Jalie Dress patterns for adults

[Loops]

Hello all.....

I've been ogling some of the Jalie dress/ skirt patterns and would like your thoughts/experience:

The young models are twiggy, svelte and for the most part, pre-pubescent.  How well do these patterns size up for those of us with kids and the hips/backside to prove it?

I'm not looking at any pattern specifically at the moment (I keep changing my mind!), but I tend to prefer the line of the a-line skirts.....Cutting longer is not an issue, but avoiding spandex rolls on the lower back is less straightforward (for me) and a definite bonus.

TIA!

[ChristyRN]

I fit into the biggest size and find the one I made fairly comfortable. It looks no better or no worse that any other skate dress on my birthed-two-nine-pound-babies hips and belly. I do find that it fits better than the ones by Kwik Sew.

I made this one, the sleeveless version, in a turquoise.
http://www.jaliesewingpatterns.com/2008/11/jalie-2103.html

[DressmakingMomma]

I haven't sewn a skating dress in anything larger then an adult XS, so keep that in mind for my reply.

Something I have been frustrated with about Jalie patterns is that each one seems to be sized differently. I have three different Jalie patterns and even though each one might say size L for example, each of the L's fit slightly differently. One pattern, for example, was a bit too wide and seems to have larger armscye that needed to be altered to fit, while another pattern of the same size was a bit too narrow. Same problem with the panties part of the pattern - each one is cut a bit differently for each of the patterns I have.

I found Kwik Sew patterns easy to work with but I don't like the dimensions of the front vs. back which produced some puckering without altering the pattern in the dresses I've sewn. I really like the pattern for their skirts though, they have a pretty hang to them.

I started using specialty sportswear and like their fit for my daughter. You would want to be somewhat experienced at sewing because their instructions are lacking. I've made four dresses and I've been really happy with each one. i didn't use their skirt pattern though, and instead made my own modifying Kwik sew for the back and drafting my own flat front which is most flattering on my daughter.

[Loops]

Thanks! ladies,

I just spent about a week modifying and old kwik sew dress pattern to be an a-lined skirt. I'd used it before as a skirt (when I was 13 or so) and I still have all my old pattern pieces from that. I had to do a lot of work on the back where and above where the skirt attaches, and I did end up taking a different route with the design than I'd originally envisioned. It came out ok, and skates just fine, but got me thinking 'bout the future.

I've never heard of  specialty sportswear. Will check them out. And ChristyRN, I do like that dress! I fear the print on your own patterns though. All that paper assembly scares me......

[Meli]

I found Kwik Sew patterns easy to work with but I don't like the dimensions of the front vs. back which produced some puckering without altering the pattern in the dresses I've sewn. I really like the pattern for their skirts though, they have a pretty hang to them.

Thanks... I now feel so much better about my experience with the back of the dang dress!!!  I was fighting that Kwik Sew pattern like nobody's business, and I still didn't get the nice smooth line out of the back.  *grumble*

[Live2Sk8]

I've successfully used 4 Jalie patterns - 3 dresses and 1 skirt.  But I use the size Small (R) and make the skirts longer.  The only problem I've had is when I have used a fabric that didn't have the specified stretch.  Some patterns call for 4-way and some call for 2-way.  I found the perfect fabric for one dress but the fabric had 2-way stretch and this pattern called for 4-way.  I tried my normal size and basted it together - not going to work!  I ended up cutting a larger size and taking a tiny seam allowance.  This dress was a rhythmic gymnastics pattern so the fit might have been different than the skating dress patterns, but probably was more due to my using the incorrect stretch fabric.

One nifty trick if you have great fabric but it is less stretchy in one direction: for a different dress, I cut the front bodice piece with the biggest stretch across the body, and on the back bodice piece, I cut it with the biggest stretch down the body.  This gave me enough stretch to pull the dress on.  Luckily my fabric had a random print so it didn't matter that I switched directions.  It is really hard to find pretty 4-way stretch fabric!

