Jalie Patterns' Blog

It's not always easy picking a fabric for a sewing project. Sometimes we love the print but have doubts on the weight and drape. The fabric you choose can make a big difference in the final result, especially where there is ease, ruffles, or gathers involved. To help you better visualize how various fabrics look, we made a few versions of the Michelle dress and Adele tops . This way, you can see how the choice affects the fit and style on both garments. ADÈLE TOP For the ADÈLE Top / Tunic , the type of fabric you choose will decide on how your shoulder ruffle looks. Some people like a subtle, "waterfall" look, others prefer a statement ruffle that emphasize the shoulders. The top can be made in a knit too, but the garment becomes a bit more challenging to sew. From left to right: ITY knit (available in most fabric store chains) Telio's Rock n' Roll bubble crepe // 100% polyester Shirting / quilting cotton fabric See how the ruffle falls flat

In today's post, we have a little freebie for you! As you may know, the original  DIANE one-piece swimsuit was designed with sewn-in swim cups. It makes the swimsuit very comfortable, with no "moving parts". That being said, the process can be a little intimidating for some and it requires buying a new pair of foam cups for each suit. In order to provide an option for those who prefer removable cups, we decided to create a new front pocket piece that allows you to insert foam cups between the lining and outer fabric. CLICK HERE to download the new, free, pocket piece. The PDF file includes the pieces and the instructions to attach it to the original one-piece front of the  DIANE  and is drafted for sizes P to FF (teens, adults and plus size). If it is your first time working with a PDF pattern piece, take a look at our HOW TO PRINT A PDF guide. You can "borrow" swim cups from another suit or buy new ones in fabrics stores and online. There

In the previous post, we explained how to adjust the Michelle pattern for a full bust . If you often do upper bodice adjustments when making tops (shoulders, bust height), you might need to adjust the straps on the Michelle . In this blog post, we will show you how to adjust the straps for armholes and neckline that sit exactly where you want them to. To make photos easier to understand, we used a navy fabric for the front, yellow for the back. DO I NEED TO ADJUST THE STRAPS? Your garment might fit as is but you might need to tweak it if: Your neckline and armhole are too low / too high If one of your shoulders is higher than the other DETERMINE BY HOW MUCH YOU NEED TO SHORTEN / LENGTHEN Start by unpicking the shoulder seam. Then, put on the tank and have someone pin the straps in the optimal spot, keeping a neutral body position. It is very likely that the adjustment will be different from one shoulder to the other. That's totally normal. If you need to lengthen,

The MICHELLE tank/dress pattern is a minimalist design without dart, drafted for B cup. If you are larger than a B cup and want a perfect fit, a full bust adjust and a dart will help the garment fit better. This post will show your our favorite Full Bust Adjustment (FBA) technique. You can find our Michelle pattern in PDF or paper format on our website   TRACE YOUR BASE SIZE Measure your full bust and find the size on the pattern. Go down by the number of sizes : C Cup: Go one size down D Cup: Go two sizes down DD Cup: Go three sizes down For example, if your full bust is 40'' (102 cm ) - which corresponds to a size Y - and you have a D cup, trace size W (two sizes down).  PREP THE PATTERN Trace an extra copy of the main piece and facing (if you are making view B). Put those pieces aside, they will be the back and back facing. You do not need to alter them. The original design has an identical front and back. The FBA will change the proporti