Jalie Laurent Sweatshirt vs Jalie 3355 Sweatshirt

In the photos below I’m wearing both of these sweatshirts with the Jalie Roxanne pants and layered over a Jalie Tina t-shirt.

The Jalie Laurent, which I made last night:

This is why photos are hard for me now 😂

Jalie 3355, which I made about a year ago (and is a bit rumpled from just coming off the clothesline). I don’t remember if I blogged this one or not.

Pattern Background

Jalie 4131 Laurent

Classic sweatshirt and t-shirt pattern. You can make a hoodie with a kangaroo pocket or a cropped length short sleeve crewneck t-shirt. Most of Jalie’s knit top patterns require 4-way stretch knits, but for this one you can use just about any knit that has a minimum of 15% two-way mechanical stretch. If your fabric has at least 30% stretch a separate piece for a self fabric neckband (which is longer and narrower) in addition to a ribbing neckband piece. Lots of options!

It starts at size 2T. The drafting is geared for men: longer lengths in both the torso and sleeves, roomier in the shoulders/upper chest, and narrower through the hips. However there’s no reason why you can’t make this for girls and women as well. Just adjust the length and add some width to the hip if you need it.

One of the best Jalie patterns ever, in my opinion! Classic styling and can be made for the whole family from toddler to big adults. I have made this countless times for my son and husband, and now once for myself.

My son’s latest Laurent hoodie, embroidered by me
Jalie Laurent long sleeve t-shirt made from a cotton/lycra jersey
Crewneck Laurent sweatshirt, freshly embroidered for my husband last New Year’s Eve

Jalie 3355

Crewneck or hoodie sweatshirt with sweatpants. The sweatshirt has the traditional little V applique at the center front neckline, which is a nice touch. The sweatpants are very simple and quick to make: elastic waist, curved side pockets done in a way that minimizes bulk, and elasticized hems.

This one is drafted more for women: shorter sleeve length, narrower through the upper chest and underarms, and wider assumed hip measurement. Shorter inseam for the sweatpants too. The Jalie Henri jogger pant, drafted for boys and men, assumes a 15” inseam for size 3T; 3355 assumes a 14.5” inseam for the same size 3T. But just like with the Laurent you can make this for men as well (which I have done before).

Materials

Jalie Laurent

I used a sweatshirt fleece from Fabric Mart I’ve had in my stash for about two years. The description says cotton/poly but it feels and drapes more like a 100% cotton sweatshirt fleece to me.

Instead of self fabric I used some rayon Lycra jersey I also had in my stash for the hood lining. It just so happened to be a perfect match for the fabric.

I used a bubblegum pink 220gsm weight rib knit from Nature’s Fabrics for the hem and cuffs.

Jalie 3355

I used a cotton/lycra sweatshirt fleece from Jumping June Textiles. Fantastic fabric that I wish I could use for all of my sweatshirts! I also purchased the coordinating 220gsm ribbing she had available at the time.

For the front neck detail I used machine embroidery thread.

Fit and Alterations

Jalie Laurent

I started with a size Y based on my bust measurement and made the following alterations:

  • Added about 4.25” total width to the hips and hem band

I wanted to note that the Jalie measurements given in the instructions/pattern sheet are incorrect, at least for my size:

  • 35” for the center back to sleeve hem length. I measured 36”
  • 29.5” for the center back length. It was closer to 28.25”

Jalie 3355

I also started with a size Y for this one.

  • Lengthened the sleeves 1″
  • Traced a CC for the hip, based on my own hip measurement
  • Added about 1″ width to the sleeves
  • Added about 5″ total width to the hips

The finished measurements for size Y per my measurements were:

  • 27.5″ center back to hem
  • 33.5″ center back neck to sleeve hem

Construction

Super easy! 1/4” seam allowances mean you can construct both of these almost entirely on your serger.

The Jalie does include that little V of ribbing you often see in RTW sweatshirts at the center front neck. I did this detail on my Janome using machine embroidery thread and one of the decorative Mode 2 stitches on my Janome 6500P.

