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Jalie Polo Shirt #2562
- made by LeeAnne White from Halifax

"This is my second Jalie Polo Shirt and I will definitely be making it again. Jalie patterns always seem to fit so nice and (once you decipher their instructions) they go together very easily. As usual, I cut out a size smaller through the neck, shoulder and upper arm – what did we do before multi-sized patterns? Then, because I am short through the body, I shortened the pattern ½ inch above the underarm and 1½ inches above the waist. I also lengthened the sleeve to make it long sleeve rather than ¾ sleeve. The fabric is, I think, a poly/cotton/lycra. It was very ‘soft’ and could have used a sturdier interfacing in the collar and collar stand. My first polo shirt (which was for my daughter) was made from Timmel’s cotton/lycra and the collar stands up a little better.
As usual, I find some of Jalie’s instructions difficult to decipher. On this pattern it was the instructions for the plackets that took me awhile (and some seam ripping) to figure out. Once I determined what they were trying to tell me to do, the placket went together very nicely. You can now download instructions from Jalie’s website (www.jalie.com) for many of their patterns and I would highly recommend this so that you do not have to find a spot on your sewing surface for the pattern sheet."

Olive Lace Shrug - Jalie 2558
- made by Lois Russell from Quebec
"The Olive Lacy fabric is totally see through, so I was going to line it but that would have meant loosing the two way stretch and I wanted very tight fitting pants. So I bought a pair of slippery dark brown tights which I wear under the pants (perhaps not everybody would be comfortable with this....but this is Quebec...and just about anything goes). The pants have an elastic waist. I made the pattern from a pair of stretch pants I bought years ago. They make up in about an hour. I cut them off just below the knee and added the huge ruff. They move beautifully when I dance, and they brought rave revues at Tango class on Saturday."

Jalie Cross Over Top #2449
- made by Lois Russell from Quebec
"The orange top is the Jalie Crossover Top. It was the first time I have made it, but it definitely not the last. As you can see I am into ruffs these days because they look so good in Tango and Latin dance class. I loved the pattern which needed no adjustments. I made it entirely on the serger and really liked the way the neck edge at the back was done, which I stitched with a cover stitch."
Lois plans another Cross Over top in glitter knit.

Vogue 7975
- made by Lynne Trerice of Nova Scotia
Lynne saw this boiled wool on my site and was quick to let me know she wanted some. She has made a lovely jacket with it. Lynne honed her tailoring skills last summer in Judy Barlup's Japanese Tailoring class.

"My latest outfit - this jacket is from a Vogue pattern (# V7975) recommended to me by Julie and the fabric is a black, very soft feeling boiled wool which was a pleasure to sew. I purchased the fabric from Timmel fabrics. The jacket is lined with black Bemberg and I used Sewers’ Dream for interfacing in the front facings and in the hems of the sleeves and jacket. It is very comfortable to wear and the pattern was easy to construct. Fortunately for me the pattern has princess lines and I was easily able to adjust it to fit my Queen shaped body.

The pants were made using a pattern that was made for me by Judy Barlup at last summer’s sewing course. Again the fabric was from Timmel. It is a black rayon/poly/Lycra gabardine fabric, very soft, drapes well and is easy to sew. I expect it will be a dream to take care of because when I pre-washed it and took it out of the drier after about 10-15 mins. on the low setting there wasn’t a wrinkle in sight."

Vogue 7975
- a closer view of Lynne's jacket

Vogue 8007 in Moderno Boucle
- made by Margaret from Prince Edward Island

"When I purchased the Oct/Nov issue of Vogue Patterns last fall, Pattern #8007 really caught my eye. I thought that it was truly smashing and the fabric really different. Imagine my surprise when just a few weeks later --- Julie featured some look-alike fabric, with a suggestion for the very same pattern. I purchased the beautiful "Moderno Boucle" from Timmel Fabrics. The fabric is a beautiful wool, very easy to work with and not heavy at all to wear.
Before cutting into the fabric, I made a mock-up of the pattern (used an old esmond blanket) - it looked gross, nevertheless served the purpose well. I found the pattern to be rather easy to put together; the only parts that required some extra thinking were the gussets under each armhole. I took in some of the flare/fullness, and made it about 3" longer.

Vogue 8007

I have made a few coats in the past and was surprised that this pattern was very unstructured, having no facings and interfacings anywhere whatsoever--so I interlined the complete two front pieces with a fusible interfacing. I also stabilized/reinforced the upper back with a plain muslin cotton. The lining of the coat is sewn to the very edges all around and turned right side by way of an opening in the back of the lining (which you later sew up); also there is top stitching all around the edges. I made Welt Pockets on the two side fronts, rather than the pockets in the side seams. the coat has a rather open square neckline which sews up quite well, only a small stand-up at the back of the neck (You would want to wear a turtle neck sweater and/or inside scarf).
So for this breezy maritime weather I am going to make a long removable scarf,with the same fabric, cut on the bias, about 60" long by 8" wide, lined with the lining fabric and fringed with a thick crinkle black yarn. This I will attach to the back at the neck with a decorative button on the coat and buttonhole on the scarf. I wore the coat for the first time yesterday and received many many compliments -- so today I am on a high.
I am delighted to be sewing garments again, and I have to thank Julie and her weekly email updates for motivating me. ( Since I got into quilting about 15 years ago -- well garments were left on the back burner)"

By Popular Demand and One Seam Pants
- Yes, this is me wearing my jacket and pants from Louise Cutting. The jacket is from the pattern By Popular Demand and is made up in cherry red upholstery faux suede. The pants are One Seams made up in one of my favourite fabrics, tropical wool. These pants are my fourth One Seam Pants and I finally have the fit corrected, using a size Medium Plus, shortening the crotch length, the leg length and altering for a tilted waist. There is no stopping me now, I can make up a pair in an hour and a half including the invisible side pockets. The turtleneck is a Kwik Sew pattern made in black cotton lycra jersey.

