Jalie Sewing Patterns - News, Info and Ideas

Video : How to Make a Bra

2011-12-09T15:42:00.001-05:00

We just uploaded a new video tutorial showing you how to make a wireless bra using Jalie 3131 - Bra and Camisole sewing pattern. In the video, you can steps from A to Z and Jeanne shows both the regular and nursing clips (on the same bra).

Here are links to SewSassy, where you can find all the notions used in the video:

Sliders and Rings
Nursing Clips
Hook and Eye Closures
Strapping and Finishing (plush) Elastic
Foldover Elastic

If you would like to insert bra cups, simply cut an extra pair of cup linings. Before assembling the bra, baste a first lining to the cups. Then, cut across the top of the other lining (this will create an opening between the two linings), pin and baste it so the cup+lining.

Reprints are in!

2011-12-01T09:04:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post to let you know that Gymnastics Leotards 2792 and Men's Skating Pants 2803 are finally back in stock!

We are working on a new video that should be online in a few days... Stay tuned :)

Video Instructions

2011-10-27T08:50:00.000-04:00

As you probably noticed on the video banner on this blog, we recently added video tutorials showing the techniques we use to sew knits and elastics. With all the positive feedback we received, we decided to go ahead and show how to sew our latest skating dress pattern (3136) from A to Z.

The dress has a neckline binding using the same technique as our dress pattern 3024 and our onesie pattern 3133. Go to 1:33 to view the binding technique and skip the first dress assembly steps.

Ready, Set, Click!

2011-09-29T09:14:00.001-04:00

Good news! I just finished uploading the patterns to the website. The new collection is officially avaiable for pre-order. The backs of patterns are there, but I will be done preparing/uploading the PDF instructions only next week.

Please note that all orders containing a new pattern will ship complete when all the patterns are in, which should be between Oct. 5 and 7. Of course, we will process them in the order they were received.

Happy shopping everyone!

Sneak Peeks... 10 of 10

2011-09-24T14:55:00.000-04:00

Last but not least, pattern 3136 - Dance / Skating Leotards and Dresses

The idea of the pattern is a bit similar to pattern 3026: a leotard with optional skirt sewn to the outside of the garment (instead of having a seam at the waist).

View A has a surplice neckline with binding (like dress 3024)

You can use the same fabric for both sides, a contrast fabric or even nude mesh for an asymmetrical look. The picture above shows View A with the skirt.

Here is a photo of View B (boat neckline) as a dance leotard:

The pattern also includes a cap sleeve for more versatility.

That's it :) You've seen all the pattern previews! My next post will be when the patterns are up on the website for pre-order.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sneak Peeks... 9 of 10

2011-09-24T14:31:00.000-04:00

We just finished our last photo shoot with a lovely family.

Here are Damien and his dad, Eric wearing their polo shirts, our new pattern #3137:

The pattern includes polo shirt with short of long banded sleeve, back yoke, side slit, flap pockets and shoulder tabs.

Of course the pockets, flaps and shoulder tabs are optional. One the pattern cover you will see a plain long sleeve and a short sleeve with one pocket (no flap) version.

This pattern is already a winner at our house. I hope you like it too :)

Sneak Peeks... 8 of 10

2011-09-23T21:30:00.001-04:00

Change of plans! I know we were supposed to show you a dance/skating pattern, but after an intense photo shoot with my 11 month old baby girl (who took her first steps 3 weeks ago and now won't stop walking), I wanted to share a few photos of our new onesies with you instead :)

"Shhhhh... Your little baby's sleeping..." Look at Éléonore listening carefully to her grandmother's story :) I just loooove this picture!

3133 is a basic onesie pattern. It includes a choice of two binded necklines: boatneck or crew neck, sleeveless or with regular or puffed sleeve (short or long) and two little decorations (ruffles for girls, tie for boys) that really dresses up the onesie.

The onesie pattern is designed for four-way stretch fabric and as you can see on the pictures, the fit can change a lot depending on the fabric you use.

All onesies on the photos are the same size (6M + 1 inch for Éléonore who is 11 months old, but who only weighs 17 pounds. The extra 1 inch was not necessary but I didn't want her to outgrow her onesies before her first birthday! The purple/blue/green striped onesie looks snug (rib knit with spandex), the grey/black striped onesie (cotton/spandex) fits perfectly and the solid purple (rayon) one looks a bit too long... All bindings are sewn with the same technique as the 3024 dress and there is a three-button placket at the bottom.

If pattern 3133 becomes as popular as our diaper pattern, we will most probably come up with new baby patterns for knits.

I'm not sure I will have time to update the blog during the weekend, but if our last photo shoot goes well, I might be able to show you the last two patterns.

Good night!

Sneak Peeks... 7 of 10

2011-09-22T11:35:00.000-04:00

Here is one pattern that took us months to fine tune: 3131 - Bra and Camisole

We had women of all ages, with breast of all shapes and sizes (32C, 36A, 34B, 34D, 38C, 44DD...) try it and we modified the pattern until we had a great fit, with everything is in its place, with the breasts supported, but not squished (we will put pictures of the prototypes -indicating with the bra size our testers usually wear so you can relate- on our website). The bra gives the illusion of a wire, but it is wireless.

We came up with an easy way to pick your size without making any reference to your actual bra size. Full bust measurement = Cup Size and Underbust measurement = Band size. For example, if your measurements are 40 inches (full bust) and 32 inches (underbust), you would use Jalie size "Y" for the cup and Jalie size "V" for the band. It's THAT easy!

All the notions are easily available online. We bought our clips, strapping, finishing and band elastics from two stores: Bra Makers Supply (Canada) and Sew Sassy Fabrics (US). I will put more information about notions on the pattern detail page.

As you can see in the images above, 3131 includes a camisole and a wireless bra that you can turn into a nursing garments using nursing clips instead of rings at the front. The cami has a bit more ease and is longer than our 2564 underwear as it is designed with the "post-partum" figure in mind.

Again, the construction is really simple and fun. Making this is bra definitely faster than shopping for one !

Dancers and skaters, don't despair! We will show a dance/skating leotard/dress pattern tomorrow :)

Sneak Peeks... 6 of 10

2011-09-21T14:07:00.000-04:00

Jalie's take on a staple garment: 3129 - Women's Vests.

When you are a t-shirt & jeans type like I am (and suffer from the post-baby-muffin-top syndrome), a little vest can quickly become your new best friend :) Its brings a new life to plain tees and hides little bumps and lumps showing with tops that are a bit tight around the waist.

We put a Jalie twist to it with a great sewing technique that is totally different from what people are used to. Sewing these lined vests involves NO HAND STITCHING! For those of you who made 2921, Jeanne says it is just as fun as the scarf-collar top sewing technique.

This pattern includes three different styles:

A - Classic vest with darts (front and back) and mock welt pocket and back tie

B - More edgy style with princess seams, decorative flap and peplum

I really like how the peplum pieces meet at center back.

C - Cropped vest (view B without the peplum)

This pattern comes in 17 sizes (so do the shirt and nursing tops patterns), starting at adult size "P" (31'' bust), just like we did for the suit jacket, skirt and pants a few years ago (patterns 2559, 2560 and 2561).

Next up, 3131, an underwear pattern that I think will start a few "sewalongs"...

Sneak Peeks... 5 of 10

2011-09-20T18:11:00.001-04:00

It has been a few years since we had a "real" sporty swimsuit. I am not a big fan of one-piece swimsuits, but would always ending picking this one when going to the pool with the kids (I think it is more practical than my usual bikini...). As opposed to many one-piece suits out there, this one gave the illusion of feminine curves rather than just the flat, square, look.

3134 is a racerback swimsuit with lined front and a flattering contrast inset.

On this one, we added a white piping effect using a narrow strip of lycra that we sewed with a zigzag stitch. When stretching the strip of fabric, it rolls under and flattens as you sew.

Here is an all-black version:

We were happy to have a mother-daughter pattern cover that shows the range of sizes: The pattern includes all sizes from toddler to plus sizes.

Next preview: 3129, another pattern for woven fabrics...

Sneak Peeks... 4 of 10

2011-09-19T21:23:00.000-04:00

When my daughter was born, I wanted to give breastfeeding a second chance, but had very little time to sew (remember, we were launching the new collection at the same time). So... I went shopping for breastfeeding tops. I could not believe it! Little to no selection, everything was suuuuper expensive, most of the tops did not fit at all (too big or very tight), everything was black or burgundy (no prints - which is weird because solid colors + baby = stains)...

I quickly turned to my creative mom and told her we had to come up with something that did not look like a tent and that would be fitted, yet not too tight (because let's just say that I did not get back into shape as quickly this second time around...). This idea quickly became my favorite pattern of the summer :) We made it in a tee-shirt and tunic length (that I would wear with leggings - I did not want to buy/make jeans before I had lost all the baby weight).

So here is our new nursing tee, 3132:

This is View B, a flattering V-neck shown here in t-shirt length with a 3/4 sleeve. The top has a nursing panel over a layer that looks pretty much like a racerback tank you would wear backwards... You simply have to lift the panel a bit, move the underlayer toward the center and you are ready to nurse or pump.