Comparison

  • Both sweatshirts have approximately the same ease through the bust, waist, and hip. As drafted, both of them drop straight down from the underarm. There’s no waist shaping at all.
  • The sleeves on the Laurent are long. Normally I lengthen sleeves 1” and instead I had to shorted these 1”. I could probably shorten them another 1/2” but since I was shortening them after cutting and sewing the entire shirt it was less of a hassle to do just 1” and narrow the cuff.
  • The cuff on the Laurent runs large. I ended up taking it in almost 2”. Meanwhile the 3355 cuffs were perfect as drafted. They are both about the same height, the main difference is in how loosely they fit.
  • The Laurent has a more dramatic dropped shoulder and wider sleeves, which makes it sit lower in the underarm area. 3355 has a generally trimmer fit through the shoulder and upper chest.
  • 3355 has slimmer sleeves than the Laurent. The underarm also fits higher (about 1/2” or so). Both layered fine but I think the Laurent would be easier layer in the winter.
  • The Laurent has a more pronounced dropped shoulder than the 3355.
  • Jalie 3355 is also about 1” shorter in center back length than the Laurent.
  • The kangaroo pocket is almost laughably small and IMO set too low for the 3355. Meanwhile I feel like the Laurent pocket is almost too large.
  • The hem band for 3355 is very tight. The hem band for size Y has a finished measurement of 31.75” for a 43” hip. Over 11” of negative ease! Even after adding about 6” more ease than what the pattern called for I still found it too snug, which made it ride up constantly on my pear shaped body. (Since I didn’t have enough ribbing to recut I actually ended up cropping the shirt in an attempt to minimize this issue, but then it felt too short.) It is cut as one piece on the fold with just one seam, which can make it difficult to fit on those smaller tubular rib knits if you try to add more width.
  • The Laurent has two pieces for the hem band (one for the front and one for the back). The ease in the Laurent hem band is much better, despite it technically being for a smaller hip circumference. It measures 42” for a 40” hip, making it 2” of positive ease. I was using a remnant of ribbing so I didn’t have quite enough to cut it as wide as I wanted (it was about 2-3” of negative ease instead of the zero ease than I wanted) but it stays in place much better. I don’t find myself tugging it down as much as the 3355.
  • The Laurent hood is lined. They suggest using self fabric but this can make for a bulky hood, depending on the weight of your fabric. I lined mine with a rayon jersey. Meanwhile the 3355 hood is unlined. I definitely prefer the lined hood.
  • The 3355 hood is also shaped a bit different. They’re actually about the same size, but the 3355 is more square shaped where the back of your head would be, and the bottom edge where it attaches to the neck of the sweatshirt is less shaped than the Laurent. I felt like the Laurent hood fits me better.
Laurent on the left, 3355 on the right

Conclusion

I prefer the look of my Ottobre zip front hoodie to both 3355 and the Laurent, but due to the close fit that one doesn’t layer well with anything other than a short sleeve t-shirt. With living in an older house in the Northeast and heating oil over $6 a gallon right now, my focus is less on style and more about practicality, ease of layering, and comfort. 3355 has the advantage of an entire outfit in one pattern, but the Laurent has more options and IMO the drafting is a bit better. The Laurent fits a taller frame better (I am about 5’9” tall) and the looser fit around the armhole makes it a little easier for layering.

Style Arc Carlisle Kids Jean

Styled here with a Jalie Laurent t-shirt, which I embroidered with this design.

Pattern Background

Classic straight leg jeans pattern for kids size 2-8. It can be made either as a pull-on pant or with a front fly.

Fit and Sizing

I made a size 3. My son measures closer to a 2 in width, but his height is a 3 right now. I figured since I was doing a pull-on style, using a non-stretch fabric, and want him to get some wear out of it that it was better to go bigger than smaller.

The only alteration I made was lengthening the legs 1/2″ to allow a little bit more room for growth. You can see when he’s sitting that they sit at a good height and don’t ride up too much.

Materials and Notions

The fabric I used was a 100% corduroy my mom gifted me from her stash, purchased many years ago.

The button is an 18mm wooden button from Amazon.

Instead of self fabric I used pants pocket lining from Wawak for the pocket.

I didn’t use buttonhole elastic, instead I encased 1 1/4″ elastic inside the entire waistband.

I used Gutermann Mara 100 thread for all of the stitching.

Construction

I constructed these entirely on my Juki TL-2010Q, including the faux buttonhole (which was done with my Singer vintage buttonholer).