European Pants
- made by Becky Monk. Becky widened the leg on this pattern, she has made 7 pairs of them now!

Daphne Pants from La Fred
- made by Becky Monk

"I promised Julie nearly a year ago, a write up on my experience with the Daphne pant pattern from La Fred. After making many (about 9 pair) of Euros I talked to Julie and said I wanted to go back to a more ‘American’ style of pant. She suggested the Daphne pant. I have never sewn a better drafted commercial pant pattern for a basic pair of fitted slacks. I am 5 ft 3 inches tall, a size 12 petite in RTW. I sew slacks because I have a very short navel to crotch seam distance which means RTW usually sits directly under my bust if I pull the waist band up far enough to position the crotch where it should be.

Upon opening the pattern envelope, I read the sewing instructions, studied the pattern a little, folded out the extra length (for me) in the upper portion of the pattern and cut it out on the trial brown corduroy in the picture. I had the initial adjustments, layout, marking, and cutting done in an hour. It was another hour to sew the darts, inseams, and pin on a fitting. The technique for inserting the invisible zipper was new to me and went like a dream. The zipper is absolutely invisible. Nothing shows but the zipper pulls. Three pair of slacks. Three perfect zippers, all done with a regular zipper foot. The instructions are excellent – clear, concise and straightforward.

Daphne Pants
- first test pair made by Becky Monk. Becky found the back of the calf to be too tight, causing wrinkles. Read on to find out how she corrected for this.

The pants hang perfectly straight, do not bind anywhere and are super comfortable to wear all day. This pattern will become a wardrobe staple. Julie, thank you. Now, short and chubby has the perfect pair of straight leg, clean profile slacks. In the pictures are the forest green cords, just finished, the plum pair to the zipper stage and the tan pair are in the laundry as we speak. (The brown test pair are worn for doing chores around the yard.) The striped corduroy displayed across the top of the three pair of Daphne’s will be a cardigan jacket soon. S.W.A.P. was an amazing experience and now I can’t sew unless there is a group of garments which will work together !!!
The Daphne pattern is definitely a “two thumbs up”."

Tuxedo Jacket from Loes Hinse
- made by Brenda Boudreau of Halifax.
"Last week I tried Loes Hinse's new Tuxedo Jacket pattern and as usual I was as pleased with this pattern as I have been with all of her patterns. The style of this jacket is semi-fitted, high hip length with a center back seam and a shawl collar. Last summer I took Judy Barlup's tailoring class and I understand now the importance of achieving an even roll on each lapel of the collar. In this pattern Loes guides us to achieve this by her sequence of sewing steps and the last important step of understitching; when all is done, the collar rolls beautifully even in this velvety fabric that I did not want to iron a lot.
The sleeve is a two part sleeve with a nice detail slit at the wrist. I made my sleeves a little bit too long so take note to measure your arm length first and adjust the pattern pieces before you cut out your fabric.
I made my Tuxedo Jacket out of Julie's flocked stretch suiting with black velvet branches, the picture does not do justice to the fabric it is so lovely with a nice drape and weight and was a dream to sew!
Thanks, Julie I really loved this combo fabric/jacket pattern."

Jalie 2561 Women's Pants
- made by Sharon Latham
Sharon made the latest pant pattern from Jalie in green stretch suiting. The fabric is like a sheared corduroy with some stretch. If making this pattern in a non-stretch fabric, be sure to cut 2 sizes larger.
Link to Jalie 2561

Bolero Jacket from Loes Hinse
- made by Sharon Latham
Sharon has made the longer version of the Bolero Jacket in a charcoal stretch boucle. Both the pattern and fabric are available if you would like to duplicate this jacket.
Link to Bolero Jacket

Robin's Jacket from Silhouette Patterns
- made by Elaine Seniuk

Elaine has made this jacket twice and loves it. "Wow - what a fabulous jacket! With princess seams that go to the shoulder the fit is easy to alter, although with the right fabric and if you know your figure well, you won't have to do many alterations. My first attempt at this jacket was with a very loosely woven cotton, that almost looks handwoven, in shades of taupe and blue denim. Be sure you cut on the grain with a fabric like this. The printed instructions are easy to follow - once you have the pattern cut out, bind the pocket edges, (I used some blue silk chambray cut on the bias in 1 1/2 inch strips), but purchased binding would work too; then sew on the pocket linings. And that's the hardest part of this easy jacket! From there, there are just the sleeve seams ( a nice fitting 2 piece sleeve). I made the body in a size 5 for a "D" bustline, but cut the front armhole higher by 1 inch, and used the size 4 sleeves. I found the pattern very easy to adapt to this change (essentially, I didn't have to do anything else) and this has become my favourite jacket of all time. Remember to seam the collar with wrong sides together. Because the fabric I used frays easily, I ironed the seams flat and then sewed on bias strips to cover the seam edges by hand; you could serge the seams too, but I really like the hand-finished look of this version.

