Some things just never go to plan.
When they don’t go to plan in the sewing room, but the creative juices are flowing, a sewing room miracle can happen.
I printed off the pattern for the Pona jacket not knowing which fabric I’d choose to make it up in. I initially thought dark blue denim. I love denim and it goes with anything and everything in my wardrobe. So when my pattern was taped together I went to have a rummage in my stash. I say rummage because I had a huge pile of fabric on my table as I was up to my ears in organising my stash.
You can’t see it but under there somewhere was a piece of curtaining fabric that I acquired from one of my ‘real life’ sewing buddies. She inherited a close family friends stash who had sadly passed away. The curtaining fabric was from the 80’s and looked big enough for the jacket.
It turned out it wasn’t, but before I realised this I’d already cut out all the pattern pieces for the jacket except the front facings, and 1 of the 2 collar pieces. So I had another rummage. This time not too successful as I couldn’t find anything that would go, so I decided to sew up what I had, and just wing it.
As the fabric was free, I decided to experiment a little. A lot of the Pona Jackets I’d seen on insta had Hong Kong seams inside as the jacket isn’t lined. Although I love this finish on the inside of jackets it is really time consuming, and as I wasn’t sure how the jacket would turn out, I opted to finish all the raw edges with the ‘wave’ stitch on my overlocker.
I loved the look of this so much I decided to sew my pieces WRONG sides together and have the seams on the outside, stitching down the seam allowances to keep them flat.
Sewing exposed seams meant the inside was super neat!
The jacket was finished in quick time, but I wasn’t happy with how the jacket fitted. This pattern really calls for a more drapey fabric, and as this fabric is curtain weight how it hung wasn’t very flattering.
I folded the lapels (which should have had facings) towards the inside, and then turned up a deep hem which showed on the outside. What a difference!
But it still wasn’t quite ‘finished’. I decided to add the wave stitch to all edges, and added the pockets. And buttons.
And then that’s when the Sewing Room Miracle happened. Some may call it a happy accident, but I believe in miracles, and this was a bloody miracle! It just worked – the jacket was transformed into something truly stunning!
But it still needed something else.
As the collar wasn’t faced it was a bit too floppy. There was only a few scraps left. The biggest pieces included the selvedge, so I managed to piece together a few bits which could be stitched in place to reinforce the collar. I added the wave stitch to all edges before sewing them onto the collar.
Tah dah!
Todays the first day I’ve been able to take some photos outside.
It just goes to show it really is worth persevering if things aren’t going quite according to plan in the sewing room, you never know, you might even get a miracle!
Have you had a miracle happen to you?
Cheerio for now
Ali x
T H I M B E R L I N A 
Hallelujah!!
😂😂😂
I saw this on Instagram but seeing you out and about in it, it looks even more gorgeous. What a lovely fabric, how clever are you!
It looks gorgeous! Well done for persevering 🙂
I think it is truly fabulous. And now I can’t wait to see what you come up with in the Sewing Bee when they present you with something like a shower curtain and tell you to make a ball gown in an hour!
That jacket is truly fabulous. A design (dont tell anyone it wasnt meant to be like this) worthy of westwood. Keep it up xx
That jacket is a triumph! Absolutely love it!
Pretty jacket! It’s been fun seeing you in the
Sewing bee. I’m rooting for you!
Fabulous, a badass flowery jacket! Perfect balance, it really worked out well.
Hi Ali. I’m late watching sewing bee this year with all that’s been going on. Just finished the episode that you’ve left in (boo hoo), you were fab. Suspect things have been a complete whirlwind for you since filming the series with your day job – good that you can get out and play golf again! What are your fave fabric shops in W Yorks? I live in Bingley, so mine’s the shuttle in Shipley. All the best
We’re nearly neighbours! I’m only at Birkenshaw.
It was lucky it was filmed 6/7 months ago and work were really good at swapping my shifts and taking leave so it wasn’t too bad.
My fave spot for fabric shopping is Dewsbury. I can’t really say which one in particular because of the bee still being aired. It’s not the big obvious one you might have heard of in Dewsbury.
One of my really good friends who golfs and sews lives in Bingley, near wagon lane so you much be close to her!!