View A has a totally different look with its hood and kangaroo pocket (shown here in tunic length):

We asked our model - who is a mom of 3 (with great genetics, I know!) - to go back in time and pretend to be nursing our doll just to show how discreet it looks:

Of course, it would not be a real Jalie pattern if it could only be used a few months... That's why the pattern includes a "regular top" version of both the hoodie and V-neck tee:

We gave a prototype to a friend of ours (who is no longer breastfeeding, but now experiencing those lovely hot flashes) and she told us that the nursing panel worked as a venting panel, which she really liked when travelling to Europe during the summer. A nursing/menopause top, how great is that? :)

Tomorrow: 3134... a new Jalie swimsuit

Sneak Peeks... 3 of 10

2011-09-19T12:12:00.002-04:00

Since I did not have time to post previews during the weekend, I'll show you two new patterns today :)

First up, sewing pattern 3135, a costume-making basic that will make many skating club seamstresses happy :)

3135 is a basic zip-front skin suit pattern with collar and hood options. It's gusseted crotch is very comfortable.

With long sleeves and legs, it can be used as a base for many costumes (Avatar, Catwoman, Blue Man Group, base for any superhero in tights...). If you need to make a feline costume, check out Spandex World's animal print velvets - #4880, 1955 and 8319 - we ordered a few yards for prototypes and they all have a great 4-way stretch and recovery! Even though it is listed as a women's pattern, it can easily be lengthen to fit a boy's longer torso and legs.

Make it with short sleeves and legs, you get yourself a short wetsuit. Perfect for protecting kids from the sun and an interesting alternative for parents looking for a modest swimsuit option.

Next preview: a garment that I had a chance to test a lot in the last 11 months :)

Sneak Peeks... 2 of 10

2011-09-16T20:54:00.000-04:00

Since we discontinued pattern 2322, our women's shirt pattern, I received tons of emails asking us if we would ever make another shirt pattern. Well... Here it is :)

We wanted to make a casual shirt that is easy to adjust and easy to wear. It's fitted, but not too tight, simple, yet with a little edge to it. It has darts at front/back waist and at the bust, a back yoke, 7/8 sleeve, no-fuss cuff, optional flap pockets and sleeve ties and a standing collar.

Make it in a light fabric and omit the pockets for a totally different, more classic look...

We worked very hard to have a cut that flatters as many body types as possible. After many fittings, I think we succeeded. Broad backs, small frames, short torso, full to tiny bust... just like our famous 2908 jeans pattern, this shirt somehow manages to look good on pretty much everyone :)

Stay tuned for the 3135 preview!

Sneak Peeks... 1 of 10

2011-09-15T13:17:00.003-04:00

Yes, T-E-N new patterns (pattern-numbers-to-be 3129 to 3138) will be in our warehouse before the end of the month!

As usual, I will show you pictures of one or two patterns every day or so until they are all available for pre-order on our website.

Here are two pictures our new gymnastics tank leotard and biketard (3138).

View A has a regular leg (we made the front and back two different colors on this one and used the front fabric for appliques in the back and back fabric for appliques in the front):

View B has a boy leg with a crotch panel (design similar to discontinued pattern 2317).

A simple design that sews very quickly. We used the 3024 binding technique for the neck and armholes and finished leg openings with elastics (View A) and topstitching/coverstitching (View B).

For the butterfly appliqués (that we sewed to the pattern pieces before sewing the leo together), we used our brand new Sizzix machine with the butterfly die set. If you like the appliqués but don't feel like buying the machine and die, we included a butterfly pattern (along with maple leaf and parallelogram designs) in a few sizes on the pattern.

We hope all gymnasts / gym moms / coaches (and all of you who were sad to see 2317 go) will be pleased with this pattern.

Coming up, 3130... A classic...

How to Sew Stretch Fabrics

2011-07-08T08:58:00.000-04:00

People often think that they can't sew stretch fabrics with their regular sewing machines. Actually, all you need is a regular zigzag stitch and straight stitch! Here's the technique Jeanne has been teaching since the early 80's:

First, baste your pieces with a regular zigzag stitch (medium width, approximately 10 stitches per inch). VERY IMPORTANT: "ZIG" on the fabric and "ZAG" in the air as you can see in the video.
Sew a straight stitch (again, regular length - not too long or too short). As you can see, she bar tacks at the beginning and then STRETCH THE FABRIC GENTLY as she goes. This way, the fabric keeps pretty much it's original stretch.
This step is optional, but will reinforce your seam. It's another straight stitch, right over the first one. You have to stretch the fabric again, just like you did the first time:

It's as simple as that! Here you can see that our "regular machine stitch" has as enough stretch as the serger stitch. Before you make your first swimsuit for yourself or a skating dress for a loved one, take some fabric and practice the technique so you know how much you have to pull to have a nice stretchy seam :)

Happy sewing!

Back in Stock

2011-07-04T15:29:00.000-04:00

Reprints for Skating Dress (2800), Stretch Jeans (2908) and Cardigan pattern 2919 will be in tomorrow. Their status has already been changed to "in stock" so you can add them to your cart.

Happy sewing!

Finally!

2011-06-28T13:27:00.000-04:00

Postal workers are back to work, things are going back to normal. All orders that were on hold are packed and ready to go! Yeah!

Also, reprints for the 2800, 2919 and 2908 should be available very shortly. We were supposed to wait until the new collection to reprint them, but decided to go ahead and reprint earlier because of the high demand for these designs. I will let you know when they arrive to our warehouse.

Canada Post Shuts Down Urban Operations Nationwide

2011-06-15T13:56:00.003-04:00

It's now official, no mail is moving in Canada! All orders shipped via Lettermail (1-3 patterns) or Small Packet Air (4+ patterns shipped outside North America) are on hold until the conflict resolves. All 4+ pattern orders shipped to the US and 8+ patterns shipped outside North America are still being shipped via UPS.

Let's hope it won't last too long!

NOTE: If your order is already on its way, please be patient. If your order is currently on hold and you wish to cancel it to order from a local retailer (all retailers outside Canada receive their orders via UPS), please let us know.

Update on the Postal Strike

2011-06-09T11:00:00.000-04:00

Since the postal worker union voted for rotating strikes affecting only one region every day, we have been able to ship orders that were on hold. Even though mail is still processed, Canada Post implemented cost-reducing measures because of the drop in mail volume that could add a few days to normal delivery times.

To make sure people get their patterns asap, we ship via UPS whenever it's possible. For more information on the postal strike, please visit InfoPost.

Notice of a Work Disruption at Canada Post

2011-05-31T13:11:00.000-04:00

Bad news:

"Canada Post received notice that the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) intends to begin strike activities at 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 2, 2011. In the event of a strike, Canada Post will not operate. Mail and parcels will not be delivered."

Orders shipping to Canada:

All orders will be on hold until the conflict resolves. If you want us to ship your order via UPS, let us know and we will send you a money request for the difference in shipping cost.

Orders shipping to the US:

Orders shipping via parcel service (4+ patterns) will ship via UPS instead of postal service at no extra cost.
Orders shipping via letter mail (1-3 pattern orders) will be on hold until the conflict resolves. If you need 1-3 patterns, we strongly recommend you purchase from a US retailer. For a complete list of Jalie retailers, please visit: http://www.jalie.com/worldwide-retailers

Orders shipping outside North America:

Orders shipping via letter mail (1-3 pattern orders) will be on hold until the conflict resolves. If you need 1-3 patterns, we strongly recommend you purchase from a retailer outside Canada. For a complete list of Jalie retailers, please visit: http://www.jalie.com/worldwide-retailers
Parcel orders under 2 kg ($52.50 shipping cost or less) will also be on hold until the conflict resolves.
Orders over 2 kg will ship UPS at no extra cost.

To avoid orders getting "stuck" in the mail stream during the strike, we will start shipping US orders via UPS as of today.

There's an App for That Too!

2011-05-24T09:38:00.001-04:00

Great news! We just released a free Jalie Application for all iPhone/iPod/iPad owners out there!

This means that you can now take your Jalie catalog with you without having to connect to the internet. When you have access to a network, you can download and save backs of patterns and instructions for your next trip to the fabric store.

You can search the offline catalog by keyword,
by pattern number or category...

or simply flip through the catalog pages for inspiration.!

Once you are on the pattern detail page, you can view pattern pieces and line drawings and tag the patterns as Favorite or Owned. This means a quick access patterns in your wishlist and no more duplicate purchases!

The application lets you add patterns to an offline shopping cart and when you are connected to the Internet, simply hit the checkout button to move all the items to our online shopping cart and complete your purchase (the buy 3, get 1 free promotion on www.jalie.com still applies).

We also added a Projects section where you can log what you have made (size used, modifications, results, etc) and submit the projects for our Hall of Fame in a few taps.

We hope you like it :)

P.S.: The app was the secret project on the picture in the "Family at Work" post

Jalie on Ice

2011-05-05T16:02:00.000-04:00

I recently received an email from a professional skater who made all the costumes for Sterren Dansen Op Het IJs, the Dutch version of Skating with the Stars. He said he used our patterns for each and every costume on the show (modified of course - as you can see in the photos below) and the results are s-t-u-n-n-i-n-g:

It is such a thrill to see our patterns come to life in such beautiful pieces. I could not help but browse online to find more photos... I stumbled across this funky version of leotard 2792 (view C) with a "slightly" higher leg. Click the link to view more photos of the show.

Kudos to Simon and his team for those three months of hard (but ooooh so productive) work. I'm sure it will inspire many skaters out there!

3028 - Twist-Front Assembly

2011-02-22T11:34:00.001-05:00

I received a few emails asking more detailed instuctions for the Twist-Front Skating Dress. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I thought it might be a good idea to post photos of each step.

Please allow a few seconds/minutes for the slideshow to appear:

Family at Work

2011-02-09T15:34:00.001-05:00

At her mini-desk

I've been coming to work with Éléonore since she is two weeks old. Her dad (our 2678 board shorts model - yes, I'm a lucky lady!) comes along with us too.