Elaine's second version of Robin's Jacket

The fabric you use should be the same on both sides since there is only 1 layer for the collar, but when I made it a second time, with a gorgeous bown/copper wool from Timmel Fabrics, I did use 2 layers for the center front. If you do use 2 layers, think it through because of the way the pockets are cut you have to seam the backside of the bottom of the front lining piece. You'll know what I mean when you try it. Try this jacket with something that has some stretch, or even with a sweater knit, it is completely fabulous with both, and I'm still thinking my way through my "stash" for more possibilities."

Jalie 2322 Women's Shirt
- made by Lynne Trerice

Jalie 2322 Women's Shirt
- in white

Jalie 2322 Women's Shirt
- in fuchsia

Now that Lynne has finished her jacket, she is busy sewing up shirts. She has made this pattern a few times now. The black shirt is made from black stretch poplin (on the Shirting Fabrics link) and has short sleeves and is topstitched with white to match the nice buttons Lynne had.
The white shirt is also short sleeved, made up in white stretch poplin that is 97% cotton, 3% lycra.
The fuchsia shirt is the Jalie pattern, this time in fuchsia stretch poplin shirting, great fabric for easy-care shirts.

Euro Pants cut as capris
- made by Sharon Latham from Ontario

The krinkle cotton capris are actually LH European pants shortened to a capri length with a side vent added. I just couldn't see reinventing the wheel. I have made so many European pants and love the fit, so I just adapted them to this new look.

Jalie 2005
- made by Sharon Latham from Ontario

Jalie 2005
- made by Sharon Latham from Ontario

The t-shirts are both Jalie 2005 and the white cardigan is made of your white sherpa. I really am pleased with the look because I really just wanted a little white cardigan sweater. I used snaps instead of buttons and it was really easy.

Rochelle's Reversible from Saf-T-Pockets
- made by Mary Baxter from Halifax, Nova Scotia

"The pattern calls for side one of the jacket to made up in nylon, polyester, synthetics or cotton. Side two calls for fleece or a pile fabric with reverse appliques. I decided to use the copper dupioni I had purchased from Julie for side two which I embroidered with a floral pattern instead of a reverse applique and it ties in with the floral pattern on the cotton on side 1. The edges of the jacket and the loop closures are made from strips of bias dupioni. The hidden pockets are located on the inside of the pockets on side two. This is one of my favourite jackets as it's casual on one side and dressy on the other."

The cotton side of Mary's jacket

Link to pattern: Rochelle's Reversible Jacket and Vest from Saf-T-Pockets Patterns

Mandarin Shirt Jacket and Euro Pants
- made by Brenda Boudreau from Halifax
"I am about to cut out my 4th Mandarin Shirt Jacket by Textile Studio. This pattern recommends woven fabrics but I made mine out of Julie's black knit fabric with no alterations for a knit and it worked out beautifully. I have also made two more of this pattern one in a white cotton for a casual look and one in a fancy fabric for a more formal look.
I also made the European Pant by Loes Hinse in Julie's black knit to go with the Mandarin Shirt Jacket, the two together make a nice casual and comfortable outfit. I made View B which is recommended for knits only and they went together very quickly and easily. Although they have an elastic waistband which makes them comfortable to wear they also have front and back darts which make them look fitted and stylish. The leg is a fuller style than I thought it would be so keep that in mind when you pick out your fabric, Loes Hinse always recommends fabric that drapes well for most of her patterns and I think this would be an important consideration for View B of this pattern.

Mandarin Shirt in white cotton

This pattern goes together very quickly but pay attention to the front facing instructions in Step 1 where it says to clip to the DOT, it is easy to make the mistake of clipping to the foldline instead ( I made this mistake twice!)
I have made both view A and View B with the two sleeve options and liked both of them. The longer 3/4 sleeve (View A )comes to the middle of my lower arm and View B comes to my elbow. I am very happy with this pattern and I am looking forward to making my next one, depending on the choice of fabric you could make a dozen of them and they would all look different."

Three-piece outfit
- made by Tonia from Ontario
Tonia won second place in the SWAP contest and, for her prize, one of the fabrics she got was the tan rayon interlock currently on the site. Within a week, this is what she has made with it.

"The cardigan is made up in Kwik Sew 2759, which is one of my favourite cardigan patterns. It is fitted but not tight, and wonderfully comfortable, especially made out of the rayon/lycra fabric. I used a size small, even though my measurements indicate I should use a size medium. The buttons are a faux wood or coconut, which match perfectly with the tan colour.
The pants are made from Loes Hinse's Oxford Pant pattern, view B. These pants are a breeze to put together. There are darts in the back to control the amount of fabric at the waist, no puffy elastic waistband here! I used the coverstitch to hem them and to topstitch the waist elastic in place. I wore them all day yesterday, and thanks to the lycra, there was no bagging or sagging fabric anywhere!
The camisole is made from Loes Hinse's Tank Dress Group pattern, view E. I used the pattern as is from the envelope. I love this tank top! It is very fitted and the perfect length to cover the elastic waist band of the Oxfords, but short enough to not get caught up on hip fluff. Be forewarned though, it is quite low cut.
The rayon/lycra blend fabric is gorgeous. It flows nicely and is drapey, with a little bit of substance to the weight. It is a bit lighter than a doubleknit. The lycra allows the fabric to keep it's shape, even after sitting all day. The resulting outfit is elegant while being very comfortable."
Tonia has chosen the new Casablanca Blouse for her free pattern.

Thia Tee from La Fred
- made by Diane E. from California
"LaFred's Fred Bloebaum writes wonderful instructions. Using one of her patterns is like taking a self-guided garment course. There's a glossary which includes sewing terms that are easily taken for granted (e.g., "top-stitch") and there are "Designer's Tips," which in this pattern cover four areas: serging seams, sewing with knits, hemming stretchy knits, and sewing in a circle.
I think this is a great tee pattern for someone new to sewing knits. The darts take a few extra minutes to mark and sew, but it's worth it for the well-fitted result."

