The beginning of the hygge collection

 We have had that day this week- the day when you get up to walk the dog in the morning and think "it's changed, I can feel fall."

This year will be a little different. 

For reasons we all know about we are not going to do our regular winter trip to the US. We have been doing that for the last ten years, saving up our vacation when we were both working. It will be weird to be at home for the winter this year, all winter.

Because of our annual trips I always see my fall/winter sewing as half warm weather clothes making. 

This year I will be at home and either in the house or out in the cold, for 5-6 months.

Getting your head into this space requires considering the Danish term hygge very seriously. Canadians don't have an equivalent term, unless you call it hockey season, but we do have an equivalent climate.

Pretty much everyone has heard of hygge these days. It is that sort of cozy, snuggly, comfortable holed up securely at home situation that seems to me to particularly relevant to the times ahead. Workers at home will even be hygge in the office this year.

So with these weighty issues in my mind right now I have decided to do a full on hygge winter wardrobe.

To me this will involve sewing some new clothes that hopefully should feel like old clothes.

I have been thinking about a book these days my kids and I used to read "Need a house call Miss Mouse." Miss Mouse was an architect and she made homes for various animals. We used to look at the pictures and everyone would decide what was our favourite house. I learned a lot about my kids by seeing what house they chose.

This was my favourite, the fox's den. I could totally live there and live like that. Just add a sewing machine.

These are the homes my daughter liked best and they seem to me to be very pandemic relevant. 

First Bear's house, for hibernation:

And Worm's house, well-stocked:

I am pretty sure my winter is going to look like one of the above and I intend to be dressed for it.

To start this I pulled out my favourite old Jalie sweatshirt pattern. I have tried other sweatshirt type patterns but this one is my favourite - I like the high ribbed neckline, the loose but not too loose body, and the fact the sleeves aren't sloppy -a lot of the other ones I have sew had wide necklines too that didn't feel this cozy.

Here is the pattern envelope:

The trick to update this pattern I have decided is to not do the waistband ribbing too tight- just slightly smaller than the bottom of the top is fine and avoids the bloused in look.

I made my version in a french terry with sort of embossed dots on it. I picked this up at Joann's in my travels in the kids fabric section.

Now this, like a few other pictures, was taken in front of my husband's motorcycle. He bought the bike out of nostalgia a few years ago and uses it primarily to run down to the store for ingredients when he is cooking. He is definitely not a biker unless there is a group somewhere called " We are out of cilantro."

However the bike is vintage and shiny and if I want to interrupt him to get a picture taken I have found saying "why don't we do a picture of the bike?" generally works pretty well.

So here I am in the first of many holed-up-for-the-winter tops and my neon turquoise glasses which I guess suit both my top and the prop.

Jalie's Jeanne knit pyjamas in the smallest size

I grew up in rural Manitoba. We moved to Montreal when I was 15 so my youngest sister could go to the Montreal Oral School for the Deaf (she signs now) and my life changed considerably after that. 

I have lived in Canada, the US, and Australia. However I have been in Nova Scotia now for nearly 40 years and consider myself to be a true Nova Scotian. Somethings and some places are more yours by disposition than birth.

That said my Manitoba roots, my mom and one sister still live there, are deep.

I could write a whole post on how that peculiar Canadian prairie mentality has affected my life. One of the things that really sticks with me is the whole don't waste concept. When you grow up on the farm like my relatives did, or lived through the Depression in a farming culture, you really don't like to not use everything. It was too far to go to get anything even if you could afford it. I have a strong memory of my grandmother losing it when she saw me unwind some old thread from a bobbin and throw it away. What a waste of those few yards of thread.

During this pandemic stay at home time I have been grateful for my collection of sewing supplies, and all the things I put aside just in case. I have been living off all of that for months now.

One of the things I have appreciated most is my collection of Jalie patterns. Because they come in over 20 sizes I have been able to play around with them making things up in different sizes for myself like the pull on pants in the last post, or make thing for family using patterns I already have.

One of those patterns has been the Jeanne knit pyjamas. I made a nice version for myself a while ago. This month made some with the same pattern in the smallest size for my youngest granddaughter in California.