Here is a fun photo that gives you a hint about an upcoming project... Can you guess what it is? I'm sure that techies among you will figure it out right away :)

Supervising daddy's work

At 4 months old, she is still teeny-tiny, unlike her big brother at the same age, and has a great personality! Working with a baby does affect productivity a bit, but having the opportunity to spend so much time together in the first months of her life is well worth it.

Tummy-time Break with mommy

Reprints are In!

2011-02-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

Good news! Sewing pattern 2795 - Zip-Front Jacket and Hoodie is now back in stock and ready to ship.

More Sewing Patterns on Our E-Patterns Site

2010-12-10T11:07:00.003-05:00

I recently received many emails from people looking for our Women's Shirt (2322) and Jean Jacket (2320) patterns. Both were discontinued a while ago and since we will not reprint them, we decided to add them to our e-pattern line, along with the 2443 gymnastics leotard pattern.

You can now purchase them at www.jaliesewingpatterns.com. Once you save a pattern to your computer, you can print/cut it as often as you need. Taping the pages is time consuming, but you don't need to trace it afterwards... Simply cut the pattern and print it again in the future if you need it in another size.

Mademoiselle Jalie

2010-11-08T11:04:00.000-05:00

I am happy to introduce you to Éléonore! She was born on October 3rd (a full week late), weighing a healthy 8 lbs and measuring 19 inches long. Even though things are not as stressful with baby, it is a bit of a challenge having a toddler and a newborn under the same roof :) We are very lucky, she is a very calm baby and Henri is an amazing, very caring big brother and his "terrible two" is not so terrible after all.

Since staying home all day is not my forte, I have been in and out of the office for the last couple of weeks, bringing baby and daddy along. We are already brainstorming for the next collection and some exciting new projects... Stay tuned!

The New Sewing Patterns Are In!

2010-09-24T11:39:00.001-04:00

Our latest sewing patterns are now in the warehouse (love the smell of fresh ink!). All pre-orders have been shipped and life is back to normal until baby girl arrives (it could be any day now) :)

I can't wait to read the first new collection review... What will it be? Dress, Skatewear, Swimwear?

I went for a family photo shoot and for the "belly shots", I wore a black wrap halter top with all-black yoga pants. I had to fold the waistband over because of the (huuuuge) belly, but it still looked very nice. Henri and his dad had matching black t-shirts

Because my bust measurement is pretty much all "ribs and back", let's just say that I needed less coverage for the wrap (it looked like the little girls' wraps on me and I wanted it a bit lower). We did a little alteration to reduce the width of the wrap on the side, but that took only a few minutes (no need to cut anything, two small stitches did the trick) and the result was exactly what I wanted. I will explain it in more details when I have some time to take pictures of it.

New Patterns Now Available for Pre-Order

2010-09-08T17:30:00.001-04:00

Good news! You can now place your pre-order for the new sewing patterns. They should be ready to ship around the 23rd. Happy shopping!

New Sewing Patterns Preview - 7 of 7

2010-09-07T22:04:00.002-04:00

Last but not least! 3028 - Figure Skating Dresses, a figure skating dress pattern with a twist... literally :)

This pattern includes two upper bodice styles and optional flounce for the tiered A-line skirt.

View A has a twist front and allows for fun color blocking when you use two different fabrics for the twist piece layers.
View B has a halter neckline with a pinched V front. This style will be very popular amongst skaters who like Joanie Rochette's halter dresses!

The back is open with a piece that goes across, just below the shoulder blades. An elastic is sewn where the upper and lower bodice meet for a nice snug fit.

A teenager who saw the dress told me it reminded her of Bella's prom dress in Twilight (that I have not had a chance to watch - so I quicly went online to take a look and SHE WAS RIGHT!!! Longer flounces and the right blue would indeed work wonderfully for a Bella program :)

Now that you have seen previews of the entire collection, you will have a to wait a few days before pre-ordering your favorite styles from www.jalie.com. Some retailers might also allow pre-orders, so keep checking your favorite store's website for updates!

Good news for US customers and stores: Canada Post and USPS have signed a new agreement and now offer quicker delivery. This means that delivery should now take 5-7 business days instead of the 10-12 business days we were used to.

New Sewing Patterns Preview - 6 of 7

2010-09-07T21:45:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the delay! My long weekend was pretty busy with pre-press work, pre-baby renovations, and painting/decorating Henri's bowling-themed big boy bedroom - yes... my son is obsessed with bowling... I don't know why... but he is :)
The next pattern in the list is actually three pieces that people will not necessarily wear together, but that will be a staple pattern for costumes of all kinds and for those of you who like quick projects: 3027 - Dancewear

The pattern includes the following:

Wrap halter top (also shown in the yoga pants pictures) - This top looks great on its own, but is also very cute as a swimsuit cover-up or over a cami. This is why I plan to wear (in black) for my "official" pregnancy pictures (with all-black yoga pants). It will be much better than the plain tube top they had at the studio when I went for my first pregnancy!
Pull-on spiral skirt (6 gores) - The perfect pattern to get rid of those tiny knit pieces in your stash that are just too pretty to throw away, but to small to make anything else...

Tights (footed or over-the-boot) - For Halloween, Roller Derby, Figure Skating... So much fun to have one-of-a-kind tights/hosiery.

We did have fun with the skirt pattern and some remnants from our fabric room that reminded me of the Queen of Hearts:

We paired the skirt with the ballet leotard, used clear elastic for both straps and made little ruffled decorations using chiffon strips that we sewed on the cover stitch and then over stretch elastic to create stretch trimming. We used it for one strap and put small pieces on the skirt hem. The leotard's peplum hides the skirt's yoke and keeps the skirt from riding up (because it does not have attached briefs).

I won't keep you waiting any longer... I will type the next post right away :)

New Sewing Patterns Preview - 5 of 7

2010-09-03T21:00:00.002-04:00

Over the years, we received requests from all over the world for rhythmic gymnastics and twirling costumes. We were a little hesitant due to the special requirements for those costumes, but a few months ago, we received an email from a very talented sewist from the UK who was a real inspiration and we decided to go ahead with the design, backed with her expertise and very specific requirements that guided us though the design.
Thank to this great collaboration, pattern 3026 - Rhythmic Gymnastics Leotard will now allow gymnasts from all over the world to get a unique leotard without breaking the bank.

The leotard can be made with or without the short A-line skirt. For the yellow and pink leotards, we cut flowers from printed spandex and sewed them all over one side and cut 1-cm-wide stripes that we sewed to the sleeves for a spiral effect.

The ribbon and start appliqué pattern is included in the pattern and we indicate in the instructions when appliqués should be sewn to make it as easy as possible.

This pattern can of course be used for skating. We made a stunning skating dress in black velvet with black mesh yoke and sleeves. Because the skirt is sewn to the right side of the leotard (no waist seam), it can easily be lowered or changed as the skater grows.

Because we do not have the time and patience to glue all those stones one by one (there are over 200 stones on the yellow leotard to give the flowers a "little" sparkle), we used a hot-fix rhinestones and transfer paper that works very well for this type of project. You simply have to put the stones face down on the paper and then iron them on the garment!

The next pattern is a pattern that will surprise a few people and will be a good inspiration for your next Halloween party!

New Sewing Patterns Preview - 4 of 7

2010-09-02T20:10:00.003-04:00

Now, a sewing pattern for skaters of all ages and levels that need fun pieces for practice: 3025 - Figure Skating Dresses. Even though this pattern is labeled as a skating pattern, I'm sure many people will make good off-the-ice use of this pattern.

The pattern includes two short freestyle skirts and two longer dance dress that would be great for ballroom dancing:

View A: A-Line skirt with optional patch pocket
View B: Fishtail skirt
View C: Asymmetrical skirt
View D: Circular skirt

All styles have a yoke with 3/4'' elastic and attached briefs. View D is shorter on the sides so that the leg looks longer.

For those who are wondering about the leotard on the pictures, it is sewing pattern 2674. We simply omitted the skirt and pinched the front using the technique shown in our unitard and tutu pattern.

I can't skate, but plan on making the asymmetrical skirt or fishtail skirt in a nice slinky when I am back to pre-pregnancy size. I will most probably turn it into a simple pull-on skirt without the briefs.

Stay tuned for more patterns... :)

New Sewing Patterns Preview - 3 of 7

2010-09-01T20:38:00.002-04:00

Those of you who attended PR Weekend in Montreal in May had to chance to see (and even try on) new pattern 3024 - Dresses.
This new sewing pattern is an empire dress pattern with a choice of three different necklines and an optional flounce. A dress... Yes! Jalie now has a dress pattern :) Not only is is very versatile, but you can sew this under an hour. That's even faster than driving to the closest store to find a dress that fits!

View A is a short kimono sleeve and boat neckline with hidden binding
View B is a sleeveless cross-over neckline with visible binding
View C is a sleeveless scoopneck neckline with visible binding

Here is a picture of View A made in one solid color with the optional flounce at the hem for a longer dress:

Here is a picture of View C we made with a striped knit we found in Montreal during PR weekend. Having the waist inset and skirt of the same color gives a totally different shape to the dress, raising the waistline to the narrowest part of the body.

Last but not least, View B and a belly update:

At 36+ weeks, needless to say that is is stretched quite a bit :) It looks much shorter in the front (hence the cropped photo) since I would really need a full tummy adjustment by now. The binding technique allows a snug fit that does not gape.

The way it is sewn gives it an "elastic" feel, without the elastic. The binding is only visible on the right side for views B and C. The technique is simply reversed for the boatneck so that only the topstitch is visible on the right side of the fabric.