Link to Thia Tee
Link to La Fred Patterns

Dana's Top #150 from Silhouette Patterns
- made by Diane E. from California

"Dana's Top is my first in Peggy Sagers' Silhouettes pattern line. I am an inveterate casual top sewer, since much of my time is spent in tees and jeans, and it's fun to have tees that are a little out of the mainstream. For my test I used a lovely highly stretchy floral rayon knit from Timmel, and it was absolutely perfect for this pattern. When Julie sent me the pattern, she cautioned me about the sizing, as the finished garment measurements have "negative ease." In other words, depending on the stretch of your fabric, the garment could be too tight on your body. I used size 2, or M, and I feel the garment fits nicely, but I do tend to like my tees close-fitting. In a fabric with less stretch, I might size up, or limit my use of this pattern to fabrics with at least 50% stretch on the cross-grain.

I am short-waisted, so I found the darts way too low on my body. Next time I'll take out at least an inch of length just above the darts, maintaining the original garment length. The sleeves were also too long, and I removed an inch before hemming. You can see that the sleeves are still quite long, but I like them that way. Check these lengths carefully before sewing. The sleeves have a center seam from shoulder to wrist, and I wonder if this is simply to make the fabric layout work better. I can't think of any good reason not to cut the sleeves on the fold or as a whole piece, so I'll probably make that adjustment next time, as well.
All in all this is a very nice pattern and goes together quickly. The neckline is lovely and the sleeves, despite the slight drop shoulder, fit nice and high under the arm."
For her free pattern, Diane has chosen the Sweater Coat from Loes Hinse.

Link to Dana's Top
Link to Silhouette Patterns

Nancy's Blouse #450 from Silhouette Patterns
"This was my first time using a Silhouettes Pattern. The instructions were clear and the blouse went together easily. The fit is good. I made the smallest size and put in all the darts. I shortened it through the body 1 ½ inches – ½ inch above the armhole and 1 inch at the waist. The pattern also includes markings to allow you to adjust for larger bust sizes and to make sure the bust dart is in the right spot. You have the option of eliminating the horizontal darts or adjusting their depth. The neck detailing, which is just a facing turned to the right side, opens up lots of options for embellishment. However, it could take on the look of a ‘large, pilgrim-type shirt collar’. I outlined mine with a decorative stitch done with a contrasting, embroidery thread but feel it accentuates the shape of this piece too much. Next time I would choose something subtle utilizing free motion work and maybe some beading.

Something I found interesting was the schematic drawing on the back of the pattern envelope. I always look to these drawings for a truer picture of a garment’s shape and details. This was not the case with this pattern. The drawing shows a ‘shapeless’ garment with a V-neck. I wonder if this is the case with most of Peggy Sager’s patterns.

In the video fashion show on Silhouettes site, this top appears to be made from fleece. I think it would also look nice from a light weight, crinkle cotton or chiffon-type fabric, maybe eliminating the horizontal darts and adding a tie. I made this version from a cotton/polyester/linen blend. You could also add a flounce or bell-shaping to the sleeves. (Now I am giving away my age because it is starting to look a lot like the early 70’s, isn’t it!) The neck detail could easily be turned to the inside (as a facing) opening other options for the neckline, like ties or an interesting closure."

Link to Silhouette Patterns, scroll down to #450 Nancy's Blouse

Jalie 2450 Vest by LeeAnne
"Wow! Another great looking and fitting garment from Jalie. No one would ever know you didn’t pick it up at a shop in the mall. However, as with other Jalie patterns, the instructions are sometimes difficult to interpret (probably as a result of the translation from French to English) – or maybe it is me.
For instance, the instructions for the pocket said to place the zipper on the right side of the fabric face up. So I put the wrong side of the zipper on the right side of the fabric so that it would be ‘face up’ – I had to rip it out. During the construction of the vest and lining (the lining is already partially attached to the outershell at this point) they instructed you to sew the front side seam to the back but the picture did not show the back, only the front. After reading ahead in the directions several times, I determined that they wanted me to sew the front and lining together (wrong sides together) at this seam. By ‘back’ they meant the inside of the vest. This also seemed like an odd thing to do, but you then attached the outer back and lining back to the front at the side seam in two steps which meant the lining was fixed to the garment at the side seam. It is very neat looking and will prevent the lining from ‘drooping’.
Jalie’s instructions are very detailed with lots of pictures. The techniques and procedures they use always turn out really nice with relative ease. It is just their wording that sometimes causes some misinterpretation. I am extremely happy with this vest and will make it again (especially since my husband wants one!)"

Barcelona Dress from Textile Studio Patterns made by Glenna
"I've avoided sewing for myself for over 10 years, due in part to increasing frustration with fitting problems. What luck that I chose the Textile Studio Barcelona dress as an early choice for my return to sewing my own clothes. On me, the medium long-sleeved bodice fits closely through the ribcage and angles to a point at centre front and back; the skirt flares on the bias just above my waist. The skirt is cut with the side on the lengthwise grain fold, and with centre front and back seams sewn on the bias. The skirt features a hemline that dips in centre front and back, and it has movement due to its bias cut. The edge finishing directions are for a minimal finish (overcast, fold under and topstitch) although one could line the bodice for a more finished look; I haven't done that yet but may in the future. I cut out the six pattern pieces and sewed the black wool crepe version in the photo in one afternoon. The pattern required no alterations other than reducing the length of the skirt and sleeve, as I'm 5'0" tall. Although I haven't made the short sleeved version yet, it's on my list for this summer. This is a great pattern that would flatter many figure types.