I did notice that certain pieces with this pattern (like the front fly piece) were cut the wrong side up if you were following a mens style pant with the fly facing the left instead of the right. Just something to think about when you’re cutting this out. I also noticed the pocket facing was 3/8″ too wide and needed to be trimmed at the side seam when sewing it to the pocket lining.

I chose to do a pull-on style. Just makes things easier for a newly potty trained three year old! When I sewed the two front pieces together at the center front I also enclosed the front fly piece inside, which acted as both a stabilizer and guide when topstitching the faux front fly detail.

Instead of the buttonhole elastic I chose to encase 1 1/4″ inside the entire waistband. It feels really secure. When I attached the waistband I did it Jalie 3243 style. After sewing the faux buttonhole in the front I pressed up the outer waistband, stitched the inside first (right side of the waistband to the wrong side of the pants), then flipped the outer waistband over and stitched it in place. While I stitched the outer waistband in place I carefully encased the elastic. (I tried doing a casing and then pulling the elastic through, but the stiff fabric was causing it to roll.) Before attaching the waistband I basted the belt loops in place to the upper edge of the pants so they ended up being sewn in place at the bottom while stitching the inner waistband in place. Once the outer part of the waistband was sewn in place I stitched the belt loops at the upper edge of the waistband. This helped keep the elastic tacked in place in a subtle way.

Conclusion

This is a great, versatile kids jeans pattern that can be remade over and over as they grow. The leg is a nice cut, neither slim nor wide, and you can easily customize the waist based on the child’s preference and/or developmental stage. He’s got enough pants for now but I will definitely will be making it again for him in the future!

Sweet Pea Embroidery Designs Jack-o-lantern Pumpkin Trick or Treat Basket

The Jack-o-lantern trick or treat basket from Sweet Pea Embroidery features a “trick” as well as “treat” face, embroidered stem, and embroidered free motion quilting style back and sides. There’s three different sizes: 5×7” hoop, 6×10” hoop, and 7×12” hoop. Since I’m working with an ancient Janome 300e embroidery machine I went with the 5×7” hoop size.

This is the first design I’ve purchased from Sweet Pea Embroidery Designs, and I found it well digitized. Normally I hunt for what I need on Etsy, which is kind of like playing Russian roulette for the home machine embroiderer.

Materials

Most of my materials for this were from Amazon:

The orange fabric for the pumpkin was quilting cotton from my mom’s stash, as was the black cotton for the straps.

The gray dot on black quilting cotton I used for the pumpkin face was a Fabric Mart purchase from 10-15 years ago.

The interfacing for the upper edge of the lining was Profuse Flexible from Wawak.

The batting for the stem was needlepunch from The Green Pepper.

I used an extra-long KAM snap in Spring Green for the stem snap.

For the strap, instead of interfacing I used a scrap of bagmaking foam I had leftover from a previous project.

Construction

The embroidery alone took at least four hours, between getting everything hooped and cutting the applique and doing all of the stitching. I also use my machine on the slowest speed because it is old and I know the thread I’m using isn’t premium quality.

I had an issue with the stem at first, turns out I accidentally did something to the file when I opened it in Ink/Stitch and then some of the satin stitch for the outside of the stem got misaligned. Once I downloaded a fresh copy and put it on my flash card it worked perfectly. Once it was done I found it easiest to throw the stem pieces into a fine mesh lingerie bag into the regular laundry to get rid of the water soluble stabilizer. (I did prewash all of my fabric before starting this project.)

This is the first time I’ve ever done an applique embroidery design. Even while using applique scissors I found it really challenging to do the trimming on the pumpkin face because of the loft from the foam and rigidity of having to work within the hoop, and as a result some of the pumpkin face is messier than I would like. I did try to use HeatnBond Lite for the “trick” (aka scary) pumpkin face and found it did help control the fraying, though I still had an issue getting the trimming close enough in some spots. That being said, this is also my first in the hoop embroidery design and I LOVE how you can get such precise results with far less effort than it would take on an ordinary sewing machine. I just wish I could upgrade to a newer machine with a bigger hoop!

I wanted the strap to have quilting texture like the rest of the bag, so I topstitched 1/8″ rows down the entire strap with Gutermann Mara 100.

The instructions were okay. I wasn’t fond of how they have you do 5/8″ seam allowances. (You trim the pieces 1/2″ away from the stitching line, and then are told to stitch just inside of that, which ends up making it a 5/8″ seam allowance). They should have been only 1/4″ to 3/8″ to make handling things easier. I really didn’t enjoy the part where you had to sew the outer bag pieces together – so stiff and bulky, and fat seam allowances make it even harder to get accuracy.