They are in a monkey print, because, well, she is our monkey. I had to improvise a bit because I didn't have ribbing left in white. I used cotton lycra which means the neck band bows a bit, but I am pleased with them.

She's really a doll isn't she?

A sewing uniform

I have been sewing and sewing lately on various projects and I realized I have definite sewing outfits. Two days this week it has been some old standby Jalie patterns.

The first is these purple linen pants (I call them my Berkeley pants because I wear them when I visit my kids who live there in California so I fit in with all the ageing hippies) 3243 in a size bigger than I usually wear for extra ease. These are perfect for sitting a long time and intermittent running to the iron board, to let in the dog, or to make teas. Not particularly elegant but so comfortable.

I wear them with my favourite top V neck 2682 in cotton spandex knit. I like the print and not everything goes with purple pants. You might want to remember that.

I also have these same 3243s in a smaller size and cropped in grey with the 3890 top. I found that this rayon interlock in the spotted top stretched and stretched so I ended up overlapping the neckline and adding a button. Next version I sized down.

Spring 2020 : Jalie's Florence

The last of this spring Jalie patterns I previewed this year was this one, the Florence top and dress.

I used a linen blend from Fabricville and a nice bright colour. It seemed to me that this was a spring when the brighter and more cheerful the better.

Construction was simple a straightforward. As is typical with so many Jalie's there were a few nice details. The first I noticed was the outsized chest pockets, that I felt balanced the overall boxy look of the garment, and an interesting curved back yoke with a pleat for ease.

This is very much a put on and go dress and I suspect I will be wearing it a lot.

Here is my version without a belt. Obviously this is the most comfortable way to wear this dress. BTW I made this purse. It's cork, which is super easy to sew, and used the free Miss Maggie pattern from Emmaline Bags.

I also like this dress with a belt. Dug one out that I thought I had thrown out. Periodically I follow the advice to purge my closet and I always regret it. I was happy to see that this belt had survived, hidden away somewhere. I think it suits this dress.

I liked this pattern a lot, and was particularly happy with this season's new releases from Jalie. Now too that I have seen what other sewists are making, I am pretty sure I will go back and try some more, and certainly will be making some of the patterns in other sizes for the domestic clientele.

The Genevieve pull-on skirt pattern is one. Two of my granddaughters want one for themselves, and my daughter, their mother, talked me into shortening the one I made for myself and giving it to her. She's good about doing that. Her reasoning is that this would be perfect summer skirt to wear to work under her lab coat and who could argue with that/

She sent me this picture tonight, I have since cut out another two for her, and I have to say it looks cute shorter than the longer version I wore.

I have a lot on my sewing table right now so expect to see more from me. The truth about my partial absence from this blog for a while has been sewing related. After Christmas this year, when the reality of retiring was starting to sink in, I decided to write down all my best sewing tips. Once I started on that little project I realized that a lifetime of sewing, more or less continuously, had given me more to say than I thought. This has been a little project that has become a very big project. Working on that most days has left me with less time to make blog contributions and I felt I needed to explain that.

The good news is that I am getting close to the end of this particular little enterprise and I will have more to say, and more to post regularly soon. Your patience is appreciated.

Talk soon.

Spring 2020 Jalie's: Maxime Jacket

For a while now I have been wanting to make a light jacket for golfing and general dog walking activities. I needed something in the way of a spring jacket.

As a result I was very happy to see the Maxime in the new spring line up.

This is an extremely practical pattern. I particularly like the big flap pockets at the front and the fact that they also have a side entry, what they sometimes call "hand warmer" pockets. There is a good zipper guard and elastic at the bottom and sleeves, also good for the weather.

I had some rainwear, sort of a tencel I bought a long time ago for another pattern, and some athletic mesh stuff that I thought would work well for a lining. 

Most importantly I had a really nice metal teeth zipper I bought to match in NYC for this fabric and I was happy to have the chance to use it.

One note though about the instructions for the zipper in this pattern. There are some careful instructions about how to shorten a longer zipper and fold over the zipper guard over the top. This was a little more challenging for me that if I had used a plastic teeth zipper. Next time, and I will be making this one again, I would probably just measure the pattern for my size and buy a zipper to fit rather than taking the top teeth off a longer zipper - something I don't think I am particularly good at.