Loes Hinse Sweater Coat made by Brenda Boudreau from Halifax

"I am a big fan of Loes Hinse's patterns and enjoyed making her new Sweater Coat pattern. The sweater coat is a big fashion statement right now and can be worn by all ages. This pattern is designed for a knit fabric and I made mine out of Julie's 100% wool boucle knit (a steal at $10/meter). This pattern like all of Loes's patterns goes together quickly and easily but here are a few other things that I did that helped me:
1. I placed a strip of 1/4'' Steam-a-Seam down the front facings before I topstitched the facings.
2. The pockets are sewn into the side seams early in the construction process so if you are making View A but you want the pockets from View B add them at step #4 ( view A)
3.I placed water soluble stabilizer on the top of my front facing while I was stitching my buttonholes, this prevented the wool boucle from getting caught in my foot attachment and also helped to stabilize the buttonhole.
4. I have narrow shoulders so I used a pair of Julie's shoulder pads to make the coat hang better on me.
5. There is more ease in this pattern because it is made in a knit so I followed the measurements on the envelope and made mine in size medium with no alterations and it fit perfectly.
I think this sweater coat pattern would be great for travel because it can be "dressed up" or worn with jeans and a t-shirt for a more casual look."

Note from Julie: Sorry, this fabric was really popular and it is sold out.

Soho Pants from Textile Studio made by Deirdre Packer from Nova Scotia

"These were really easy to sew. I made a size medium and the only thing I altered was 1" off the inseam. The biggest problem, if you can call it that, was doing the invisible zipper. I have never used an invisible zipper before and I didn't have any directions, so just took a stab at how to do it. Next time it will be real easy. In fact, with the fabric I used, I could have left out the zipper and just used as a pull-on pant. The waistline is a real nice smooth treatment and very easy to do. As well, it lies nice and flat with no extra bulk around your waist.
I was pleasantly surprised that the legs were not narrower looking than they are. After making many, many pairs of Euros, I thought these would be too tapered looking for today's styles, but they aren't. So I think I have another favourite pant to add to my wardrobe. The Sohos could probably be considered a bit more-tailored looking than the Euros, depending on the fabric used. I used a wool/poly/lycra blend (Timmel Fabrics) which has a fair bit of stretch. I used this fabric, as I wasn't sure of the fit and figured the lycra would add some give if I needed it. I can see now that any medium-weight or bottom weight fabric would be suitable for these pants. There seems to be a bit more room in the crotch area and hips than the Euros.
All in all, I am very pleased with this pattern. The directions were good and very easy to follow. The pieces went together perfectly and all the markings matched up as they are supposed to, which tells me this pattern is well drafted."

Jalie Jean Jacket 2320 made by Sharon Latham
I must say that when I first read over the pattern I thought it just might be too complicated for me, but I loved the look. I think it was the detail that made me want to tackle this project.
I made the jacket out of the taupe polyester tencel fabric that Julie had in the fall, What wonderful fabric to work with. I would love more of it. It feels very smooth next to the skin, drapes and sews beautifully.
The instructions are grouped together by sections which I found made it very easy to figure out where I was in the construction process and the illustrations are, for the most part, very clear. The pattern has quite a few pieces which I didn't think lent itself to fast construction, but it was surprisingly easy to put together (with the exception of figuring out the welt pocket) and went together very quickly.
LeeAnne's help (Sharon contacted LeeAnne also on this page since she had made the jacket) was a life saver for the pocket construction. I doubt I would ever have figured out the instructions without her assistance. The picture just seemed to make things more confusing. Anyway, once I had her imput, it was really a simple way of making a welt (half welt, I think, really) pocket and it went together perfectly. I did take the time to change the needle to a topstitching needle and the thread to Sulky rayon for every topstitching instruction. I think that effort gave it a very professional look and I would definitely do that again as well.
I think the pattern has a very nice shape, not boxy and probably because of the many pieces, it has a very tidy appearance. All the topstitching gives it a very professional look. Having done the jacket once, I think the next time I could cut down on needle and thread changes by combining construction steps of different sections. I have three pieces of stretch corduroy I bought from Julie that are slated for the same jacket. I really enjoyed doing the pattern and it turned out so well that it is a definite 'repeater'. It was worth every bit of the many pieces and changes of needle and thread!

Link to the pattern Jalie 2320 - pattern comes with all sizes and costs $13.

Lace Camisoles from Liana
"These undershirts were cut on the crossgrain of the fabric to take advantage of the scalloped selvedges on the stretch lace fabric. I got each one (size M) out of ½ yard of fabric. There is stretch both ways, but more in the crossgrain, as is usual with knits, so my layout change put most of the stretch in the length. If you do this, check the stretch that will be going around you against the amount your pattern calls for. You may want to size up a little. You also may want to cut them a little shorter because of the lengthwise stretch you will now have. This adjustment is not as critical, and mainly a matter of taste."

Close up of neck binding

"I used foldover elastic on the neckline and armholes of the caramel and wine undershirts. This is very easy to use and really gives nice, professional results. My pattern (KwikSew 2286 now OOP) gives measurements for stretch lace edging lengths to use, and I used the same for the foldover elastic. The application is very simple. Quarter and mark your elastic and garment. Pin together at the markings. Put the elastic wrong side up under the presser foot. Place the fabric on it, right side up, with the edge of the fabric at the ½ way mark (foldline). Stitch with a small zigzag. Fold the elastic and stitch from the right side with a straight stitch. This gives you great control and your final stitching line can easily be very even and perfect."