Another interesting thing about this pattern is that front and back are identical. We had very skeptical women of all shapes and sizes try this dress and they all fit like a glove. This allows you to have two dresses in one when using a print and can't decide on pattern placement (for example, my dress has more black on one side and more pink prints on the other side). Hint hint: View B and C having the same shoulder strap width, you can even combine scoop and crossover necklines. One dress, two totally different looks: scoop front with crossover back or crossover front with scoop back!

Once your closet is packed with new Jalie dresses, you can use this pattern to make knit tops. Simply crop the pattern to the desired top or tunic length :)

Next up: A pattern for skating practices

New Sewing Patterns Preview - 2 of 7

2010-08-31T21:27:00.003-04:00

Many of you emailed us asking for more swimwear. some of you asked for swim dresses, others for tankinis with wider shoulder straps for more support, some wanted hip and young designs while others wanted something suitable for moms, with more coverage, but not too much. You talked, we listened!
Here is the next pattern in our new collection: 3023 Tankini / Skirtini

This pattern includes:

A tank top with integrated shelf bra, side shoulder straps (that can be sewn straight or crossed in the back) and optional casings at side seams for adjustable ruching. I have been wearing those tank top prototypes (in a more subtle cotton lycra) during the whole summer (which as not been very pregnancy-friendly for Quebec standards!!!)
Briefs with a wide waistband that pleases both kids and adults - not too low, not too high. The waistband has a hidden elastic (same technique as the yoga pants) at the top.
Swim skirt with attached panties and wide waistband.

Many moms will be happy to finally have an swimwear option that can grow with their kids. With the casings at side seams, simply pull the drawstring to shorten the tank top for the first summer and leave it without ruching for the next year!

I hope you all like this new design and will pack a Jalie suit for your next vacation :)

Coming up: Instant gratification in a pouch!

New Sewing Patterns Preview - 1 of 7

2010-08-30T21:38:00.003-04:00

I know that many of you have been waiting for news of the upcoming collection for a while. Without further ado, here are some pictures of the first pattern to be release soon (before the end of the month): 3022 - Yoga Pants and Shorts

We recently discontinued pattern 2445 to replace it with this super-flattering, tighter fitting and more jogging-friendly pattern. The pattern will be available in 27 sizes.

Here are the main differences with pattern 2445:

Waistband has a hidden elastic (topstitching only visible on the wrong side of the waistband) that keeps the waistband from riding down
The outer waistband allows for fun color blocking (i.e. getting rid of tiny knit pieces in your stash that you just can't use for other project but that are too cute to throw away)
The leg is more fitted and the flare now fits much better over a pair of sneakers
There is a seam on the back of the leg that 1) makes it much easier to adjust for those (lucky) ones who have skinny thighs and 2) breaks the "not-as smooth-as-I-want-it-to-be" effect we sometimes get with workout pants when our fabric reveals just too much, especially if you topstitch it with your cover stitch or with a double needle

Of course, there is no need for me to explain when/where you can wear yoga pants. However, for those of you who think that only dancers and kids can wear the shorts, you too can wear them! You can easily use swimwear material to make yourself a pair of swim shorts with this pattern. Because of the waistband and back seam, they feel and look totally different from our 2446 bikini boy shorts.

Stay tuned for more previews... next up: something that you might want to pack for your next vacation (or that our Aussie friends will soon need!).

Back in Stock

2010-08-03T12:56:00.000-04:00

Just a short post to let you know that reprints of our running skirt (2796), sports tops (2563), women's underwear (2568) and cloth diaper pattern (2907) are now back in stock. Please allow for a few days/weeks for your favorite retailer to replenish their stock (you might want to contact them if you have a pending order). If you were planning on buying on www.jalie.com, the patterns are already back on the "In Stock" list.

We are currently sewing garments for the new pattern covers... Next step: photo shoots! I will be posting sneak peaks soon. Stay tuned!

How to Use Double-Needles

2010-06-07T10:26:00.000-04:00

I sometimes receive emails from customers who ask for tips an tricks for things like sewing fold-over elastic, topstitching knit tops and hemming. I often recommend double needles for a neat look, but I realized that many people are afraid of using them (and don't sew enough to justify purchasing a cover stich machine).

Since we do not have time to come up with little videos or articles about sewing techniques at the moment, I thought I would share one I found this morning with you. There is an interesting video on Nancy's Notions that shows the different sizes available (and the use for each of them) and how to use double-needles to hem a knit garment.

Double-needles come in very handy with the following sewing patterns:

They are also great when sewing swimwear in order to get that RTW finish on all elastics. As a kid I would often ask my mom to use them (can't believe I did that) instead of sewing with zigzags (can't believe I did that) during that "wearing-mom's-creations-is-not-cool-anymore" phase... You know... At that age when you are dying to blend it and strongly believe that other kids actually notice zigzag stitches on your bathing suits...

All our Sewing Patterns on the Same Page

2010-05-27T14:38:00.000-04:00

This is a minor addition to our online catalog, but some of you might find it useful. We added a category called Sewing Patterns by Jalie that displays all our current patterns on the same page (no need to browse around to look at all our patterns).

On that page, you can filter the results to view our latest collection or patterns that will soon be discontinued (i.e. sewing patterns available in very limited quantities that will not be reprinted). These new catalog sections are listed at the bottom on the left-hand side of our website.

Jalie in Sew News

2010-05-14T13:19:00.001-04:00

In the current issue of SewNews (June/July 2010), there is an article about swimwear and three of our patterns are shown in the Swimwear Showcase (One-Piece Swimsuit (2317), Tankini (2447) and Board Shorts (2678) (our Board Shorts pattern 2578 being the only men's pattern in the bunch!). It is always quite an honor to see our pattern covers in such popular magazines!

The article is quite interesting. It describes how to make a bathing suit (not a Jalie pattern though) and adapt a pattern to include bra cups for additional bust support. Many people are afraid to tackle swimwear project, but with all the beautiful fabrics available out there (and the sometimes ridiculously high price of RTW swimwear), I really think that everyone should try to make a swimsuit/bikini/tankini at least once!

For those coming to PR Weekend in Montreal, just ask me and I will tell you where to find fun (and affordable) swimwear material on fabric shopping day (we will be on beautiful-lycra hunt too for an upcoming photo shoot (hint, hint!)).

A Special "+1" for PR Weekend Montreal

2010-03-23T11:53:00.001-04:00

For those who did not know, Jeanne will be a guest at Pattern Review Weekend Montreal in June (18-20). She will give a few demos with your favorite Jalie patterns, showing different technique, tips and tricks. We will bring cases of patterns along as well and lots of Jalie garments in different sizes for people to try on.

I will be there to translate the demo (and chit-chat) and of course enjoy 3 days in a city that I loooove! We are very excited and are really looking forward to seeing everyone and meeting new PR Friends! We will soon get started on that "travelling trunk show" to get as much done as possible for the event. Any special requests from people who will be in Montreal and are still unsure about trying a new Jalie pattern? :)

If you are not familiar with PR Weekends (or Pattern Review) and would like to know more about this fun sewing getaway, make sure you check out the "PR Weekend in Canada" post on the Pattern Review message board. Registration is open until May 30, but will close as soon as all the spots are filled.

On a totally different note, I am really happy to share one big news with you: I am pregnant with baby #2. Henri will be a big brother in about 6 months. This means that I will sport a pretty big belly in June! I hope I will be in good shape like I was for my first pregnancy and have all the energy I need for the fabric-shopping marathon!

Discontinued Yoga Pants Pattern

2010-03-04T15:08:00.002-05:00

Some of you emailed me about discontinued pattern 2445 to know if we would reprint it. The bad news is that we decided to discontinued the pattern, so we will not reprint it, BUT it is now available as a download on our e-patterns store. We will also add pattern 2215 later this week.

Namaste!

True Work of Art

2010-02-24T11:25:00.002-05:00

This post won't be very long... Henri has been sick two weeks ago, I caught his cold, which turned into a sinusitis... Now the doctor tells me I have an ear infection... g-r-e-a-t! Let's just say that I'm not 100% productive and that unfortunately the blog is the first thing to get bumped down the "to-do" list...

In today's post, I would like to talk about a customer's blog. Dani, who lives in Australia and makes ballet costumes for her daughter, got in touch with us a few weeks ago. She sent us pictures of what she had made with the 2915 tutu pattern. I was more than impressed with the quality of her sewing and attention to details!

She recently set up a blog where she discusses her latest creations and where everyone can see pictures of her beaaaaaaaautiful tutus. Seriously... All those lovely fabrics, colors, decorations... The hours of work... We can really tell that she has a true passion for both dance and sewing.

If you want to see real princess dresses that seem to come straight from fairy tales, go take a look: Tutus by Dani. I'm sure her blog will inspire many moms who make costumes for their dancing daughters out there!

As Promised...

2010-01-29T09:22:00.003-05:00

Here is a little "action shot" showing how well my new bathing suit (made with sewing pattern 2916) did in the fun Salvadorian waves and a closeup of the back, which is what makes it special.

Since there was no lining in the upper front (because the fabric did not have the best stretch, we did not line the entire front like the unitard pattern calls for), we decided to use a little trick we learned from a local skater mom. I picked and old (and ugly) beige bra that we sewed to the front (where the straps are) and at the back (where the first loop is). To know where to sew the bra, I simply wore it underneath the bathing suit, dear mom marked the front and back edges onto the bra, sewed the bra where it should be and I cut (it does feel weird to cut a bra, but it was for a good cause!) whatever exceeded the edges.

I was very pleased with the result. Even though the bra doesn't have much padding, its wire helps for shaping and it acts as a very good lining where it's needed. Thank you Francine for this clever advice!

