As our kiddos head back to school, they are also heading back to classes for dance and gymnastics. And you know those leotards and dance shorts can add up fast and that they aren't always the perfect fit for our littles that come in all shapes and sizes. So, this week we are going to be sharing great patterns with you along with tips for sewing them up!!! Starting with Crystal sewing up a great pattern from Jalie.

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Hey Pattern Revolution! It’s Crystal, from Stitched by Crystal, and I am so excited to share the leotard I made with you today, I love sewing leotards! My little one has been in gymnastics for almost a year now and I have probably made her 10 leotards, way more than any 3 year old gymnast needs, but they are just so fun to sew! I started making her leotards with a pattern I drafted, then I bought this Jalie leotard pattern and really upped my leotard making game! I really enjoy that leotard pattern so I was excited to try a new Jalie leotard pattern, this time I picked the X-back Leotard and Biketard pattern.

If you have ever thought about making gymnastics leotards, I highly recommend Jalie! The fit of this X-back Biketard is spot on and, with 22 sizes included in their pattern, they are sure to have the size you need! You can even make matching leos for your daughter and you!........or maybe for your toddler and your gymnast teen :)

This pattern includes 3 views, 2 leotards and 1 biketard. I had planned to sew up view B, a cute leotard with contrasting princess seams, but when my daughter saw the pattern, she immediately choose the “shorts one”. So, I sewed up the biketard for her in a pink and purple color scheme she chose. She is over the moon with her new “shorts leotard” and it seems comfortable for all the somersaults and backbends she will be doing in it.

The leotard features straps that cross in the back and a contrasting yoke on the front. Those straps make this one a bit more challenging than the leotards I have sewn in the past, but nothing an intermediate seamstress can’t handle.

Jalie’s patterns are professionally drafted. The patterns download in two files, one with the pattern pieces and one with the instructions. Jalie is based out of Canada and their patterns include both English and French.

The pattern walks you through everything from printing, assembling your pattern, measuring for a perfect fit, cutting fabric and sewing. There are tips for sewing stretch fabrics on both a serger and regular sewing machine. The pattern includes one page of bulleted instructions and one page of diagrams. This pattern instructions are not as detailed as some PDFs you may be used to, they more closely resemble the instructions in paper patterns, but I found them clear and easy to follow.