Not sure what happened but my bag lining ended up being a little bit too big. For a project like this for a kid it doesn’t matter but I would have preferred it to fit a little more snugly.

When it came to edgestitching the upper edge I realized I didn’t have a single spool of orange thread in stock. (I just never sew with orange.) So I ended up switching from my Juki TL-2010Q to my Janome 6500P so I could use the triple straight stitch and regular embroidery thread.

Conclusion

This was certainly a labor of love, but my three year old son LOVES it. He’s obsessed with bags and baskets in general, so to have something like this is really exciting for him. I was afraid it would be too small for him but it is actually a good size for him. We are practicing his “trick or treat” so he’s ready for Halloween!

Jalie 3886 Julia Bralette and Panties

The underbust darts provide a decent amount of shaping

Pattern Background

The Julia bralette has a separate bottom band, underbust darts for shaping, and racerback straps with optional strap adjusters.

The panty has no side seams. Instead the side seams are slanted and shifted forward, giving a crossover look. The back is full coverage and both high and lower rise options are in the envelope.

The pattern also gives the option of a loose fitting camisole top with an integrated bra. I have not tried this version at this point.

Fabric and Notions

The print fabric is a cotton/lycra jersey from Fashion Fabrics Club, cut from the scraps of a Jalie Tina t-shirt. The black cotton/lycra jersey was a recent purchase from Fabric Mart.

The ring used to connect the back straps was a 1/2” metal bra strap ring I found in my stash, purchased years ago from Sew Sassy. The 3/8” bra strap slides were also purchased years ago from Sew Sassy.

The 3/4” fold over elastic is from Wawak. The bottom band elastic was purchased from a seller on Amazon.

Fit and Alterations

I made a size Y for the bralette, easing it into a size W band.

I made a size CC for the panty and added 2.5” of height to the center back, tapering to nothing at the center front. I also added 5/8” with to the back leg curve:

Construction

The top is a bit more involved than the Jalie Barbara, but it is still a pretty quick make. One thing I found a little odd is that the bottom band elastic is sewn at the bottom of the folded edge of the band, so with the 3/4” width it ends up being about halfway instead of being the full height of the band. That being said, it does stay in place pretty well during wear. I found the bottom band elastic was the perfect fit based on my underbust and didn’t need to be snugged up at all, and in fact could have even been a bit looser. Just be careful when sewing the underbust darts because if you don’t taper them enough you’ll get a rather unattractive bump. Definitely recommend using your regular sewing machine with a straight stitch instead of a serger for this part.

The panty leg elastic requires some pinning before sewing because they don’t give a marking chart for where to start stretching it. You just go by feel when pinning it. Make sure you don’t make the zigzag too wide when sewing the fold over elastic to the top of the fabric because otherwise you will get stitching overlap when you sew the back to the front.

Conclusion

I’m much happier with the Jalie Julia than the Jalie Barbara. The underbust dart and separate wider band give more definition and support, and the front gives more coverage than the front of the Barbara. The only thing I would change for next time would be to make it a regular instead of racerback style. This is just personal preference as I find I don’t like the pressure they put on my trapezius muscles.

The panty is honestly the best fitting one I’ve ever sewn. It doesn’t move at all during wear! With the side seam shifted forward it also gives a smoother side seam appearance.

The Julia is overall a much better fit for those with a curvier shape. It isn’t going to give the shaping of a regular bra, but on me it gives better definition and stays in place better than the Barbara and the panty gives full secure coverage without digging in or pinching.

Jalie 4452 Barbara Underwear Set

First version
Second version with wider band elastic
View C

Pattern Background

The Jalie Barbara underwear set is drafted for knits with at least 50% stretch in both directions. The bralette is super basic, with the neck and upper edge finished with fold over elastic that also forms the straps. The panty has four different leg options as well as options for both high waist and lower rise.

Fabric and Notions

I used a cotton/lycra jersey from Fashion Fabrics Club for both version, which were the scraps from some Jalie Tina t-shirts. I used solid cotton/lycra jersey fabrics I had in my stash for the crotch lining and bra lining.

