties this is the tricky part I put the two panties (with the sides and crotch aready sewen)wrong sides together matching up the leg holes and topstitch elastic to leg hole go slow to catch both fabrics,roll elastic so fabric from other side covers the elastic and top stitch as close to the inside as possible. Last the waist now you need to decide (which is the hardest part for me) which color of the panties do you want to see when you lift the skirt. I went with the panty color matches the inside of the skirt, it would be fun either way. Now that you got that sew the panties to the skirt flip like in the pattern and sew a casing for the elastic (I went with a small width elastic to cut down on the bulk when you reverse it because that will be under the skirt when reversed) also you may want to go up a skirt size you lose some stretch with all the fabric together. Unless you have really stretchy fabric, I did not and it ended up kinda snug around the waist. Good luck
ReplyDeleteHello, I really your blog and post - it shows too much of your creative side. BY the way, do you have patterns for this? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHello, Stop.
ReplyDeleteNope, I don't sell Jalie patterns or receive any money from Jalie. You can visit their site, though, at http://jalie.com/ or go to www.sewingpatternreview.com to purchase them.
Ice Mom
Hi Ice mom! Well, it seems that Stop is really not following you.
ReplyDeleteI find that the materials you use are awesome.
ReplyDelete