Jalie Hoodie Pattern Review

Today I’m reviewing the Jalie Hoodie Pattern #2795. This pattern was released with the 2007 collection and has received a plethora of five star reviews on the Jalie patterns website and on Patternreview.com.  Jalie patterns are known for their incredible fit, and this pattern is no exception.

The Fabric:

I used a jersey velour from Southern Belle Fabrics.  JV is fleecy on one side and smooth on the other.  It’s a knit, so it moves with you and has about 60% 4 way stretch.

The Process:

I had never sewn with jersey velour before, and I must say, it was a fun change from the jeans I sewed in January! It’s just fun to squish in your hands and it is sooo warm!  It did take some problem solving to get the settings right on my machine for sewing.  If you search in the Southern Belle FB Group, you’ll find my video about sewing with jersey velour.  Some of my sewists friends sewed their JV with no problem on the sewing machine.  Some found success using a walking foot.  I decided to use my serger because I wasn’t having luck with either of those.  I had success increasing the differential feed on my serger to the MAX (2.0) and the stitch length to 3.5.  These are the highest settings I’ve had on my machine because this is the thickest fabric I’ve ever sewn.

There is a LOT of topstitching that goes into making this pattern.  My serger is a serger/coverstitch combo. When I wanted to topstitch, I had to switch the serger to coverstitch settings and rethread it. I can rethread it in 3 minutes, start to finish, so it’s really not that bad. But…I had to switch back and forth a bunch of times so it did start to feel like I was doing as much rethreading as sewing, lol.  But, that’s what I get for buying a combo machine. I rarely have a project where I switch back and forth so much; this project was an exception.

* I was given fabric and a pattern in exchange for a review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

When I switched to coverstitch, I tried topstitching but no matter what settings I used, the seam was still wavy.  I solved the problem by placing cutting a strip of washaway stabilizer and placing it under the seam and then feeding the seam through the coverstitch machine.  BAM! No more wavy seams! When I was done topstitching, I threw my garment in the wash and all of that stabilizer dissolved into nothing.

I don’t usually print instructions on PDF patterns because they are so dang long! One thing I love about this pattern is that the instructions can be printed on just 3 sheets of paper, one page for the English text and two pages for the illustrations.  You’ll have to go back and forth between the two sheets, but the information is there. (The designers began directions with side by side directions in 2014.) Some of the reviewers said that the zipper instructions were a little sparse.  The sew along for the hoodie fills some of those gaps. Also, I made a video to show you a few tips on the zipper I installed.  One thing that really helped me decide where to place the zipper along my jacket was to look at a hoodie I already own.

 

Because I interfaced the zipper area of my jacket, I had zero problems with the fabric stretching as I sewed the zipper seam.  In my opinion, the actual sewing of the zipper was one of the easier steps of sewing the jacket.  Ooh – I should mention…I used a waterproof zipper.  They have a really sleek look to them as they are flat on the ‘pretty side’.

One thing I would like to try next time I sew a hoodie is to fold the top of the zipper over like I see in a RTW hoodie I own (see the picture below). I think it might help the zipper lay a little flatter and make the seam just above look a little crisper.  I haven’t topstitched my zipper yet, but I will probably go back and fix that at some point.  We just enjoyed a day of 80 degree weather this week! A few of the trees and vines are blooming, so I must admit my motivation for sewing outerwear has diminished a bit.

 

Did you see these welt pockets?! I haven’t sewn welt pockets in over 10 years! Some of you may be a bit intimidated by welts but, just like a lot of design features, it really is just step by step.  I think even a confident beginner can do welt pockets!

When I pulled this jacket out of the wash (remember, I had to dissolve all of that stabilizer) it was supple and soft and perfect!

I loved having the opportunity to sew this project!  This is the first hoodie I have ever sewn and I knew that this Jalie pattern wouldn’t let me down.  We are moving north this summer, so I’ve been trying to plan my sews to include more outerwear. This jersey velour jacket is going to get a TON of use this winter as we are moving north soon.  Maybe this jacket will get me school spirit points, too!  My husband is going to grad school and half of the schools he’s applied to have red school colors!