Jalie Pattern Help

[Skittl1321]

I'm working on Jalie 2790 and have a question about sewing in the elastic. I'm not used to such sparse instructions, so I'm assuming if you've sewn any Jalie pattern you'd be able to answer this- just based on how they do things.

For the bodice (and the panty) there is a line of elastic. It says to 1) pin elastic stitch along raw edge using zig zag stitch stretching elastic as you sew to fit. Then 2) Fold elastic to wrong side and stitch again over visible zig zag.

My question- do I stretch the second time as well? I THINK I do- if I want to be able to match the zig zag stitches, BUT I'm confused about stretching it, because if I stretch the elastic, then there is no "pull" on the fabric. Or is my mistake that the fabric is stretching as well, and shouldn't be? (I can't figure out how to stretch the elastic, but not the fabric under it.)

Thanks!

[Virtualsk8r]

Good question! I have had to cut off a few pant leg elastics because I have done in the 'stretch' by doing the double zigzag thing and am left with a sorry looking leg hole.

I'm not sure if it is Jalie or Kwik Sew ( I use both) - that says to cut the elastic to length and over lap the cut edges then sew firmly across.
Then you take the circle of elastic and pin it from the front of the crotch to the seam on the hip - just smooth the elastic with no stretching. The the elastic that is left is stretched to fit the butt part of the pant to the crotch. Pin it as you stretch the elastic.

The elastic is pinned on the right side of the fabric. I then either serge the elastic on, being careful to not stretch the front section too muc -- or else I zig zag the elastic on the edge (sometimes it is just easier than serging).

Then I fold the elastic over and in on the wrong side of the pant, and straight stitch (experiment to get the right length of stitch for you) - the folded sewn elastic down on the right side, stretching the elastic and pant edge just a bit.

The fabric will stretch with the elastic when you sew it because you are using stretch fabric - at least it should.

This seems to work well for me!

[Skittl1321]

Thanks! So I do want to stretch the second time too.

[Virtualsk8r]

Just a bit - that's why I use the straight stitch and pull the fabric a little. But remember, a straight stitch without a little pull will snap with repeated wearing.

You can try the zig zag but don't stretch it too much. Practice on a piece of fabirc at first.

BTW - if you overstretch, I have found the cut-off pieces of leg elastic (now that they are covered with fabric) can be used for straps in a halter dress!!

[Skittl1321]

I made the panty part- and while the elastic isn't PERFECT, they fit, cover everything, and move well. I think with tights on I won't feel the parts I didn't get the casing over.

I finished putting the elastic on the bodice- but can't see if it "works" until the rest of the dress is complete.

I REALLY hope this works. Because if it does- a practice dress will be under $20 (this fabric actually will make it about $8) and only take a day or so.

[Virtualsk8r]

Here's a tip if you plan to make more dresses. I trace the appropriate sized pattern on to heavy paper and mark it with all the pattern information. Then I use the more durarble pattern to cut out dresses. I can roll it up in a ball and then iron it out when needed. This way, I have the original pattern in case sizes change.

Also the heavy paper or cardboard makes cutting out fabric a breeze. I can alter the pattern to make a sweetheart neck, or sleevelss low back etc. by cutting the cardboard and adding seam allowances etc. Even panels down the front or back of the dress are really easy to put in (accent colors or lace etc).

[Skittl1321]

Great tip- thanks. Right now I just always trace my patterns onto tissue paper- it usually takes me 2 or 3 "muslins" to get the right combo of sizes- I'm really really hoping the stretch of this will be forgiving enough I can wear the first one I make. (The Kwik Sew pattern I tried fit everywhere but the panty, which was TEENY- I made the Jalie panty first and have tried them on already.)

I'm attaching the skirt now!

The best news is that my PT said I can start "skating" (laps) again- so I might be back enough to compete in April- in my pretty new dress!

[Clarice]

I always "wedgie-proof" the pants on my Kwik-Sew patterns. First I trace the back pant as it is. Before I cut out the pattern piece, I measure in 2 inches or so from each end of the leg opening and mark. Then I find the mid-point of the leg opening, mark it, and draw a perpendicular line about an inch long. Then I redraw the leg opening line, sort of making a hill shape from one end mark, over the middle mark, and down to the other end mark. This gives a more generous "seat" to the pants, and they won't ride up in back. You'd probably have to experiment a little to get the proportions right for you. I cut the elastic to the length specified by the pattern (not longer), and apply as usual.

[Skittl1321]

Thanks for the tip on the Kwik-Sew panty. I think I'm going to give that pattern another try, so I'll keep it in mind.


The Jalie dress is finished. I'm so proud of myself because it was quick, I didn't have to redo any steps, and it FITS! (http://images.patternreview.com/sewing/patterns/jalie/2790/2790.jpg) I made the "red" (mine is green crushed velvet) one but without the neck ruffle, because I want it for a practice dress as well. It fits perfectly. I lengthened the skirt because it barely goes over the models bum, but no other changes were needed.

So my newist issue. I have a lot of bulk aruond the waist seam- there are 2 layers of front bodice, a layer of skirt, and the layer from the panty. There is definetly a noticeable line there. Should I trip all of it? Or will pressing it all in one direction help? (Right now it is semi-pressed in opposite directions). I think that's the only thing that makes it look homemade.

I'm going to make this dress again in another color, and the only other change I'll make is to line the front of the bodice.

[Clarice]

I'm not sure anything is going to minimize that very much at this point. Trim the seam close and leave it alone, I think. Did you zigzag those layers together in the seam allowance? Try doing that, then trim. At least they'll all lie in the same direction then.