That is just my choice and not a big deal but something to think about.

The jacket went together very well, with some of those interesting industrial type techniques I love to see in Jalie's patterns. In addition to the pockets I also liked the flange at the yoke in the front and the high collar.

I can tell you right now this is going to be one of my favourite new garments this spring. It is neat but has enough ease to be very wearable. I liked the back ease in particular- I want to be able to swing a golf club in this jacket.

A few more pictures of me wearing this one, including my signature talking to the camera man shot. And boy do I need a haircut!

Spring 2020 Jalie patterns: Bianca top and dress

My fabric shelves have been spitting up a whole bunch of fabrics that I have picked up over the years with no real idea of when or how I was going to use them.

The bright striped rayon challis I used to make this dress was one of those pieces. When I was considering Jalie's new Bianca top and dress pattern I realized that the centre front and back seams, plus the optional arm band/cap sleeves, presented some opportunities to play around with the stripes.

First the pattern:

This is a nice basic pattern that just pulls over the head without any closure. It also includes an interesting pattern for a fabric belt I might make some time and optional pockets. I left both of those details off since there was more than enough going on with the stripes.

I am actually pretty pleased with this dress. It has a simple shape but isn't too boxy as some of these sack type dresses are. I have decided that what makes this work for me is that the shoulder fit isn't too loose. I also think the drape of the challis works well with this pattern and I am going to be making several more out of similar fabric. I am always looking for fast sews for comfortable dresses for spring and summer.

I also think I will try this again in a knit and will probably go down one size for that. Real potential here.

Spring 2020 Jalie patterns: Genevieve

One of the things I decided to do this year when I chose which Jalie patterns I would sew, was that I wanted to try a few things outside my usual sewing comfort zone.

Genevieve, a full elastic waist skirt, was that choice for me. This looked to me at first glance like a dirndl, something that suits almost nobody, but it isn't that at all. Think of this one as an A line skirt with a separate elastic waist casing just large enough to go over your hips. One version has a buttoned front, one doesn't, and obviously this skirt can be made in any length. There is also a belt/pocket option too.

I decided to do the simple version with pockets and a sort of mid calf length. I wore it with my favourite Jalie knit top 2682

I felt there was a bit of a 50s vibe with this skirt so I wore it with flats and a belt. Note my assistant, who is usually just about this far from me at all times, hiding under my skirt.

I don't need to tell you how comfortable this skirt is. I made it in a chambray so it has great wash and wear potential. This  is a good thing because I can see wearing this skirt a lot this summer. I think I will also make another one soon in an even more flowing fabric. I have some rayon that would be perfect. 

Also because of the huge size range in this pattern I am pretty sure the girls will want a couple of these too.

Spring 2020 Jalie patterns: Jeanne

Jeanne, for knit pyjamas, is actually one of my favourite patterns in the new Jalie spring line. 

I nearly fell over when I saw this one.  I spent a good part of early December last year trying to find a pattern just like this to make Christmas pyjamas for all the various sized kids. It was actually a pretty frustrating experience because I wanted a more RTW fit and nothing too baggy. In the end I had to buy several different patterns to get something in all the sizes and some versions were better than the others.

This was exactly what I was looking for.

I was also hoping to make something for myself too that was similar. As followers of this blog know, we head off every winter for a couple of months in the RV to tour around the southern US. We like to stay in state parks, as opposed to RV type resorts, so essentially I spend a good part of my winters in camp grounds, which I love. Fussy clothes are not part of that lifestyle.

These pyjamas would be perfect.

Here is my version made up in a highly stretchy rayon knit. I realize that the pants here look sort of skin tight but they aren't, there is a lot of room to stretch in them. That said next time I make these I will go up a size for the pants if I work with a knit with less stretch.

I see a lot of potential in this pattern. Of course being Canadian I will probably make a base layer (aka long underwear) out of this for dog walking in the winter, and I am thinking too if I go up two sizes (remember Jalie's have very small differences between the sizes so this isn't as drastic as it sounds) I can make some joggers from this pattern as well.