One thing I forgot to mention: Since the unitard is design for dancing/skating where more length is needed, and because a wet bathing suit always feels longer, we shortened the pattern by 1/2'' in the front and back (since I was not planning on doing any somersaults, bridges or other crazy contortions) when we overlapped the panties and bodice pieces.

While I was there, I saw a girl wearing a faux-tankini (one-piece with panties and bodice of different colors). I could easily have achieved this look with the unitard pattern, keeping the seam at the waist.

I really enjoyed this little vacation and couldn't wait to see Henri when I got back!!! Now... Back in creative mode for the next collection. If you have any special request for the next collection, please post them in the comments or email us.

A Little Vacation...

2010-01-15T21:13:00.002-05:00

After this crazy new collection rush, we are taking a few days off. I will be on the sandy beaches of El Salvador recharging my batteries to get our creative juices flowing when we reopen on January 26. This will be my first vacation without Henri (thanks mom!)... I'm going to miss him soooo much!

Meanwhile if you need some patterns, the following stores should have the patterns you need:

A Little Extra with Ronwarb (Australia)
Atelier de couture Michèle (QC, Canada)
Club Tissus (QC, Canada)
Davey Fabrics (AB, Canada)
Habithat.co.uk (UK)
Naaipatronen.nl Naaipatronen.nl (Netherlands) (Netherlands)
Patronsdecouture.com (France)
Pattern Review (US)
Sewingpatterns.com (US)
Sundrop Textiles (BC, Canada)

I will be packing mostly bikinis for the week, but I wanted to have a one-piece suit, just in case. As usual, I called mom to the rescue for some last-minute sewing. We taped 2916 bodice to 2800 panties (I didn't want a seam at the waist) and I now have a cute one-piece with a pinch front and spaghetti straps that criss-cross across the open back. Not great for sun bathing, but much more fun than a sporty speedo-type. Also, it's made from fabric that has been in our stash for ages... and it FITS! Can't beat that!

I will share pics of the pattern and of the bathing suit (flat on the table... not on me... unless I come back with an amazing tan and boosted confidence!).

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-23T13:22:00.000-05:00

Jalie will be closed from December 24th thru January 3rd. All orders and emails will be processed/answered as soon as we reopen on January 4th.

All new patterns orders placed before today have been shipped. Many online retailers will receive the new patterns shortly.

I would also like to take the time to thank you all for being there, sewing, posting and reviewing. Knowing that people all around the world share the same passion as us and like working with our patterns is truly inspiring.

We wish you all a wonderful year filled with creativity, good health, fun and quality time with your loved ones.

Jeanne & Émilie

New Patterns Now Available for Pre-Order

2009-12-11T17:57:00.000-05:00

Here are links to the new patterns on our website:

Jalie 2915 - Dance Leotard and Tutu Skirt
Jalie 2916 - Strappy Unitard
Jalie 2917 - Freestyle and Dance Skating Dress (with skate boot cover)
Jalie 2918 - Men's T-Shirts
Jalie 2919 - Pleated Cardi and Vest
Jalie 2920 - Leggings, Stirrup Tights and Mini-Skirt
Jalie 2921 - Scarf-Collar Tops

You might also want to check with your local or favorite online retailer to see if you can pre-order from them (to save on shipping). I just sent all the pattern cover images and backs of patterns to online retailers.

The new collection should ship around December 23. Orders will ship on a first-in-first-out basis. If you are ordering on www.jalie.com and want to make sure that yours ships before we close for the Holidays (Dec. 25 - Jan. 3), please place your order before December 18.

I haven't had time to put the instructions together in PDF format yet. They will be up next week.

Last but not Least...

2009-12-07T13:39:00.000-05:00

Classic style with a modern twist... and without the bulk! I loooove draped knit cardigans. They look awesome when they are wrapped on models... but for some reason (I wonder if it's only me) I can never get them to stay wrapped nicely for more than 5 minutes and I end up taking them off after a while because I get tired of all that fabric hanging... And I end up thinking I look big because of the extra volume in the front... Not good..

Since we thought that other people were in the same situation... We are proud to show you the new "Jalie Cardi". It has the draped look we all like, ease around the hips, but no fabric getting in the way! The lovely pleats that run from shoulder seams down to the waist not only give it a unique look, but it keeps the garment flattering and fitted where it should be. The pointy shawl collar also adds a little je-ne-sais-quoi :)

The cardigan hit around the hips area, but if your fabric stretches a lot and is a bit on the heavy side, it might look a little longer (see the difference between the vest and the long-sleeved cardi?).

Here is a close-up of the pleats:

NEW COLLECTION UPDATE

Septuplets... 38'' x 50'', 1/4 lbs each... Sending the pattern files to the printer somehow feels like labour & delivery (just as stressful and tiring, but without the pain of course)!

If everything goes as planned, the new patterns should be ready to ship around Dec. 22-23. Since many of you will probably be anywhere but sitting at your computer, ready to place a pattern order a few days before Christmas, we will accept pre-orders (probably starting later this week or early next week).

I'm pretty sure that a few online retailers will also do the same. I will keep you posted as we go through the printing-folding-shipping-packaging steps... I will also let you know when online retailers outside Canada setup their catalogs to accept pre-ordres.

Now ladies, let's all keep our fingers crossed so that everything stays on schedule!

For Our Loyal Figure Skaters...

2009-11-24T10:03:00.001-05:00

As you probably all noticed, every single Jalie collection includes at least one skating dress design. Many people begged us to design a dress with a longer skirt for dance programs... Well... Their wish has been granted :) Our new pattern will work with pretty much any music style, for dance as well as freestyle programs.

From a classic waltz (long sleeve, mock neck, double-layer skirt) to a fiery tango or paso doble (sleeveless, crew neck, single-layer skirt)...

to a Wizard of Oz program (short puff sleeve, mock neck, shorter circular skirt, suspenders)!

With mock neck, sleeve and skirt options, the possibilities are endless! You can also play with contrast fabric at upper bodice and waist (for a cocktail dress with contrast sash look). The pattern also includes the skate boot cover shown on the Dorothy picture.

And Now... A Knit Top Pattern Preview!

2009-11-19T09:40:00.000-05:00

Here is one versatile pattern that am sure many of you will fall in love with!

It is a Scarf Collar Top that you can tie is many different ways: through a buckle (as shown on the picture), with a bow, in the back for a cowl neck effect or you can also simply slide the ties through a little opening at center front for a clean, simple, yet stylish look.

Here is a picture of the "buckle" version (just like the top I wore in Portland). You will see the other options on the pattern cover :)

The top can be sleeveless or with short or 3/4 sleeve. Paired with our mini-skirt made with the same fabric, it looks like a tunic (or mini-dress) and you can wear it with our super-duper leggings (also an upcoming pattern). It is very easy to make and it perfect for all those light/medium weight drapy knits hiding in your stash!

A Little Dancer's Dream Come True

2009-11-17T11:59:00.005-05:00

Every ballerina-to-be dreams or wearing a glittery tutu one day... Well... This lovely dancer we picked at a local dance school had the chance to not only wear a beautiful Jalie tutu, but also will be on the cover of our upcoming leotard + tutu pattern!

Here she is posing with Jeanne. She told us after the photo shoot that she was really happy she went to her dance class that morning after her soccer practice :)

The leotard has a special overlap design that covers the basque waistband (or any waistband: leggings, skirt or even jeans). As you can see on this picture, the leotard and tutu skirt are separate.

Here is a picture of the leotard with a mini skirt and stirrup tights:

The pattern will include a basque pattern and instructions showing how to sew the 5 layers of tulle. The tutu skirt on the picture has some hooping (to keep it looking like a "pancake" as much as possible), but it can be made without for a softer, bell shape.

The leotard will come in 22 sizes (like our skating patterns), so that grown women can wear it to dance class too! I plan on making one for my flamenco classes... I currently wear a tank top with a flamenco skirt and I hate that "bumpy" waistline (the elastic waistband has to be fairly tight to keep the skirt from going down... so it "digs" into my not-so-back-to-pre-baby-weight waist... The leotard overlap will hide it all!

Shhh... More Jalie Previews...

2009-11-16T13:18:00.006-05:00

First off, I want to say that I now officially have nooooooo idea how photographers can work with toddlers for entire catalogs(for Gap or Children's Place)...

This morning was haircut day + photo shoot with Henri... Let's just say that it's not easy trying to convince a 16-month-old to stand still while mommy is 6 feet away "taking his picture with a funny-looking black toy with Canon written on it"!!!

Anyways... here is a sneak peak at our upcoming men's t-shirt pattern in adult size. It has a choice of two necklines: crew neck or V neck and three sleeve options: Short, Long or Double Sleeve. The pattern will include 27 sizes (from F (about 2T - that Henri wears on the picture) to FF - for 50" chest), just like most of our casual clothing patterns.

Special thanks to the guys working at 2nd Skin in Quebec City who did a great screen printing job on the t-shirts!

When Artists Meet...

2009-11-10T12:04:00.005-05:00

Since one of our skating model is also a trapeze artist, we decided to have a trapeze installed in the studio for our latest photo shoot. The model brought her coach, Richard Cameron-Morneau, along for some tips and tricks (and to help us with the installation) and a professional make-up to look as "cirquish" as possible :)

We were delighted to meet and work with him. He is not only is a coach at the Ecole de Cirque ("School of Circus Arts") here in Quebec City, but also an aerial performer and make-up artist. He even worked with Cirque du Soleil on a few productions. Art runs through his veins and he is passionate about his work just like we are.

Here are a few pictures taken during the photo shoot (and a sneak peak at our upcoming unitard pattern ;) ).

