Working through it

The Sewing Lawyer is starting off 2011 with a humdinger of a virus (until proven otherwise) which has her laid up at home drinking plenty of hot tea with sugar and devouring murder mysteries.  Thus it's astonishing that there are three new garments to show you!

Granted two of them were cut out before the end of 2011, and they are all from Jalie patterns, which are renowned for their ease of construction and general reliability.  However, the Sewing Lawyer is taking her accomplishments as the victory they are over the dreaded whatever-it-is that makes it painful to swallow, and has turned her brain to mush.

First, a version of Jalie 3024.  Oh, is this supposed to be a dress?  I thought it would make a really nice workout top, and indeed it does.  I made the crossover bodice, front and back.   The fabric is a thin cotton knit which I purchased at PR Weekend Montreal.  Fitting, since that's where the dress pattern was first débuted to the sewing world.

Here's the back.

I used self fabric for the neck and armscye binding, a technique which is included in this pattern and also had its world début when it was demonstrated by Jeanne Binet at PR Weekend Montreal.  There's also a little illustrated tutorial here (yes that is the same fabric I've used for my new top).  It is a super-simple technique which produces great-looking results without elastic.  Genius!


Peeking out at the neck edges of this new top is that same periwinkle blue supplex seen in my previous post - it's a new sports bra also made from the Jalie dress pattern.  This time I used elastic (the pattern is well-adapted to make the switch) and stopped at the under-bust band, adding elastic there for security.

I decided to make this piece for two reasons - first the Jalie top is too low cut for any other exercise bra I own, and second, I had the fabric and wondered if it would work.  It does. I cut the neckline scoop a tiny bit higher so it would show.  Jalie 3024 is quite a versatile pattern.

Then there is Jalie 2795, the zip-front hoodie designed for fleece.  Another winner from Jalie.  I love the high neck and the kangaroo pockets.  The only negative to report is that the sleeve length is extra-gorilla-long.  It is designed with a cuff (width about 2.5" or 6cm). The piece is still sitting in my sewing room.  I turned up 1" (2.5cm) for a hem without it and the sleeve length is perfect.

I made this from a "fleece end" purchased at Fabricland for the princely sum of $8 which I believe is Polartec PowerStretch.  It's gorgeous cozy stuff although a bit fiddly to topstitch.

The resulting jacket is the perfect thing to wear while sipping hot tea and reading murder mysteries!