Most of all I will be using the top from this pattern to make some more knit tops. The fit of this one is exactly what I want in staple type knit tops so that was a really nice bonus to find that in this pattern.

So happy with these pyjamas. Now I have about six months now to find a deal on multiple meters of knit fabric before next Christmas.

Spring 2020 Jalie patterns: Romy

Well it is that time of year again when I participate in Jalie's spring launch of new patterns with my own reviews.

This is how this works.

A few months before the Jalie spring collection is released myself and a group of other sewists have a look at the patterns. Mostly we check to make sure the patterns are typo and error free. We also have the opportunity to choose some to make for ourselves and review on our social media channels. I usually try to select patterns that are things I would actually wear myself for this first look. Often however when I see what other sewists make, I go back and try other patterns later on that I decide look interesting. I will certainly be doing that again this year.

If you have been reading this blog for a while you know that I am a long time fan of these Quebec based patterns. There are several reasons for this.

First of all I love the size range, which pretty much covers my entirely extended family- all in one pattern. I love that something I can make for myself can also be made in a version for my grandchildren and I don't have to go out and search for another pattern. It's like having a pattern store in my house. Whatever I need to make for anyone chances are there is a Jalie staple I can use or adapt.

Second I like the fit. Jalie is one of those lines that really is as close to good RTW in fit as you can get. Also, because the sizes are so incremental, about an inch between sizes, it is very easy to make slight alterations just by fading in and out of different size lines. I also change the ease for many garments by making up a different size--I have close fitted shirts in one size and ones with more ease just in the size up.

Third and this is best for last, I love the construction techniques. Learning a new construction technique is just about my favourite thing in life. I am actually serious about this. Always, always when I make a new Jalie I discover some new nifty way to put clothes together. Sewing with this patterns has made me a better sewist.

Over the next 10 days or so I am going to be posting my reviews of my favourites of the new patterns.

Today I would like to start with Romy.


This is a pattern for a tunic or shorter sweater. There is a nice funnel neck with a really cool construction method I can't even describe. There is also a band I had some concerns about. I was remembering the waistbands of all those old sweatshirt styles. However this band is not at all tight. Because I am tall I added 2" to the short version.

I used a really, really soft bamboo fleece and it was perfect for this pattern -cozy, cozy, cozy. These days I appreciate all the cozy I can get.

The sleeves are very wide, at the body but not loose at the arm. This adds to the cozy comfy factor considerably.


And finally an out take shot taken before we went outside, with my Covid hair and my best Covid companion. 

My just stop fooling around and take the picture face.

This really is a winner of a pattern for these times I think. Super comfortable but also stylish. I have already earmarked three more pieces of fabric from my reservoir for more versions of this. A fast, fun sew too.

Jalie's new Rachel top

Yesterday Jalie released a new pattern, the Rachel and I made it up to wear to a presentation I gave to the Atlantic Sewing Guild. 

I used a lovely wool and bamboo jersey that is so comfortable - keeping with my wear what is comfortable theme. The pants BTW are Jalie's pull-ons, cut shorter in my attempt to be somewhat updated.

This top is so much simpler than it looks. It was a comfortable half an afternoon sew, start to finish. Essentially this is a basic T with a crew neck or mock turtle option, with a sort of an extension on one side that is sewn into a tube and then pulled across to the opposite side seam and basted in so it is captured when that seam is sewn.

Nothing to it.

I was hesitant about this style as I am wary of anything that draws attention to my belly but I found it actually is very midriff disguising.

As a result I will be making more tops and probably a dress or two from this pattern.

Review of Jalie 3911 Michelle summer dress

Of all the new Jalies I made this spring I think I had most fun making the Michelle summer dress.



My absolute favourite thing in the world, next to my family, dog, and rhubarb is discovering a nifty new way to sew something familiar - particularly if that new way is:

• easier
• faster
• slicker
• smoother

... than the way I would have done the same task myself.