ChristyRn, I love the Jalie pattern for your dress!  I wish it weren't out of print.  I can't imagine printing a pattern and putting together the pieces.  Ugh.  I think tracing the pattern pieces and cutting out fabric is the worst part of the sewing process.

[Loops]

One nifty trick if you have great fabric but it is less stretchy in one direction: for a different dress, I cut the front bodice piece with the biggest stretch across the body, and on the back bodice piece, I cut it with the biggest stretch down the body.  This gave me enough stretch to pull the dress on.  Luckily my fabric had a random print so it didn't matter that I switched directions.  It is really hard to find pretty 4-way stretch fabric!

This is exactly what I did on the back yoke pattern I had to draft for the skirt I did.  It helped alot, nice to know it wasn't a whacked out decision on my part!  The fabric was 4-way stretch, but the stretch wasn't as great in one direction.   And when I try to do it again (still have fabric left over, so why not play?!) I think I'll be using that feature a bit more.

I like those Jalie Rhythmic dresses.....for me they'd need a longer skirt, but that's the easy part.  It's the part over the backside that I worry about.  I'm not that big, but I do "got back", and I actually wonder how the technique (at least on one of those patterns) of cutting the skirt with the bodice, then attaching the trunks underneath would work.  It's a neat idea, and keeps the skirt more unified with the bodice, especially if there's a pattern on the fabric to deal with.

Live2Sk8, which skirt did you make?

[Live2Sk8]

Looks like my skirt pattern is discontinued, Loops.  The pattern number is 2456.  The skirt has a double layer - one shorter top layer, then the longer bottom layer, which is cute, especially if you use a lightweight fabric for the 2 ruffles, but I have also left the short layer off and it makes a great practice skirt.  It's a circular skirt that attaches to the yoke in a straight line parallel to the skirt hem.  I don't know if there is a term for that, but I think that is more flattering than attaching higher on the sides than on the front/back.  This pattern has a really cute jacket, too, but I haven't tried to make that.

The rhythmic pattern I used is 3026.  The skirt has very little volume to it - if I make it again, I will probably put a little slit in one or both of the sides to give it a bit more ease.  And yes, it definitely needed a longer skirt!  I thought I'd made mine quite a bit longer but next time I'd add another inch to what I already added.

[Loops]

So no need to fear the rhythmic dress patterns? And I put side slits in my a-line. They aren't over rated

Live2sk8 your skirt sounds cute! I've never worn one that's higher on the sides either, I don't have the physique for it. The original on the kwik sew pattern I used has a (way too short) circular skirt that is attached parallel to the hem line in front but then dips to form a "V" over the back. Gives a little more length back there. Actually that skirt still fit ok, but it was scandalously short for a 40 year old. Shorter than my marginally acceptable chloe noel that I'm trying to replace....

[DressmakingMomma]

That jacket pattern is really cute, too bad they discontinued it. I would like to find a good pattern so i could make a matching warm-up jacket for dd's dress.

Skirts can be tricky to get right. The last dress I made had an asymmetrical skirt and I was worried about placement so I sewed the dress leotard style in all one piece, basted the layers of skirt together and then marked out placement while dd was wearing it. I zigzag stitched it right on top of the leotard so that the salvage edge of the skirt is hidden under the skirt. i don't think it would work as well with bulky fabrics, but the mesh lays very nicely and I'll probably use that method again. The traditional dressmaker in me cannot stand raw edges but it does give the perfect hang and nobody but me knows.

I have cut every skirt, other then the first dress I made, significantly longer in the back. My girl has a round little bubble butt and needs the extra coverage. I use a rotary cutter and just swoop down lower then the pattern and it 'usually' works. Occasionally i have to recut after it's sewn to fix the way it hangs, but I'm REALLY picky. My kid doesn't have hips yet, so I have to lift at the waste and bring up the sides, and she has a bit of belly so I flatten out the front of the skirt. I think finding the skirt that flatters your body type makes a huge difference in how a dress looks.