Lately I've been hanging my daughter's skirts. It reduces bulk and lets me place the skirt exactly where she wants it on her hips. I make the leotard in one piece (tape the bodice and panty pattern pieces together, or just draw them as one piece in the first place). I make the skirt separately, hang it on her and pin, then zigzag it in place. That would show unacceptably in a ready-to-wear garment, but this is a costume and you can't see that out on the ice at all. If you use a narrowish zigzag and make sure it goes across the raw edge of the skirt it's hardly noticeable anyway. The only reason I'd insert a skirt anymore is if I needed the panty to be a different color from the bodice.

[Virtualsk8r]

Since I have a serger, I always sew the body/pant/skirt pieces together initially with a zig zag stitch - try it on and if it's perfect, then I use the seger with the cutting knife (caution!) and trim off as much as I can while serging the whole thing together.

Another option - is to trim the seams and then do a fake overlock zig zag stitch with your sewing machine .....you do a zig zag that zags over the trimmed edge and make sure the stitches are close together.

I hate putting on the skirt, especially chiffon! I attach the skirt to the pant first and then bast the bodice to that before serging the whole thing.

I've done the body suit type skirts as well, but find they don't always look as good because you have to attach the skirt from the underside so that the stitching is invisable - and there is always a raw edge that will show when the skater does a spin.

[dbny]

I'm working on Jalie 2790 and ....

And here I was thinking "I've never heard of that pattern, it's definitely not in MIF, and it's not a dance, and Skittl1321 does live in the US ... what's going on?" :lol: :lol:

[slusher]

I've got two tips. I really need to go update my Pattern Review stuff, another time.

If the fabric for the skirt is thin, eg chiffon, lace, mesh, sew the skirt on top, just flip it up and sew along the waist edge and then when it falls back into place it lies flat and it won't slide out on you when you've got the sandwich of bodice panty and skirt.

For thicker fabrics, sew the top and skirt together. Then at the sticky out waist seam, sew the panty onto that. It's not sewn into the seam and will lie slightly lower, the panty will pull it taunt. These are quite sparse descriptions, sorry, it's more complicated than that but I could show you in about 30 seconds with fabric in my hand.

I always sew my skirts on top, no matter what the fabric, because as kids grow, I'll move a skirt up or down which you can't do when it's sewn in the seam.

Edited: I thought of something else. For the elastic on the leg, consider that the bulk of the body is in the butt and you want tension to keep the panty over that butt. So I don't stretch the elastic at all when sewing to the front of the panty, but when I get to the rear, the "hill" of the pattern, I use about half the size of elastic as the length of the seam. That makes it quite gathered, but it then stays under the bum better and doesn't wedge and also the front lies flat. I know the pattern says measure in 4 places and attach, but our leg openings are not equal from front to rear to make tht work. I don't measure the elastic, I feed it in and tension it by hand as I'm sewing, it takes experience but not much to get the hang of it.

[Skittl1321]

Thank you all for the advice- I think I'm going to make another tomorrow since it was so quick, and I have a second color of the fabric, so I'll incorporate it all.

I like the idea of making the leotard in one piece and attaching the skirt to the outside- that will really reduce bulk in the waistline. I'm only sewing for me, so if I grow- it's going to be in width, not length, so my skirt length won't need to change, but its a good idea. I'm scared of altering patterns though- so taping them together is going to be an adventure.

I also think I understand what slusher is saying about sewing the panty to the "sticky out waist seam" - sewing it to the seam allowance instead of the seam line? Or maybe I don't understand. I think I'll play with that idea first- because, well the scared of altering patterns part. The skirt is the same material as the bodice and panty- crushed stretch velvet, although it is light weight.

Thanks for the tip on the leg elastic- I did more in the back than the front, but I do have some stretch in the front.

As for MITF- nope, not one of those patterns. I'm banned from skating anything other than circles :)

[slusher]

Heee! yes the sticky out part is the seam allowance. My brain wasn't working too well was it? You've got the idea.

When you tape the top and panty together, or, more advanced, the top and skirt together ;) the pattern pieces won't line up exactly. The panty will be smaller and the skirt wider. Keep your straight of grain, eg the centre front or centre back, and then fudge the outside seam just smoothing it out as you cut. if you follow the outside seam (which would be the side seam) the grain will be all funny and you'll end up with too short a girth or a skirt that won't fit over your butt. Yes, done that.

[Skittl1321]

When you tape the top and panty together, or, more advanced, the top and skirt together ;) the pattern pieces won't line up exactly. The panty will be smaller and the skirt wider. Keep your straight of grain, eg the centre front or centre back, and then fudge the outside seam just smoothing it out as you cut. if you follow the outside seam (which would be the side seam) the grain will be all funny and you'll end up with too short a girth or a skirt that won't fit over your butt. Yes, done that.

See- I knew I had reason to be scared of taping the pieces together! I actually don't think I'll be able to do that for this dress because the front bodice is made in 2 pieces and the back bodice in 4 pieces, so there wouldn't really be a place to tape the panty to. But the kwik sew pattern- there is.

I'm learning a lot- very cool!

[Skittl1321]

I wanted to thank everyone for the help. The dress turned out really well, and was really pretty easy to make.

This is my pattern review, with pictures, for anyone who does a search of the forum for reference:
http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=26352

[stacyf419]

I wanted to thank everyone for the help. The dress turned out really well, and was really pretty easy to make.

This is my pattern review, with pictures, for anyone who does a search of the forum for reference:
http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=26352

Wow - the dress turned out beautifully. What a pretty color, and I love the trim. Great job!