Close up of stretch lace edging
"The stretch lace edging is applied by quartering and pinning, then stitching with a small zigzag near the inside edge of the elastic, and trimming the fabric away under the elastic."

Hoodie 2319 and Choice of Pants 2000 from Jalie Patterns made by LeeAnne of Halifax
The “hoodie”, I made it with the collar, went together easily and is a nice fit – big enough to wear over a sweater but fitted enough to look ‘neat & tidy’. It has a semi-drop shoulder. To fit me, I removed 1/2'” from the armhole area and shortened it another 3/4" above the waist. I shortened the sleeves about an inch as well, but once I added the cuff, they were too long. The cuff is quite wide (I have them rolled up in the picture). When I sew this again, I will make a narrower cuff. The instructions have you sewing 3/8” guidelines a number of times. This is a step I would normally skip in my haste to finish a garment. However, I decided to follow the instructions and found this step very helpful.
I have made these Jalie pants 5 times and will make them again. The pattern envelope gives the impression of a skin tight skating pant, however I find the fit to be almost perfect. They do require a fabric with some stretch; I have made them from stretch denim, stretch corduroy and microfleece. They have darts and a zipper in the back and a facing at the waist. The leg is a slight flare – just enough to be stylish. They sit just at, or slightly below the bellybutton. The front waistline scoops down so when laid flat, the front is noticeably lower than the back. However, when you put them on, the waistline looks even all around. In this picture they are made from microfleece and I have actually eliminated the zipper and waist facing. Before cutting out, I pinched the back darts closed and then added 1 ¼” to the waistline for a casing for elastic and “voila” a pair of pull-on pants with the same great fit. Next I want to try the “Threads” idea of folding facings to the outside of a garment – it would look like a shaped waistband."

Jean Jacket 2320 from Jalie Patterns made by LeeAnne
"Another great fitting garment (do I sound like a broken record?). This jacket is slightly fitted at the waist rather than the traditional jean jacket shape (meant for a man) which tapers in from the shoulders to the bottom. I could never get the bottom button of a jean jacket to do up over my hips but this one buttons up without any pulling. It has the details of a ‘real’ jean jacket which meant a lot of little pieces and a lot of topstitching but it was very easy to put together. One note: the instructions for the lower pockets (which look like welt pockets but aren’t) were difficult to decipher but once figured out, they were easy to do. I used a topstitching thread and since the seams were topstitched after each was constructed, I changed the thread and needle on my sewing machine often. But the results were worth it!
The pants are the Jalie Choice of Pants 2000 made from stretch corduroy."

Cowl Top and European Pants by Loes Hinse made by LeeAnne
"On her website, Loes Hinse states that clothing should feel like pyjamas but look tailored and professional. This outfit is very comfortable to wear but can take you to the office or out to dinner.
The LH Cowl Top went together in 45 minutes. I made it from a light weight sweater knit but it could be made out of anything from a cotton-lycra knit to polar fleece. The fit is really nice. There is a lot of shape cut into the pattern and the side slits in the longer version allow for a semi-fitted style without being snug at the hips.
Because I am very small across the shoulders, I trace my pattern so that the shoulder/neck area and about two-thirds down the armhole are a size smaller than the rest of the top. I then slash the front and back across the armhole area and across the sleeve cap so that I can shorten each pattern piece 1/2". This removes the excess fabric that I always have in this area of a top that fits everywhere else. I also shortened the body of the top above the waistline by 1 ½ inches. The cowl neck is quite long. I had to fold it down in thirds and I think I have a fairly long neck for my height. As this piece uses a lot of fabric, you would be wise to check the length before cutting it out. You could easily change the neckline to a V-Neck, Boat Neck, Jewel, Scoop, Tab Front and so on, allowing the pattern to be used many times - I know I will be using it again and again.

Euro Pants - I made the view with the zipper. They are an elastic waist pant, no waistband, but with the fly front, and with front and back darts, they look like tailored pants. You could wear something tucked in and no one would ever know they were elastic waist pants. The legs are straight, wide (but not too wide) and hang very nicely. And best of all, they were very easy to sew! Oh yeah, they suit fabrics with some drape, not a good choice for a heavy denim or corduroy."

Gore Skirt Group by Loes Hinse
If you could have just one skirt pattern, this would be it. This pattern has so many options, from the simple 4-gore and 6-gore versions, to the ones with godets inserted into every seam. Make it in faux suede, tencel, knit, stretch velvet, chiffon, almost any fabric with drape will work. These five ladies are members of the Atlantic Sewing Guild in Halifax, Nova Scotia and they responded to a challenge in September to make this skirt and wear it to the January meeting. Also note the Retro Jacket on Lorna on the left and the Sweater Set on Gail (middle) and Jody (far right). No wonder Loes Hinse's patterns are so popular, they work for everyone!

Brenda in Poncho
Brenda Boudreau made the poncho from Deirdre (link below) in cut silk velvet. She inserted a 12" rhinestone zipper into one of the seams, using Steam-a-seam to make the zip insertion easy. Then she trimmed the entire hem of the poncho with a black boa that she had purchased. Debating whether to fringe the hem or to bead it, she decided to machine sew on the boa at her husband's suggestion. This is a gorgeous wrap that she can wear to any party over the holidays.