[DressmakingMomma]

Here is dd's most recent dress using that leotard method and attaching the skirt afterwards. If you click on it, you can see the back and close ups. I just love these sewing threads, it's so much fun to create skating dresses.

[Meli]

Lovely!

[accordion]

http://www.jalie.com/jalie2456-warmup-jacket-skating-skirt-pdf-pattern.html

This is the link to the Jalie site for 2456 - the jacket and skirt pattern mentioned above. You can buy an electronic version, download to your computer & print off onto paper at home. Then you have to tape or glue the pieces together to make create the pattern. I've done this several times with several pattern companies, including Jalie. They have re-released most of their out of print patterns as a digital PDF download.

The download, print, tape thing can be annoying, but is cheaper than the paper patterns and can be done anywhere. Very hard to locate Jalie patterns here in Aus

[Loops]

Here is dd's most recent dress using that leotard method and attaching the skirt afterwards. If you click on it, you can see the back and close ups. I just love these sewing threads, it's so much fun to create skating dresses.

OMG that's a gorgeous dress.  And I agree, I love these sewing threads.  Perhaps it's something for the off season (for those of us unlucky enough to have one), but what about a sort of sew-a-long?  Maybe as under the challenge category (but not as a challenge, just because it seems to fit somehow).  Then we can help each other out with our various fitting issues, and provide inspiration!

My biggest issue is fabric sourcing.  I haven't worked with spandex/lycra/anything stretchy in sooo long I need a refresher course.  And worst, the local store only carries bottom end, very light weight spandex, mostly geared to the local rhythmic gymnastics community (and the taste is a wee bit different  ).  I have to do everything online, so no touchy feely, and most of the specialty fabric seems to come from the states, which could be a very expensive mistake.  I'd love to take a stab at making a jacket, but wouldn't know where to begin in terms of fabric- must be warm, but I'd love it if it weren't polar fleece on the outside (inside OK).  I'd love a white zip-up cardi/jacket for testing.  The one on the market (Jerry's) seem more fit for a tween/teen ager.....(white faux fur?!).

When I can get a photo, I'll post a pic of the skirt I'm working on.  It's a prototype for an eventual black a-line, that I hope to wear when I test later this season. I need something with a more dignified-but-still-freestyle length that the good folks at CN and friends seem to eschew for us adults.  I agree whole-heartedly with the no-visible-raw-edges philosophy (and I'm not a dressmaker....just picky).  Instead of putting the skirt on last, which is the technique I used in the past, I copied Jalie's technique from their current skirt pattern, and put on the aforementioned yoke.  This was an effort to hide that raw edge, and make fitting across my back more straighfoward. I still had trouble getting the thing to lay flat over my back, but above my bum, so I took some inspiration from a favorite pair of yoga pants, and made a fold-over but ruched in appearance waist.  It works, but I'd like to get some elastic in there so it stays in the right place.

I think this is one of the things that intrigues me about Jalies Rhythmic dress pattern (3356, which needs a keyhole back or something to get rid of that back zip).  You still have the line of stitching around the waist, but since the skirt is a continuous piece of fabric with the bodice, I'm wondering if that makes it somehow work better over the back, with side slits in the skirt, of course.

Really what I need is are courses in pattern drafting and alternations with spandex.  Craftsy doesn't seem to comply with the latter for some strange reason!

[accordion]

Loops - this an online seller in the UK who specialises in stretch:  https://www.funkifabrics.com

I've good things about them from sewing bloggers. For more shops, read Melissa's blog:
http://www.fehrtrade.com/article/748/where-to-buy-exercise-fabric-a-global-list
She designs and drafts patterns for running and other sports. Melissa is very generous with her knowledge of stretch fabrics and sewing.

Lastly try sewing pattern review -  http://sewing.patternreview.com - bound to be some useful information there.