Last-Minute Costume

2009-10-31T13:48:00.004-04:00

We are so busy working on the upcoming collection that I totally lost track of time and thought for some reason that I still had plenty of time to come up with a clever costume idea for Henri...

On my way back from work on Thursday, I suddenly remembered that Friday was supposed to be early-Halloween at daycare... Grandma came to the rescue (once again!). I checked my costume stash and found a tattoo sleeved I had bought a while back and thought "Hey! That would work!". In fact, I saw the rocking tattoo tee on Stacy's blog and since Henri and Easton look alike, I was hoping he would look as cool as his US twin :)

It's a good thing that we will have a new Men's t-shirt (including a double-sleeve version) in the new collection - we had the pattern to make the t-shirt. We used the tattoo sleeve for one arm and sheer fabric (that we use for skating dresses) for the other. The sleeves were a bit long (which is not a big deal for a normal tee, but it looks a bit odd with the tattoo sleeve...) but... it's daycare and last minute...

Then, iron-on transfer and tadam! A Halloween costume he could wear inside for the day. My mom made a super cute "studded" bracelet using snaps and leftover fabric from the t-shirt... It was awesome, but Henri didn't want to wear it... That's why he's crying on the picture.

Finishing touch: I found a cheap mini-guitar at a department store (which he loved) and we were ready Friday morning to rock daycare!

Thank you Stacy for the inspiration! It's too sad that Quebec is wayyyy to cold at this time of the year to go trick-or-treating with only a t-shirt on... I'm planning on making a little viking costume Henri could wear over his jacket... He should wake up in about 2 hours... Wish me luck!

Stay tuned, I might post some new collection previews (like this one) from time to time :)

Henri the Mini-Model

2009-09-22T13:42:00.002-04:00

Here are some pictures of Henri showing off his new jackets:

The fit of the softshell jacket (2679) is pretty good, but I forgot to take into consideration that 3 year-olds usually don't wear cloth diapers like he does... So let's just say that he could have used some extra ease at the hem (that is about hip level). As I expected, sleeves are long (I can actually fold the piece I to the inside).

Now... the 2795 jacket... First of all, I have a confession to make: grandma finished it (and decided to add the hood :) ). It looks great, but because I did not check the required stretch ruler on the back of the pattern and because this sweatshirt fleece does not stretch at all, it is really snug... So what we will do is probably give this one to our cute tiny red-haired neighbor (who is only 3 weeks younger than Henri but much smaller and about half his weight!) and we will make another one for Henri with more ease everywhere, but keeping the same length. It looks short on the picture, but it's only because it is too tight to go over his hips.

I don't have good picture of Frédéric wearing his softshell jacket. The fit was pretty good for him too. We only had to take in at waist level (side seams and back seams) because he's lost some weight and he prefers when his jackets are fitted at the waist. The sleeves are perfect and he loves the jacket length (even though I think we should have lengthened it by 2 1/2 or 3 inches (instead of 2) to look like exactly like the jacket on the pattern cover).

I will post pictures of the two of them together as soon as I have a decent one :)

Like Father, Like Son

2009-09-17T10:50:00.004-04:00

My mom made the cutest little softshell jacket today AND a bigger one for Frédéric (my boyfriend/Henri's dad) too!

Frédéric is 6'2" tall, has looong arms and 40" chest so she used Women's Softshell Jacket Pattern 2679 in size Y and lengthened the pattern (pieces B, C, E, F) by 2 inches just below the pocket. She lengthened the bottom part of the sleeve (piece I) by 2 inches. For Henri's jacket, she made size G as is.

I can't wait to get home tonight to see how they fit!

The fabric is a light blue-grey Power Shield 7796 that we bought from Malden Mills a few years ago. This fabric is 4-way stretch (suuuper comfortable), blocks wind, is water repellant AND very easy to sew!

I checked on Mill Direct Textiles' website and they don't seem to have any in stock, but some stores seem to carry it:

Peak Fabrics
Seattle Fabrics

If you plan on buying online, please make sure the fabric stretches. Some Power Shield styles do not stretch and you definitely need some stretch for a comfy 2679 jacket.

New Link for the Gaposis Fix

2009-09-17T10:02:00.003-04:00

I recently changed my username on Picasa, so the link posted on the Pattern Review boards doesn't work anymore. For those of you who were looking for the photos, here is the new link: http://picasaweb.google.com/jaliepatterns/2908JeansAlteration#

For those who have never seen them, we show how to fix the gap at center back on the 2908 Jeans patterns for a perfect fit.

Happy sewing!

Henri is Growing up Too Fast!

2009-09-15T11:48:00.001-04:00

I haven't started sewing the jacket... And am having second thought about the size I should use...

After trying this size F pullover (made last year), I think I will have to make the jacket in size G if I want the jacket to be big enough to last more than a week... Since I'm using sweatshirt fleece, it won't stretch that much and since Henri hates tight sleeves (don't ask... he doesn't mind tight pj's, t-shirts or bathing suits though... only tight sleeves!).

Here is a picture of my not-so-little man wearing the 2911 pullove r (view A with shawl collar) made with Malden Mills' Power Stretch in size F. As you can see... The fit is pretty good, but it will be too small in about a month!

Back to cutting!

Mini Jacket for Henri

2009-09-01T13:48:00.004-04:00

I have printed out (yes, I know I'm lucky - no need to trace!) pieces to make a 2795 jacket for little Henri who needs something warmer for this weird fall-like weather. Because I don't have much time to work on this project, I plan on skipping the hood and pockets (I don't think he'll notice) ... so it should be quick and easy.

Since Henri is pretty big, I can already use any pattern in size F (which is about a size 2 Toddler in RTW). No need to draft/alter baby patterns anymore :)

I plan to use the gorgeous green sweatshirt fleece I bought in Portland (PR Weekend 2009). Now I have to decide on the zipper color... Same green, darker green, brigther green, white... Any suggestions?

And the Winner Is...

2009-08-11T13:46:00.002-04:00

Melissa B in WA wrote Jalie reviews #698, 699 AND 700 on www.patternreview.com! Congratulations Melissa! You win a free pattern to add to your Jalie stash :)

Here is a link to her review of scoopneck pattern 2806

New Site Up & Running

2009-08-05T12:59:00.003-04:00

Even though all pages have not been populated yet, our online catalog and cart are now fully functional. Here are some fun features available on the new and improved jalie.com:

Billing currency (CAN$, US$ or Euro) choice in the upper right corner
Access to your order status at any time by clicking the "Order Status" link in the upper right corner. This feature is not available if you do not register at checkout though
Search tool (using keywords or pattern number) to quickly find what you are looking for
More categories and sub-categories that allow to easily browse our pattern selection
Additional views (and customer creations) on each product detail page
Larger images (coming soon) and zoom in for pattern covers

Do not hesitate to leave us a note (in the Contact Us section) if you notice any glitches or bugs on the new website. We really appreciate visitors' input!

With the new site taking most of my time, I didn't notice that we will soon hit the 700 review mark on Pattern Review!!! We will give a free pattern to the 700th reviewer! Hurry! Pull that pattern out of your stash and hop to it :)

Extreme Makeover - Website Edition

2009-07-31T09:28:00.000-04:00

We will be launching our new website in a few days. New look, new platform, billing in three currencies (instead of CAN$ only), search, order tracking... This is so exciting (and a bit stressful to be very honest)!

Since we want to make sure everything runs smoothly when it is live, we will do extra testing and therefore www.jalie.com will be down for a few days.

But don't worry! We will work as fast as we can so that you can browse our new online catalog ASAP :)

Customers Never Cease to Impress Me!

2009-07-10T09:06:00.003-04:00

I was reading Jalie reviews this morning and was flabbergasted when I saw this beautiful nursing top Morzel made with pattern 2804. How clever! She lowered the empire waist and modified the modesty panel... Voilà!

I did wear the empire crossover top during my pregnancy but it never crossed my mind that it could work well as a nursing top. To be honest, I was too lazy to attempt an alteration...

Thank you Morzel for this very helpful review! I'm sure that many mothers-to-be will be very inspired by your beautiful top!

Birthday Time & Summer Schedule

2009-07-03T14:24:00.006-04:00

Henri is already a year old... Time flies by... Soon enough he'll be the official Jalie blogger :)

Even though it's hard to believe with the pretty bad weather we've had so far, IT IS summer and we are planning to take a few days off to get ready for the fall season.

So... Our office will be closed July 17 thru July 31st. If you need to order some patterns during that period, you can purchase from one of our retailers. All orders received while we are closed will be processed in the same order they were submitted.

A picture of my big boy
(with his crazy blond curls)
and me (with my stiff neck and lovely scar-to-be)

Temporarily Out of Order

2009-06-29T08:54:00.002-04:00

Good morning everyone! I just wanted to let you know that I might not be as quick as usual answering emails. I had half of my thyroid removed last Friday (yuck!) and I won't spend much time in the office in the upcoming days.

The orders will still ship within 1-2 business days as usual. Please note that Wednesday is Canada Day, so pretty much everything is closed here, including Canada Post and Jalie :)

The surgery was a success and I should be 100% back on my feet in no time. I'm just taking it easy for a week or so, "enjoying" our rainy weather... and watching out when carrying Henri (who now runs by the way!). I'm just afraid he might hit the stitches by accident and make the scar all crooked!

The new website should go live in a few weeks (the whole design is done and we are now populating the database - which is taking for-e-ver). I hope you will like it :)

Embarassing...

2009-06-05T15:56:00.003-04:00

One whole month without a single post...