Travel Skirt by Kathryn Brenne

Fay Gunter, a sewing instructor in Halifax, made the Travel Skirt in one of the rayons from Batik Butik. Fay gets compliments every time she wears it. And she wears it to Beginner sewing classes to inspire students that they too can sew something wonderful for themselves.

Cassandra Skirt by La Fred

Fay Gunter made this skirt in a chocolate brown tencel, adding a top made in an embroidered tencel. She found a wonderful button in her stash to use at center front.

Cassandra Skirt by La Fred

The side view of the Cassandra Skirt shows how the skirt dips with a slight fishtail at center back. Fred Bloebaum, the designer, cut the back of this skirt on the bias to get that effect.

Lugano Jacket
- made by Brenda Boudreau, the fabric is slinky which Brenda embossed with rubber stamps. She also beaded the ends of the tie belt.

Blouse in Batik Butik rayon

Judith loves blouses made from the Batik Butik rayons. She has made several and finds that they are comfortable to wear, plus easy care. Here is what she has to say:
"The pattern for this blouse is a simple design using Pattern Master. The grief I went through trying to find a pattern that sat on my shoulders instead of down my arm, while still allowing me to move my arms forward, could fill volumes, but I want to talk about the fabric.

Batiks from batik butik are my favourite fabric, both for sewing and for wearing. It has a luxurious soft hand and glides through the machine like butter. The addition of each new colour during the batiking process impacts the softness only very minutely, so that black is the softest and the multi-coloured fabrics are only a touch less soft. I use Palmer/pletsch Perfect Fuse sheer interfacing - and it's always been a success. Size 70 needles and any good quality thread work fine, and I use a slight zig zag, 3.0 length and practice taut sewing on the longer straight seams on dresses or skirts.

Eucalan and Batik were made for each other. I pre-treat the batik in the washing machine, on the rinse cycle of the delicate setting, with a cap of eucalan. I soak for anywhere from 15-60 minutes, depending on what distractions are happening, then spin and pop it in the dryer on medium heat. Finished garments are treated the same way, except I hang to dry and then put in dryer for about 5 minutes on a cooler setting, just to take out any wrinkles and bring back the softness. Usually, no ironing is needed."

One word of caution - batiks are not colour fast. Be prepared to wash separately, at least for the first few washings."

Shell from Sweater Set by Loes Hinse

Hellenne Vermillion took some stretch lace and here's what she did with it:
"This is Loes Hinse's shell top from her TwinSet pattern using the lovely black lace with the horizontal stripes. The greatest stretch in this fabric is with the stripes going horizontally and not much stretch in the other direction, however I placed the stripes going diagonally to match the angle of the shell neckline. The back of this shell has the stripes going horizontally just in case I needed the extra stretch. A vertical placement would probably work just as well.

Lace Shell worn with pieced skirt

I lined the entire shell with a 7oz cotton/lycra that is the closest to my skin color.This means none of the seams will show a black line. I basted the lining to each pattern piece separately and treated both the lace and the cotton/lycra as one fabric. Instead of serging, I chose to do the narrow zigzag stitch to avoid bulky seams and the shoulder seams were stabilized. To finish the neckline and armhole edges they were first serged with a 7.5mm (1/4inch) 3 thread overlock stitch and turned under 3/8" and slip stitched twice by hand. I did not want any machine stitching lines to show on the outside so I decided to do the slipstitching twice just in case one row of stitching popped on me.
One edge of this lace looks like a ruffle, so I cut a wide piece with the lace stripes going horizontally and stitched it onto the bodice using a zz stitch. Because it is placed on top of the bodice, the wide strip of lace comes out darker and hopefully has a slimming effect at the waistline.
As for the fit, I basted several times before doing the final stitching. I found I needed to curve in at the waistline about an inch to achieve a more flattering look and I also played with the placement of the horizontal ruffle lace to get the best proportion.
This is a great and sturdy lace fabric that will make a nice top in anything from a Jalie Tank Top to their 3 Tees to Loes Hinse's various top patterns. The lace was prewashed by soaking in hot water and the color did not run. It did beef up the lace a bit, so think "boucle" when making something out of this fabric and definitely plan on lining it."

Boot Skirt View A by Loes Hinse

Hellenne Vermillion made the Boot Skirt in two different fabrics and gives us this review:
"Loes Hinse's Boot Skirt View A is a straight pull-on skirt with an elastic waistband and front vent. The side seams slant ever so slightly inwards creating a beautiful hang to the skirt. There are two skinny darts in the back and the hip/waist area is shaped. The waistband is elastic that is serged on, turned over and stitched onto the skirt itself.
I found that I needed to be able to adjust the gathers and on my next skirt I will create an elastic casing. The extra gathers on the front of the skirt pulls because of my not so flat tummy. The difference between the waist and hip measurements will determine how much gathering you will have at the waistline. Because this is a straight skirt with 1" ease at the hips, when trying to find your correct measurement, you may want to measure your hips in the sitting position rather than the standing position.
The instructions are typical Loes Hinse, meaning very little. A beginner may want to consult some reference books. One problem is the vent edges. Because they are serged, the serging will show when the vent opens while walking. I recommend a 1/4" turned edge with edgestitching. I shortened my skirt by 7 inches and lowered the vent by 2 inches because I'm under 5 feet.
The Boot Skirt in Wool Challis

This is a very flattering and super quick skirt to make and your end product will look best if a drapey good quality fabric is used. In the photograph the lighter colored skirt is wool crepe with an organza trim attached to the bottom. The darker is a charcoal wool challis. I put darts and a front zipper morphing the European pants waist onto this skirt and used the velvet ribbon to disguise the opening and to add a little character. The dart/zipper skirt is not as comfortable as the gathered waist skirt. This is a great pattern for adding basic skirts to your wardrobe and yet allowing one to be creative with embellishing."