[DressmakingMomma]

Thank you, I'm very happy with how it came out. A sew-along, what a fantastic idea!

i know jalie's method of attaching the skirt right on top so the stitching shows and i just couldn't bring myself to do that. What I've mostly done is make a leotard out of lining, then made the bodice and the panties separately adding in a seam allowance at the waist and stitching the skirt into the bodice. After the dress is constructed but before putting the lining in, using a small zigzag to top-stitch down the seam allowances to lay flat towards the panty keeps the seam from getting bulking. The final step is to stitch in the dress lining which can get tricky depending upon the design but looks nice because most raw edges are hidden under the lining. You have to get the lining exactly right or it can create pulls or puckers, and you have to choose the line of the skirt before you've finished sewing.

I had a girl that I was making a dress for whose body type was tricky and what i ended up doing was whipping up a quick leotard out of cheap white spandex, and marked it up with sharpie while she was wearing it for all of the places I wanted to adjust. I pulled out the seams and used that and the original pattern to come up with the final dress pattern. The fit ended up being perfect, so that was a good way to ensure i wasn't wasting expensive fabric. When I sew stuff for my own child i just am too impatient and want to get started, but it does work really well to do a mock up.

A store about an hour from me sells only stretch fabrics for skating and dance - I am in Heaven when i go. But they are three times the price of ordering the same thing online, so I do a mix of ordering and purchasing from them. I just bought a nice heavy white spandex and what I really want to learn to do is dye my own fabric. That would make things so much easier - no more slightly mismatched spandex to mesh problems and I could get exactly the color I wanted. That's next on the list for experimenting with.

[rachelplotkin]

This is also a good site for information on sewing skating costumes.  The author is a roller skater but I believe the costumes to be very similar to ice skating.
http://sewskateread.blogspot.com/

[DressmakingMomma]

Loops, I recommend spending some time on the specialty sportswear site. It is a little confusing to navigate but I feel like their basic pattern is so solid with excellent lines. They don't just take one pattern and size it up or down with pretty much the same lines since a little girl's body is different from a puberty girl is different from a teen is different from a lady and their patterns take that all into consideration. It's also the only pattern company I've used that has the greatest degree of stretch go up and down vs. side to side so the pieces are a little wider to start with. I've made four dresses so far and each one has had a superb fit. I haven't needed their customer service, but I've heard they are great at answering questions and they do sell a skirt only pattern. Now that I'm thinking about it, I should check to see if they sell a jacket pattern - duh. I'd like to end up with their basic dress pattern in each size eventually.

[Loops]

You ladies gave me some good weekend reading.  DressmakingMomma- yes, Specialty sportswear has a jacket pattern.  My only complaint is that it doesn't have princess seams, which I feel are more flattering on me.  One of the Jalie ones does, I think it's the scary out-of-print tape-fest one.  That is one heckuva system they have going on there.  It's actually a bit intimidating, especially since I have no need for a dress, so no real search image in mind.  Holywow, you really can do anything with them though, and if one is going to invest, that's probably a better place than Jalie.  Do you have their manual?  Can you give me a review?  I might head that direction when I need a dress.  For the time being, I have to admit I'm having fun with my first stab at pattern-design/heavy-handed-alterations (not sure where the line falls between them).  I redid the trunk part, and am happier with the fit, got the wrinkles out of the back!  Wasn't too hard.... the next step is to cut the pattern to convert it into a yoke/panty design for the skirt attachement.  I do feel kind of stupid reinventing the wheel, but I'm learning something in the process.