The 3/4” fold over elastic is from Wawak. 3/4” is my favorite width for fold over elastic because it is still fairly narrow while being a bit easier to work with than the more common 5/8” width. I find the Wawak elastic has good recovery and stretch. If you don’t like the shiny side just flip it over and use the matte side like I did.

For stabilizing the straps I used 1/4” clear elastic from Mandala Crafts on Amazon. Be aware that this particular clear elastic is thicker, stronger, and less stretchy and other clear elastics I’ve purchased before.

Fit and Alterations

Bralette

I went with a size Y based on my bust measurement. I cut the elastic per the measurement of my underbust which is waist size W and then stretch it to fit when attaching it to the bra fabric. I suggest doing this if you don’t fall perfectly within the Jalie size chart.

The straps on my first version needed to be 1” longer. I think it is because my clear elastic is less stretchy.

For my second version I used 3/4” wide elastic and added 3/4” to the bottom of the band to account for the wider elastic.

Panty

I made the high waist with the View C leg cut. I started with a CC, which was based on my hip measurement. I initially added 1” to the upper edge of the back, tapering to nothing at the front. It really wasn’t enough. In an effort to balance it I ended up going back and trimmed the waistline down 1” at the center front and 1/2” at the side seam, tapering to nothing at the center back. I should have just added my normal 2.5” of height at the center back to start.

I didn’t realize when I bought this pattern that the legs aren’t finished with elastic. They’re just turned up and hemmed in place. I trimmed away 3/8” from the legs and applied fold over elastic that was cut about an inch shorter than the measured edge of the leg opening. I ended up unpicking it and removed another 3” from the leg elastic length because they kept riding up so badly.

Construction

This is one of the newer Jalie patterns so the instructions were clear with good illustrations. The straps have integrated clear elastic sew into the straps which helps give more support and stability. I do recommend making the elastic just a bit longer and extending it about an inch into the underarm section instead of ending it directly above the fabric, as this will give a little bit more strength to this area.

Conclusion

The Good

It is economical on fabric. I had 1/2 yard left over after making a Tina t-shirt with these fabrics and I was easily able to cut both the bra and panties from it.

I also like how they drafted the crotch lining to be smaller than the crotch piece, for reduced bulk when turning the hem. That’s something I don’t think I’ve seen another pattern designer do before, and I will definitely do this for my next Ottobre hipster panties, or any other panty pattern that has an enclosed elastic rather than fold over elastic finish as I’m not keen on how bulky a double layer makes the crotch once the elastic is turned under.

I think this is a great pattern for those new to sewing underwear and working with fold over elastic. The seaming is minimal and the instructions are clear and lay everything out. It goes together really, really quickly.

The Bad

My complaints are mostly about the fit. Despite the various size models shown wearing it, the bralette is really not the best if you’re above a B cup. The 3/8” bottom band elastic just feels too narrow and I found it odd they didn’t make the bottom band elastic wider for the larger sizes. It ends up riding up during wear. That being said, while the 3/4” wide elastic on my second version helped it still creeps up in the front during the day and almost feels like I’d need to do a 1/4” to 3/8” full bust adjustment to get a better fit.

A lot of the shelf bras out there have some sort of gathering or dart under the bust to help give more definition and this has absolutely nothing. The result is comfortable to wear but gives a more compressed look and tends to creep up a little during wear. I assumed that Jalie did some sort of extra drafting for the larger sizes (even if it is just something like allowing for a wider elastic) and I’m surprised they didn’t for this pattern. But at the same time if they had some sort of underbust shaping it would require adding a separate band of some sort to sew the shaping unit instead of being able to just turn under with elastic. I’m thinking of experimenting with adding some gathering at the side seam with clear elastic. I’ve seen pattern designers do this for t-shirts for fuller busts.

The panty leg cut just doesn’t work well on me. I chose View C which appeared to be the more brief-like cut and it still felt too cheeky. Snugging up the elastic helped but they still ride up unless I’m wearing them under yoga pants. Overall I feel like this drafting is better for someone with a flatter butt. Not even smaller, but just flatter in shape.

Overall I think this pattern is best for rectangular shapes that aren’t very curvy. I don’t necessarily mean slimmer, I mean proportionally a B cup or smaller with a flatter butt and a more rectangular body shape. I also think the fully lined bralette would also make a nice no-fuss swimwear top for girls and preteens as well as smaller busted adult women that don’t like thicker straps.