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Fitted Jacket, #905, Christine Jonson Patterns
The Creative Machine, Summer 1999
Reviewed by Elizabeth Houlihan, Des Plaines, IL
I am amazed how quickly this casual close-fitting knit jacket went together. The notch collar tailored jacket is closer fitting than the cover drawing led me to expect. I will have to wear it by itself or over a silky shell. The shoulder pads are essential to a good fit and a professional appearance.
When you request information from Christine Jonson Patterns, you get the royal treatment. Fabric swatches arrive in a red folder along with pictures of all of the patterns in the collection. Her patterns require the use of a cotton/LYCRA doubleknit which she also sells. This tightly knitted fabric has a substantial hand and a great recovery. Her fabric colors are dark, with the exception of an off-white and a cherry red. The remaining colors are heather grey, dark purple, navy, black, maroon, olive, brown, and royal blue. Garment sketches are printed in the colors of the fabric, so details in the cover drawings are difficult to see. The addition of a basic front and back line drawing of each garment would help.
Descriptions, size charts, and yardage requirements are included for each pattern. In the sizing chart, the bust measurement increases by 4" between small, medium, large, and extra large. It would help if the measurements were given as a range rather than as one number to guide the person in between sizes. She give no direction whether to go up or down a size if you are in between. I do not sew with knits very often, so these large leaps were disconcerting, especially since I was sewing a fitted jacket.
Even though some sewers would rather charge in, restrain yourself and follow the well-written instructions. The techniques for this unique fabric differ substantially from those used on wovens. The shrinkage factor has been built into the draft of the pattern, so fabric should not be pre-shrunk. Most construction is done quickly on the serger. There is no lining or handwork and the only pressing is a final press near the end.
For topstitching, she recommends that you use a walking or rolling foot to avoid distorting the fabric. I tried a regular foot without success. A Teflon foot worked well. I successfully learned how to cord buttonholes, which prevents them from stretching out of shape. I will use this new and valuable technique more often now that I have been forced to learn it.
This fabric is easy to work with and would also make a great close fitting T-shirt or slim pants.
Top | Go to CJ Pattern #905: Fitted Jacket
Straight Shirt, #723, Christine Jonson Patterns
The Creative Machine, Summer 1999
Reviewed by Kytrena Tuttle, Spring, TX
Simple styling is the key phrase in describing the Christine Jonson Straight Shirt. The button-up knit shirt with a collar and push-up sleeves looks great over slim pants. I was reluctant to try this pattern because it is "straight" and I am not. The shirt skims the body without being body hugging or oversized. The envelope description suggests using the shirt as a jacket, but I don't feel there's enough ease to wear it over anything bulkier than a tank top. Also, the sleeves aren't as generous as described. The back of the pattern states clearly the measurements, yardage and notions needed.
Easy-to-follow instructions make this a perfect pattern for a beginning sewer. The layouts are clear. The pattern pieces are like commercial patterns and each size is well marked. Since her patterns are to be used with a cotton/LYCRA knit that she sells, general instructions for handling and sewing are included.
As I was reading the pattern, I couldn't believe my eyes. It says, "Do not preshrink cotton/LYCRA fabric." I have been given permission to cut before shrinking. I read further. Again, I was aghast. It says, "Do not press as you sew." Oh, what fun—I can break the rules.
My shirt turned out well, even though I'm not accustomed to using my serger for anything except finishing seams. In lieu of a roller foot, which Christine suggests to control slippage when topstitching the knit, I successfully used a glue stick to glue down the facings and hems before topstitching. Also, it would be helpful if Christine printed the after-shrinkage garment measurements on the pattern so that we would have a point of reference for judging ease and alterations.
When I ordered the fabric for this pattern, I also ordered the straight leg pants pattern and fabric. They were easy (no side seams) and fit perfectly. Be sure to cut them long enough to accommodate the shrinkage.
Top | Go to CJ Pattern #723: Straight Shirt
The Boyfriend Jacket, #311, Christine Jonson Patterns
The Creative Machine, Summer 1999
Reviewed by Kathy White, Carlsbad, CA
This lightweight comfortable knit jacket has a long, lean look. The shawl collar and broad shoulders are part of the illusion. Even though this is a casual jacket, the shoulders do require pads.
I made the pattern up in the suggested cotton/LYCRA knit available from Christine Jonson. The patterns recommends that the fabric not be prewashed, which bothered me, as the cotton will shrink later when it is washed. I asked Christine and she persuaded me that jackets are not normally washed. However, I couldn't resist prewashing the piece use for the shell top (included in the pattern). It came out of the dryer soft and sewed up beautifully, although the cut edges did curl slightly. I could see, though, that the sizing in the unwashed fabric made it better for a jacket.