The Michelle dress and tank was that kind of nice construction surprise. Here are the pattern pieces and line drawing:

I made the dress. The skirt part was as expected- a big gathered rectangle set into the bodice in a waist seam somewhat above my natural waist, by say 2-3 inches. So raised but not empire.

The top part of this dress is fully lined. If you don't want that much fabric, this lining can be cut off shorter to make as sort of all in one facing for the neckline and armholes. You might want to do this if you were just making the dress top as a tank top only, and didn't want to figure out two layers at the hem.

Now you might think that making this top fully lined would be tricky with those kind of complicated bagging instructions those of use who have bagged vests might be familiar with, but in fact it is so easy. 

I really can't do the instructions justice here. Basically it amounts to sewing the front lining and front together at the neck and armholes, and doing the same at the back, turning one set to the right side, sliding one unit into the other, machine stitching across the shoulders, turning it all to the right side and then sewing the side seams.

You really need the pattern for the complete process if the above run-on sentence makes little sense.

The resulting bodice with this technique is clean and fast and definitely something a beginner could do successfully. As method it eliminates the need to finish the neck and armholes with facings or bindings too, which is a bonus.

Note that the front and back pattern pieces are identical, which makes matching the pieces fool proof, and because the neckline is very open there is no need for zippers or other closures.

I made my version with a navy lawn from Fabricville with little white birds printed on it. Because the fabric was so light the lined bodice was perfect as was the gathered skirt.

It seemed odd when we took these shots on a cold, grey May day here to be putting on something so bare. I am sometimes aware too that as I get older and am no longer a spring chicken that my arms remind me more and more of chicken's wings but there are times and locations when something to wear in the heat are really important.

I am thinking here of the heat of Austin Texas where my middle son now lives. Those of you who know that climate can appreciate why I appreciate a dress like this for when I am there in the hotter months.

I also could see this as a dress, since this Jalie pattern comes in size 2 as in toddlers right up, I can make for the little and bigger girls. Definitely for summer sewing for children the fact this could be whipped up so easily means the Michelle is going to have multiple iterations around here. 

I am thinking too I may even do a shell too for myself - how useful would one in white, self-lined be?

Review of Jalie 3905 the Gisele round neck top and Jalie 3908 Simone wide-legged pants

I made the new Jalie Simone wide-legged pants and the Gisele round neck top as a set for comfortable travelling.

Here are the line drawings and pattern pieces:

They were both very easy sews and gave me an outfit for sleeping around airports and life that is a comfortable as pyjamas but considerably more stylish. I used a rayon challis from Fabricville for the top and a washed cotton/linen, also from Fabricville for the pants.

The top first.

This is such a simple top but has some really nice details. The 3/4 length gathered sleeves obviously, my favourite sleeve length because I can't drag my sleeves into things like dishwater, and the neat hem treatment, with a slight higher at the front thing that is actually quite flattering.

This is a no darts top but fairly wide so I didn't have any issues with pulling over the bust. I went and made my husband do an out side shot with my arms out so you could see the width of the top, and the pants, better:

 I would note though that the neckline is quite wide, fine for people who don't have my scrawny shoulders, so I might bring in the neckline in about an inch each side next version so I have bra covering security, and in this one I will probably go back and add lingerie guards #borninthe1950s

If I make the neckline smaller next time at the neck edge I will probably implement the back neck vent - something I eliminated here.

I made two changes to my version of the pants.


First I just couldn't bring myself to put a bow on over my stomach. Just couldn't do it. I have devoted years of my life to trying to de-emphasize my belly and it seemed pretty late in the game to deviate from that mission.

Also in the linen cotton I thought for sure a bow would be too stiff. That said the next version will be in a tercel twill so I may try the tie in something more drapey.

I also cut these off short and made them sort of long culottes. The pants version are really wide and I decided recently in a lay over in San Francisco when I observed every woman but myself was wearing cropped pants to try that look myself.

These elastic waist, slim at the hips, pocket included culottes/crops were perfect I thought for real world wear

I am probably going to try the full length in the tercel, but in the meantime I am very happy with these. I like full shorts so stay tuned for a shorts version soon - maybe even a longer short to wear at the golf course, that might be interesting.