May has been pretty busy but since most of it was brainstorming/prototyping, I can't write much about it :)

The highlight of the month was - hands down - meeting Pattern Review members in Portland for PR Weekend 2009. It was a real treat to meet with some Jalie fans (Melissa brought 17 Jalie pieces in her luggage!!!) and I met incredibly creative and talented people during those three days or fabric shopping / conference and sewing chit chat.

It was my first trip since Henri was born and I thought it would be hard to be away from him for 4 days... but I the weekend just flew by and I only realized I really missed him when I was about to sing a lullaby to the toddler being me on the plane who cried during the whole flight from Chicago to Quebec City (Yes - we do have an airport in Quebec City!!!), driving pretty much everyone on board crazy (except me of course!)...

Being the world's absolute worst procratinator, my Portland pictures are STILL on my memory card... But for those of you who don't know what PR Weekends are, you can read more about it on Pattern Review and take a look at these blogs:

Miss Celie's Pants
Loohoo Originals
Assorted Notions

I can't wait to go to Philly next year for PR Weekend 2010! We might even attend PR Europe (Paris) in November... Paris + fabric + fun sewing enthusiasts.... How could we resist?

New Video!

2009-04-29T12:16:00.004-04:00

We just posted a video showing how to make All-in-One / Pocket cloth diapers using pattern #2907. Since it was over 10 minutes, we had to split it in two parts:

Sewing Pattern 2907 (Cloth Diaper) - Video Instructions - Part 1
Sewing Pattern 2907 (Cloth Diaper) - Video Instructions - Part 2

I'm quite happy with the image quality (click HD to see a crisp image) but iMovie gave me a hard time and there are a few glitches with the sound in Part 1... After hours (days) trying to fix it, I decided to upload it even though it's not peeeeeerfect because I can't keep everyone waiting forever... Thanks for your understanding :)

Next up: How to make jeans using pattern 2908... Stay tuned!

Getting Ready for Portland

2009-04-16T08:27:00.004-04:00

Spring and my upcoming trip to Portland gave me the motivation to make new jeans and new tops in my new *sigh* post-baby size... At the same time, we filmed new material for the upcoming videos.

For those who didn't know, I will be attending PR (Pattern Review) weekend in Portland (May 15-May 17). My first trip without Henri!

I will have surprises for PR members attending the event, including one for the top Jalie reviewer and another for the person who has the most Jalie clothes in her luggage for the weekend.

I'm really looking forward to meeting with PR members, visiting some Jalie retailers in Portland and going on a fabric hunt.

After the new collection rush, sewing sprint and video shoots, we are now back in full-creation-mode, working on the first prototypes for the next collection... I love my job :)

599 reviews...

2009-04-04T19:35:00.001-04:00

Who will write the 600th Jalie review and win a free pattern? :)

Jeans Alteration

2009-03-31T13:57:00.003-04:00

I've been trying to keep track of the Jeans Sew Along posts on Pattern Review, but with 31 pages of posts and many threads going on at the same time, I'm having a hard time figuring out who did what with which pattern and who needs what kind of information.

I did read a post about gaping issues at center back with pattern 2908. I posted a reply that contains a link to pictures I took of my Gaposis Fix.

I decided to put the link here too since some of you probably don't know about the Jeane Sew Along but still would like to see how to do a quick alteration for this fairly common fitting issue.

2908 - Stretch Jeans Pattern

2009-03-16T12:57:00.004-04:00

Our new Women's Stretch Jeans Pattern includes BOTH low and regular rise. The jeans has a back yoke, patch back pockets, flared leg and is designed for stretch woven fabric. Many of you might wonder if this pattern would work with regular denim. I'm not a big fan of non-stretch jeans and have not tried the pattern with regular denim. Since there is negative ease on the pattern, you would have to go a few sizes up for sure, but I don't know how much alteration would be involved.

THE CUT
The low rise is 2-3 inches below the navel (in adult sizes) and regular rise is at the navel. The difference between low and regular rise is barely noticeable for little girls because we don't think low-rise jeans are appropriate for kids.

The waistband is cut on the bias. This is great because it adds a little more stretch and is more comfortable. If you are running short on fabric, you can cut it across or along the straight grain.

THE FIT
This pattern is very close fitting through the hips. No bumps and lumps. Here's a picture of me (and my fuller thighs) wearing the low-rise version in size V.

Here is another picture of a lady wearing size FF. Her waist measurement corresponds to size FF, but her hips were closer to size EE. Since she wanted extra ease on the hips and thighs, we made size FF as is.

THE FABRIC
Not all stretch denims are created equal. Some have more spandex than other, some are stiffer, some have 4-way stretch. I would say that the more stretch the better. However, I try to stay away from thin / lightweight stretch denim that shows every little "post-baby-detail" :)

The fabric you see on the pattern cover is from Fabric.com just enter "stretch denim" in their search box and you will see what they have left.

This pattern works great with stretch corduroy too! They did have some on Fabric.com a while ago, but it seems to be all gone :(

For the pocket lining, we used stretch cotton poplin scraps we had in our stash, but you don't really need a stretch woven for that.

Because denim shrinks quite a bit, PRE-TREAT YOUR FABRIC AT LEAST TWICE before making your jeans (washer + dryer if you plan on putting your jeans in the dryer of course).

THE NOTIONS
Thread: For the topstitching, we used the same thread we used for the construction but using a triple straight stitch that made the topstitches look "thicker" without going through all the trouble of switching threads all the time... It takes more time than a regular straight stitch, but a lot less than re-threading and it looks pretty good :) We used the serger to finish the seams edges before topstitching to prevent fraying.

Buttons and rivets: We used snaps for the little girl's pants (and glued some pink rhinstones on the snap - she loved it) but made a buttonhole (it can be quite a challenge for some machine sewing a nice straight buttonhole through the waistband) and used a "shank" button that looks more RTW for the adult's jeans (and mine :)). We did put rivets on both jeans. It looks really professional and reinforces pocket corners.

Zipper: We used coil zippers for all jeans because we had many on hand. You could also use a brass zipper for a more RTW look.

Interfacing: We used fusible knit interfacing for the waistband (interfacing cut on the bias for stretch) and fly extensions.

2907 - Cloth Diaper Pattern

2009-03-14T10:09:00.016-04:00

Our cloth diaper pattern includes 2 diaper styles and 1 diaper cover pattern in 8 sizes (from preemie to toddler)

A) POCKET OR ALL-IN-ONE DIAPER
My absolute favorites! We tried hundreds of different diapers in the last 8 months and I found that having a waterproof diaper not only looked better, but it is as simple to use as a disposable diaper. Those types of diapers is even accepted in daycare!

The pattern is the same for both styles. The only difference is that the soaker layers are sewn to the inner fabric for the all-in-one diaper. There is an opening in the back to insert a soaker pad (pocket diaper) or turn the diaper inside out (all-in-one diaper) to reduce drying time.

Both feature hook-and-loop closures and laudry tabs.

Now for the pros and cons... Pocket = "Ikea" diaper :) You need to insert the soaker pads into the pocket before and remove it from the pocket before washing the diaper.

All-In-One... Always ready to use, but most all-in-ones take forever to dry because the soaking layers are trapped under a layer of waterproof fabric... I even ripped a fancy store-bought diaper apart after 1 hour in the dryer. At that point, the inner fabric (against baby's skin) felt dry but inside - surprise! - the soaking layers were still a little damp... not good... We had to come up with a better all-in-one than that!

That's how we came up with the idea of leaving the pocket opening in the back to turn the diaper inside out!

Another great thing is that with the opening, you can add doublers inside the diaper for more absorbancy. Adding it on top of the inner fabric also works, but it tends to move around a little.

Cloth diaper making might scare some people off. Well, there is nothing to fear! Not only will you save money making your own diapers (all-in-ones and pocket are usually around $15-$20), but you will be very proud when eveyone starts asking where you bought those fancy diapers :) We even put my boyfriend (who had never used a sewing machine before) to the test. Fabric, pattern, instructions... He successfully made a beautiful pocket diaper on his first try without any help from us!

B) FITTED DIAPER
This one is all-flannel so it needs a waterproof diaper cover. It's great for baby pictures (Henri was only 2 weeks old... so tiny!) and a good choice for moms who want to avoid synthetic fabrics for their baby's diapers. For great absorbency, prefold diapers can be used. This is a very economical alternative too when you cannot find a good deal on cotton flannel :)

For flannel, we used hook-and-loop tape (Velcro) for tabs, but my favorite for this style was one I made with stretch terry. I didn't sew any Velcro and used a Snappi fastener instead (it would work with prefold diaper material too). It's very easy to use and it save some sewing time. Although fitted diapers are pretty popular out there, they are not my favorite because they take quite a while to dry and need a waterproof cover (which ends up looking a little bulky).

FABRICS AND NOTIONS
There are many great online stores selling diaper-making fabric:

Wazoodle (Great diaper fabric selection. Their ProCare barrier fabrics makes the best washable bags for soiled diapers and they have pretty much all the notions you need!)

Kids In The Garden We used her bamboo velours and suede cloth for inner fabrics. Lots of printed PUL too. Most fabrics can be bought by the inch - great for first prototypes!
Very Baby Their micro terry is our favorite soaking material. Our favorite combination for the soaking pads are 3 layers micro terry + 1 layer Zorb for stiffness (from Wazoodle). They have lots of notions too!

A little piece of advice... No matter which style or fabric you are using, I strongly recommend making a pile of contoured liners (1-2 layers of leftover flannel). This is also included in the pattern. Liners make diaper cleaning easier and avoid stains on the inner fabric.

Also, when you make diapers, start with the two sizes closest (smaller and bigger) to the baby's weight. Try them on, experiment with fabrics (natural, synthetic, organic, thin, thick...) before making the whole set.

Any questions? :)

Here They Are...