Shell from Sweater Set by Loes Hinse

Deirdre has made several garments from this pattern to show the versatility of just one pattern. The first is the shell of the sweater set made in one of the new embroidered polyester sheers. These fabrics are very like lace to sew with.
"I placed the centre front seam on the fold of the fabric and cut the vee to more of a curve. I sewed the armhole and neckline hems with a scant 1/4" seam, the bottom hem is about l/2". Much easier and looks better with such a fine fabric. This fabric was extremely easy to work with, to my surprise, as it is pretty delicate. I usually loosen my presser foot pressure when sewing knits to prevent any stretching."

Boucle Cardigan from Sweater Set by Loes Hinse

This time, Deirdre made the cardigan in a woven boucle.
"This a light to medium-weight woven boucle fabric. Add 1/2" at the seams on garment body and sleeves. The fringe is the selvedge of the fabric. (I didn't do this, but if you have a fabric with a nice looking selvedge, just trim it off with your serger. Then it is ready to use on a garment.)

Detail of the fringe on the cardigan

I cut the selvedge off then serged it. I then attached the fringe to the edges of the garment from the inside with steam-a-seam, then I used the blind stitch on the sewing machine and attached from the inside of the garment. I was going to hand sew it in place, but I use my sewing machine whenever and wherever I can. Just loosen the top tension and also, your presser foot tension, and you should have no problem. I didn't line this garment. All the seams are finished by serging then seaming as LH instructs in her patterns. No problem with fraying at all. Also, the boucle is nice to work with as stitches sink right into the fabric."

Cardigan done in UltraLeather

"This was cut out using the same as the regular LH cardigan pattern that I use. That is, I didn't add anything to the seams. I sewed it as usual, then added the zipper to the front. There is no overlap, so this naturally extends the front of the garment which accommodates for any lack of stretch in the ultraleather. Although, Ultraleather does have some stretch to it.
As you can see the LH Sweater set is a very versatile pattern."

Cardigan from Sweater Set by Loes Hinse

Deirdre from Nova Scotia made the cardigan from Loes Hinse's Sweater Set pattern. She used the boucle fabric (sand colour) that is a raschel knit. This fabric is posted on the What's New page.

"I used my usual LH cardigan pattern and added 1/2" to the side seams and the sleeve seams to allow for the extra width required as this is not a very stretchy fabric. I did wash and dry the fabric and it didn't alter in the length but the width was about 4" less. I think this could be pressed out, but I thought if left as is, it would give more stretch in the finished garment, which it does. Therefore, I am thinking now that I could have just cut out my regular garment without adding extra at seams as note.
This fabric when washed (soaked in Eucalan and dried in the dryer) turns out more textured and bullky. It was easy to work with and because of the texture you can get away with not being too precise in your sewing. Your stitches sink right into the fabric. I did use steam-a-seam to hold the facings and hem down before finishing as LH instructs. This is a worthwhile thing to do with fabric that has some bulk to it. It avoids having things stretch as you are sewing. I did not underline or do anything extra to the garment.
When I did the buttonholes I used a stabilizer, like that used for machine embroidery, underneath, next to the feed dogs, and placed some solvy, again as used in machine embroidery on top, so the stitches didn't sink right into the garment. I didn't use any cording in the buttonholes as is usually suggested for bulkier knits. The buttonholes turned out very well.
This fabric even, though it feels like a knit when you are wearing it, looks like a very expensive handwoven fabric."

Weekender Bags from Loes Hinse

Beverly from Halifax made two of these bags from upholstery weight fabric. They make wonderful gifts for friends and Christmas is coming.

Silhouettes 4-Button Jacket by Barbara Emodi

"I was very interested to try Peggy Sagers 4 button jacket and am very pleased with the results. Peggy has streamlined the construction considerably for a tailored jacket and this jacket assembles very quickly in the 3 sessions described in detail in the guidesheet. The best feature of this pattern in my opinion is its potential for fitting. The paneled princess seam design has many places to add a little here and there and Peggy also includes completely different pattern pieces for different cup sizes and for the shorter, fuller busted "W" figure. If you have struggled in the past with fitting a tailored jacket to a female figure this pattern may be your answer. Very important to note too is Peggy's suggestion that you measure a favourite jacket to select finished garment width as opposed to the more conventional method of working from body measurements. I did this and as a result cut out a large (I would have selected a medium) and recognize now that if I had been more honest with myself about my own comfort ease would have cut an ex-large.

It is worth noting too that this jacket has been designed to be worn on its own with pants or a skirt, almost like a blouse so the shoulders/back are cut fairly close to the body. As a result I love the vintage style of this jacket as is, but would not use it as a general blazer to be worn over a blouse or sweater. With that expectation in place this is a very nice, interesting and easy to sew jacket."

Oxford Pant by Loes Hinse made by Hellenne V.
"I made these two Loes Hinse Oxford Pants View B (no pockets) in Blush Tencel and Striped Taupe Tencel. Both fabrics are perfect for these pants as they drape well and have great body and feel silky smooth against the skin. The Blush Tencel is especially great since it is not translucent. The pants are stovepipe design (almost palazzo on me), straight up and down practically the hip measurement all the way since these are pull-ons.
It does have two very skinny darts in the back which seem to help prevent poofing of the fabric on your behind. I have very short legs and do not look like a super model, but I love the way these pants feel and fit and the movement of the fabric when walking is beautiful."