Accordian, I know about patternreview, and am on there.  You're right, there is some knowledge to be gleaned from there, and I need to get into the habit of using them as a resource.  Thanks also for the reminder about the fehr trade website.  I went  back there, and found some resources in Germany, and either Denmark or Sweden that are interesting.  I'll try emailing the woman though, because for a pair of practice pants that I have in my head, I think I want the spandex lined with polar fleece.  I just don't break a sweat here, like I did when I did free, and when I can, I run to the rink.  And it's bloody cold and I'm kind of over it (says the ICE skater).  It seems that there's only one source for the polar-lined spandex (sportex out of LA).  I still have the same issue though of really not having physical access to much of anything, and feel like I have to do a lot of guesswork when choosing fabrics almost blind.  I just ordered some heavy weight (?? 400g/m) spandex for my testing skirt.  I got it from a shop I use frequently here in France, and am just praying that it's what I hope it is!  The spandex I can get locally is around 100g/m.  It's the same thing my mom always used for my comp dresses so it's fine, but I just like the way the heavier weight CN things I have wear.  There is a fancypancy Dance fabric shop in Paris, that is in the process of going online.  It's deffo on the list for fabric for a dress, not so much for practice wear.  Although an email to them might be in order- they don't have a lot of technical info about the fabrics up.

I've seen sewskateread.  In fact, it was her blog that gave me the courage to embark on this journey!

If people are interested in doing a sew-a-long, I'd be down with doing something together. 

[DressmakingMomma]

I chose the tulip line because I liked the not-too-deep dip of the skirt and I just ordered two basic patterns (traditional and raglan sleeve) in the size I needed. To customize I trace over the basic outline of the pattern to block out my pieces. I think this is easier than buying a pattern that is sort of close and then trying to adjust. I didn't buy the manual or any of the extras. I would love to try the angel pattern sometime.

[accordion]

....stuff...And it's bloody cold and I'm kind of over it (says the ICE skater).  It seems that there's only one source for the polar-lined spandex (sportex out of LA).  ...more stuff...

I'm thinking that merino jersey/ponte might be the go. Along with either merino or bamboo fabric vests.

[Meli]

Going to try my hand with Specialty Sportswear after all this discussion. They have a custom measurements option, and being that I don't fit the standard size, I'm going to give it a whirl.

[Loops]

I'm thinking that merino jersey/ponte might be the go. Along with either merino or bamboo fabric vests.

I hadn't thought about jerseys in general.....mostly because of recovery (baggy knees and bum are worse sins than cold).  but if they have enough elastic in them, they might work.  Have you tried them?  Do they work well??

Going to try my hand with Specialty Sportswear after all this discussion. They have a custom measurements option, and being that I don't fit the standard size, I'm going to give it a whirl.

Oooh, please let me know what you think!  I almost bought just a basic pattern from them, but shipping to France is $24.95!!! (international flat rate).  So I will be waiting until I'm ready to do a dress, and that shipping is all the excuse I need to justify the package with the manual.  I'm nowhere near as experienced as DressmakingMomma is, and I think I might learn a lot.  It looks like lots of fun can be had with these dresses, especially when one gets to bling them up!

[saje]

Going to try my hand with Specialty Sportswear after all this discussion. They have a custom measurements option, and being that I don't fit the standard size, I'm going to give it a whirl.

Let me know what you think as well!  I've been thinking of trying my hand at sewing my own dresses, because none of the off the rack dresses fit me!  My girth measurement is much larger than any of the standard sized costumes (and costume patterns).  I've come to the realization that if I ever want a dress to fit me, I'll either have to pay someone to make it for me or start making my own...

[accordion]

Loops - A high elastane or spandex (lyrca) content in any jersey, will have good recovery. The ponte is a double knit and has less stretch, but more warmth. Both would require some adjustment to whatever pattern you choose. If you are worried about saggy knees you may need to reduce the width of the leggings pattern in the knees. You may need to take out so much that you have negative ease.

I've used a merino jersey with a high spandex content (20%) to make skating leggings for my daughters (Jalie 2215). The younger wanted slightly loose leggings so hers had 2.5 cm ease everywhere. The elder wanted form fitting leggings so I used the Cake leggings pattern. http://sewingcake.com/5555-leggings/  The pattern matched her body measurements exactly, except for the calf muscles and lower. There I measured her with her boots on.   

Hope this helps!