Review of Jalie 3902 Nicole knit dress

The new Jalie Nicole knit dress reminds me so much of two of my all time favourite knit dresses, bought 30 years ago from Landsend, and worn until they more or less fell off my body.

I liked them so much because they were comfortable, I didn't need to iron them, and I could wear one unit under a jacket to work and still look as professional as I get.

This was the exact same pattern. Here are the line drawings and pattern pieces:

This pattern is a classic case where it might make sense to be a bit strategic about the size you choose. I note that someone with a strong bust line, since the dress goes pretty straight down front the bust, will have more waist/ hip room, as you can see in this pattern cover shot. The drapes fabric also facilitates this too:

For someone like myself, who has a hip/ lower waist measurement very close to my bust measurement, and made up in a fairly firm cotton/lycra, the fit across the lower body is fairly close, right where belly/bum wise I am very curvy:

I love this picture of me - this is the face of a person whose daughter has just suggested Spanx.

Nope, nope and nope. This body has had three kids and one hysterectomy and deserves to just be itself. I am standing firm on that one, even if it's the only firm going on here.

Point taken though. See how the back of this dress rides up? That's because I have a lot of shape back there.

So I know exactly what I am going to do. Just like I moved up a few sizes in the Lisette skirt (love those 20 plus sizes) to get exactly the ease I want, I will be sewing this again in one or two sizes up. 

That should make it just right.

I am so happy to have my favourite dress back and love the look of the mock turtle neck and the short sleeves.

Jalie's 3902 Nikita knit sport top or knit dress pattern

The Nikita pattern was a bit of an adventure for me. 

Here is the line drawing and the pattern pieces:

You can see why this pattern interested me. The way the back wrapped around to the front was cool I thought. 

But because for myself I didn't see doing the open back top, I decided to make a knit dress, view B for my granddaughter Scarlett who never turns down a dress.

So speeding ahead thinking I was making just an ordinary knit dress with a lace yoke I didn't pay enough attention to the shapes (the garment photos from Jalie came out after I made this up). As a result I don't think I really understood this pattern before I made it up.

Now I see the photos from the new pattern cover, I have a much better appreciation of the real Nikita see and how the pattern really should be used.

Let me explain. 

Here is the pattern shot that really explains it all:

As you can see this top, and of course the dress even with its full back version, has large and loose armholes and really needs to be worn with a sports bra underneath.

This is exactly the kind of outfit/top I wish I had on when I participated in my middle son's yoga demo class in Austin Texas a month and a half ago.

That was the occasion when I did a demonstration of my own on how much an older woman can sweat all over her top and her borrowed yoga mat. If you have ever done that you really would understand how a top like this one, that also wraps around to the front so it won't ride up a lot, would be so very useful.

You can bet on seeing a few versions of this in the top version on my in the near future.

Of course this is all something I understand now. 

When I made Scarlett's version we were both initially surprised at how open the armholes were. So open that the first thing I said to her little 9 year old self were "OK kiddo that's a nightgown not a dress."

You will see what I mean in these pictures, which I have left full size, landscape included because this is my daughter's wonderful backyard in spring:

Now this is a great nightgown and I am a more clued in grandmother.

And it has me thinking laterally of a few other uses for this pattern.

First, one of my vintage sewing books has the hilarious suggestion that women try out a new dress pattern by making it first as a nightgown. The hilarious part is that this suggestion comes from the '50s when the dresses had tight bodices and full skirts and I have always wondered just how comfortable those would be to sleep in.

However it also reminds me of the time one of my sisters, desperate to get through the night in early menopause without soaking the sheets, phoned and told me she had found "menopause friendly" nightgowns for only $150 online. I think they were made of linen or something.

When I went back and looked at the dress view of this pattern, and thought about implementing the open back too in the dress, I thought bingo the ultimate menopause nightgown! Or for people like me, who are always telling the spouse to turn the heat down at night and survive only by keeping a window open in the bedroom until some grunting man gets up to shut it, exactly what I need.

So that was my Nikita experiment. Not a dress for a nine year old maybe but a great yoga top for me and a nightgown for myself and all sisters who want one

I am looking forward to making those up!