2009-03-13T22:16:00.006-04:00

The new patterns are now available for pre-order and will ship on March 24th. I will post more details about each pattern over the next few days. If you have any questions about the patterns, please leave a comment and I'll make sure to answer it in the posts.

Have a great weekend!

584 Reviews and Counting...

2009-03-10T19:40:00.003-04:00

I checked today and there are already 584 Jalie reviews on Pattern Review! I really want to thank all of you who take the time to sit in front of a computer (after hours cutting and sewing) to share your passion with the world.

I'm proud to annouce that the person who writes the 600th Jalie review on www.patternreview.com will win a free Jalie pattern. With the upcoming collection being launched very shortly, you could get a new pattern for free!

Now I have to start thinking about a cool idea for review #1000... Any suggestions? :)

And the Winner Is...

2009-03-02T16:22:00.003-05:00

Since we had a few anonymous comments in the list, I decided to print out the names of all the people who entered the contest and have Henri ~~eat~~ pick the name of the lucky winner.

Congratulations to Kelly who won a copy of pattern 2007. Kelly: Please email your address to mail (at) jalie.com so we can ship the pattern to you. Thanks!

Good news! The new patterns are being folded this week and we have almost completed the photo shoots. The new collection should be available soon!

Win a free Tunic + Pants pattern!

2009-01-29T10:07:00.008-05:00

One of our 2009 projects is a complete makeover of our website. Right after the collection is ready, we will start brainstorming on what we want the new www.jalie.com to look like. I thought I might ask you guys for your input to help the future design team come up with a new online store that truly reflects the Jalie spirit.

I would like each of you to come up with 2-3 words that best describe our our company. Simply post your words in the comments (with your name of course!) for a chance to win a free copy of out of print pattern 2007.

I was keeping this pattern in case I lost the cut pattern I have, but changed my mind :) The pattern (that can be used for skating) includes the tunic (very short dress) and stretch pull-on pants. I wore my slinky version (that I've had for 8 years now) up to week 30 or so of my pregnancy.

We will pick the winner (with a random number generator) on March 1st. Good luck everyone!

Brrrrr

2009-01-16T14:25:00.005-05:00

We're having such a cold winter that we recently had to make a new hat for baby Henri with some fabric scraps that luckily match his snow suit color :) Ripstop nylon outer, organic bamboo velours lining (Henri's sensitive skin reacts to synthetic fabrics like polar fleece) and some recycled fur (from my mom's old coat) for the flaps. He didn't like having all that hairy stuff around his face at first, but he's slowly getting used to it.

Today's forecast is a high of -27 C / - 37 with the wind, which is about -11 F / -35 F!!! We are used to cold weather in Quebec, but 4 days of this is pretty unusual. I wish we had offices in Hawaii or Australia :)

New Jalie Retailer in Toronto

2009-01-13T13:43:00.007-05:00

Good news for all Jalie fans in T.O.! You can now purchase your Jalie sewing patterns at The Workroom, Toronto's first sew & craft by the hour space, located on Queen St. West.

You can visit the owner's inspiring blog at makesomething.ca

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Bonne Année!

2008-12-31T09:20:00.002-05:00

I can't believe 2008 is almost over! We are currently closed, but I wanted to take a few minutes to wish everybody a great year 2009. The new patterns are coming soon and I can't wait to post sneak peeks! We were hoping to launch the collection in 2008, but because we have more patterns than expected and don't want to rush anything to the market you will have to wait a few more weeks. I promise that you won't be disappointed :)

I wish you and your loved ones all the best for the new year!

Birthday Week Special

2008-11-24T09:26:00.004-05:00

I'm turning 29 this week! To celebrate it with all of you, we offer a 29% reduction on all our sewing pattern downloads . Actually, we rounded the prices down to $8.99 - it looks better than $9.22. You don't need a promo code or coupon to take advantage of the discount. The new price will be in effect for quite a while (just like our "buy 3, get 1 free" promotion on our sewing patterns in paper format).

And The Winner Is...

2008-11-20T17:42:00.005-05:00

Alex, who wrote the 498th, 499th AND,most importantly, the 500th Jalie review on Pattern Review! She wins a free pattern of her choice on www.jalie.com. Guess what? We will give a free pattern to the people writing the 600th, 700th, 800th, 900th review! I'll try to come up with a brilliant prize idea for the 1000th review :)

Thanks everyone for taking the time to write up detailed reviews that are so helpful to many sewers and that help us improve our patterns and instructions to make them as easy-to-use as possible.

2005 & 992 Now Available For Download

2008-11-19T17:17:00.006-05:00

25 years after the Jalie patterns was printed, we are now officially offering patterns for download. For now, only a few patterns are available in our e-pattern catalog but we will keep adding more out of print patterns regularly.

Each pattern sheet print on 36 8 1/2 x 11 pages. Many patterns have 2 sheets, (72 page printout). I haven't had time to put a little guide explaining how to print and assemble the tiled pattern, but I've found this illustrated tutorial.

My mom was 29 and I was 4 1/2 when the first pattern was issued... Now I'm 29 and Henry is 4 1/2 months old... What a cute coincidence :)

Win a Jalie Pattern!

2008-11-17T15:09:00.003-05:00

We will give a free pattern to the person writing the 500th Jalie review on Pattern Review.

Canada Post Support Staff on Strike ($#*(&@!)

2008-11-17T09:20:00.000-05:00

A 72 hour strike... Canada Post claims that mail delivery will continue as normal because those people handle "only" clerical, financial, engineering and administrative work... I doubt that it will have no effect on the service after watching morning news (some picketers were blocking mail trucks and other employees won't cross the picket lines).

Orders shipped this week may take a few more days to be delivered but let's keep our fingers crossed and hope the problem will be solved ASAP!

Article in English

Article in French

OOP Patterns Brought Back To Life

2008-11-11T08:42:00.000-05:00

We are currently working on an e-pattern project. We will create a new store with out of print patterns in electronic format that people will be able to purchase and print at home.

We will be using Payloadz for our new store so any of you bloggers with a paypal account could eventually sell your favorite Jalie e-patterns on your blog. How cool is that?

You can check out the Payloadz website and click on "Affiliate" to see how it works.
2005 (t-shirt pattern) and 992 (speed skating suit) are the first patterns that we will add to the store. Since we won't scan all our old patterns right away, I would love to have your input to know which discontinued pattern you would like to see in our e-pattern store. You can see many oop pattern covers on http://public.box.net/jalie.

Please leave a comment with the pattern number or a pattern description of what you would like to see in our new e-patterns catalog. The more suggestions we have, the more complete our catalog will be :)

PDF Downloads + Trip Down Memory Lane

2008-10-31T10:02:00.000-04:00

Good news! You can now find pattern instructions, backs of patterns and pattern covers all in one place!

All the files we have are there (including instructions for some out of print patterns). I also left images of oooold patterns in the folder just to show what our patterns used to look like 20 years. That's me wearing a yellow snow suit and a grey hat on the pattern cover (circa 1985) :)

Super Henri!

2008-10-23T14:50:00.000-04:00

Henri is proudly wearing his first Halloween costume!

Here are all the items:

As I mentioned in a previous post, I slightly modified pattern 2318 for the Bathat and made Batsocks using pattern 2448.

Then, I made a Batdiaper (pocket diaper without the inserts) with the upcoming diaper. Henri wears it over Battights made of swimsuit lining fabric. I did not use any pattern for the shirt and tights (Henri's grandmother can actually cut such basic items without any measurements - Lucky me!).

Finally, I used fusible interfacing to apply the batman logo cutouts to the garments.

I don't know if Henri felt like a superhero with his costume, but he rolled over, from his tummy to his back, for the first time during the photo shoot!!!

Baby Fleece Slippers

2008-10-22T09:41:00.000-04:00

I put the Halloween costume project on hold and decided to use pattern 2318 (since it was already open) to make a last-minute gift for a friend of mine who just had a baby. I made little fleece slippers in the smallest size (which is already wayyy too small for 3-month old Henri!). I'm quite happy with the result!

Halloween Costume

2008-10-16T13:00:00.001-04:00

Henri is still too young for trick-or-treating, but I thought I could make him a little costume just for the fun of it... I don't want to make anything complicated and don't have much time, so here's my plan: a baby batman "costume"! Well... by costume I mean Batman diaper and hat :)

I bought some Batman PUL (laminate fabric we use to make diapers) from Kids in the Garden a few weeks ago that I could use to make a batman diaper.

For the hat, I will try making something cute using pattern 2318 since it includes baby sizes. I will modify the hat on the right to make it pointy in the middle... I hope it will work!

Teeny Tiny Thermal Socks

2008-10-06T21:52:00.000-04:00

It's getting chilly in Quebec... Henri is keeping his feet (and cute chubby legs) warm with his new Power Stretch socks (pattern 2448).

The pattern runs from size 0 to women's shoe size 12. A great way to use stretch fleece scraps :)

You can see how easy it is to make these on YouTube

Working with Little Henri

2008-09-29T11:49:00.001-04:00

As many people know, Henri is now part of the Jalie team! He's been testing dozens of cloth diaper prototypes, a new pattern that will be part of the next collection. But don't worry, the new collection won't be all baby patterns!

Here is what we plan to release before the end of the year:

- Diapers and diaper cover (for AIO's, pocket and fitted diapers)
- Women's pants and tops
- Boys / Men's gymnastics leotard
- Skating / Ice Dance / Ballet dress
- Men's tops

As you can see, that means a lot of work ahead of us! We are working hard to launch the collection ASAP. I just hope that Henri will start napping more and eat less often during the day so that I can be a little more productive :)