Same, same, different... Jalie 2682

Back in July 2012, I made a long sleeved gym top with Jalie 2682 - blogged here.  I wore this top a lot that year (and perhaps the year after?)   It was a little on the tight side around the upper back/chest as the fabric never had the stretch the top needed.  Regardless it served me well, but I moved it out of the wardrobe as my shape has changed and it was too tight to continue wearing.

Now in 2015 I am a little bigger but enjoying CrossFit and I must say a CrossFit Box is a cold place in winter and so I started looking for another long sleeved top.  I lucked across some merino/polypropylene blend fabric marked as wicking at the The Fabric Store in Brisbane and it was half-price... $8/m.  Well of course I bought that instead of investing in  a RTW top.  The ones I had been eyeballing were between $70 and $125!

The fabric is soft has plenty of recovery and is soft and fuzzy on the inside and has an active wear fabric look on the outside.  So I pulled out Jalie 2682 again and traced another pattern size off.  

I chose to go 2 sizes larger than my indicated size.  I was 2 sizes larger in the last top too, but because of the lack of necessary stretch in the fabric, it didn't fit so well.   This fabric has lots of stretch and seems to recover well, and this top is actually a little on the big/loose side.  However as I want to wear it over other tops I am not bothered by this.  I also lengthened it about an inch to give me plenty of coverage over the hips (I hate being cold!).  I did try and curve the side seams but I don't think I put enough curve in as you cannot really tell.  Never mind, I was hoping to make it look current but I am still very happy with the top.

I lined the bodice front with sports mesh as I did not want to double up on the the thick, fuzzy fabric and it works really well.

I put a piece of  purple fabric through the zip pull.  I sewed it in a narrow tube then threaded through the zip pull and stitched it to hold it together.  A cheats way of having a fancy zip pull.

I have trialed it now and this is my feedback.

• The length and size is great for this top.  If I were to make it for everyday wear I would go back down 2 sizes.  
• The high collar is great as it gives coverage on the back of the neck, when resting a bar on it (which in the cold is not at all pleasant!)

• The half zip makes it easy to take off when I do warm up.

• I really like this top and with the current cold weather it is getting a lot of use.  It is light in weight and very comfortable and I don't feel sweaty in it even after I start warming up.  

• My only negative is that when I do wear it a bit and sweat into it (and I do sweat) it does get a bit on the nose and needs washing before I am game to put it on again.  That is a shame as the ideal gym wear does not get the stink up and can be worn many times.  However the other side of the coin is I didn't pay a lot for this top and I have enough fabric to make more so I can alternate them.

Oh and for completeness I did do the full squat.  (The medicine ball on the floor behind me is just to help me ensure I get the correct depth).

I have plans to use this pattern in another way soon for a different kind of active wear. 

Reviewed here.

Ciao kittens until next time...