Christine is a professional pattern maker with years of industry experience and it shows. Her attention to detail is remarkable. The instructions are clear and cover everything. She even notes that fusible interfacing will shrink and cuts the facing longer to accommodate this.
Since all seams are done with a serger, I wish that she had use 3/8" seam allowances as used in the industry. I find a 5/8" seam allowance on the serger harder to sew accurately. I got my wish after I tried on the jacket. It was huge. Falling between her sizes, I had gone with the larger. Because the fabric is soft and lightweight and the pattern oversized, the jacket needed to be narrower fitting. So I picked it all apart and recut the medium, using 3/8" seam allowances. It went together like a charm.
Unlike some of her more fitted garments in the pattern line, this jacket could easily be made out of other fabrics. In the Lycra knit, this would make a great jacket for traveling, as it packs small and wrinkles would simply smooth out.
Top | Go to CJ Pattern #311: Boyfriend Jacket & Shell
Cuff Pant, #945, Christine Jonson Patterns
The Creative Machine, Summer 1999
Reviewed by Cindy VanDusen, Port Orchard, WA
Christine Jonson Patterns are similar in appearance to commercial patterns. The front of the envelope shows a watercolor sketch, while the body measurements, yardage requirements, and notions are on the back. The tissue pattern includes ten sizes, ranging from 4 to 22. These pull-on dress knit trousers have two front pleats with a wide cummerbund-type waistband. The side slant pockets are set into a side dart because there is no side seam. The leg is fairly wide through the thigh, then it tapers to an ankle cuff. All Christine Jonson Patterns are designed especially for serger construction techniques and cotton/LYCRA, which Christine sells.
My order arrived within days, and I was impressed with the attractive packaging and the quality of the generously cut fabric. Professionally printed tags noting the fabric content (90% cotton/10% Lycra), care instructions (machine wash inside out and cool line dry, or dry clean), and ordering information were pinned to the selvage. A Christine Jonson fabric label was also included.
Although the cotton/LYCRA fabric shrinks from 1" to 1-1/2" in length and about 1" in width, you do not pre-shrink the fabric because "hot iron shrinkage" is designed into the pattern. I was not totally comfortable with this, and cut the pants larger than I should have. I am now convinced that she has factored in this shrinkage so that the pattern is cut true to the body measurements on the envelope. Pressing in not done until the pants are ready to be hemmed, and then a "Teflon or plastic iron shoe" is required so that higher heat and steam can be used to obtain the proper shrinkage.
These pants are quick and easy to sew. The only concern I had was inserting the pocket in the side dart. Clipping from the open V part of the dart along the straight line on the pattern seemed necessary in order to attach the pocket, especially if serging. This is not clear, however, from the illustrations and the sewing directions. After talking with Christine to verify that clipping was necessary, she said that although the pocket insertion technique is easy to do, it's difficult to describe and illustrate. Her next printing will have you clip to the dot at the bottom of the dart of the size pattern you are cutting.
I am so pleased with the fit, appearance, and comfort of these pants that I ordered two more Christine Jonson Patterns, along with six more yards of cotton/LYCRA in several colors. While the ready-to-wear market is full of great knits, unless you are in a major metropolitan area such as San Francisco where we have great resources such as Britex and Stonemountain and Daughter, locating good quality knits is a real problem. While one solution is go online, I prefer to actually have the fabric in my hand so that I can check drape ability and the stretch factor with a physical swatch. The best mail order source for knits that I have found is from Christine Jonson. Christine put out a line of ready wear clothing in knits for years so she can spot knits which make up well in garments. Her cotton and lycra knits have an amazing recovery factor as well as an ability to drape. These cotton lycra knits can go in the washing machine and dryer and don't require ironing if you pull them out of the dryer right away. Since these fabrics have some shrinkage, I would suggest buying an extra 1/4-yard. You can receive swatches as well as a chatty newsletter, 3 times a year for $32 from CJ Patterns, P.O. Box 858, Royal Oak, Michigan 48067, or visit her website - www.cjpatterns.com. The newsletter is fun to read and filled with tips such as cutting the back of a knit garment 1/2-inch longer to prevent the shirt from shortening in the back as you walk. Ease the front to the back by merely sewing the front and back together with the 1/2-inch long back against the feeddog, letting the feeddogs ease the fabric in without puckers.