All posts tagged: jacket

A Sewing Room Miracle

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 …

My First Pattern by Gertie – Butterick 6390

Back in September I attended my first proper meet up – Sewbrum.  I had an amazing day and met some fabulous ladies.  Sitting down for lunch outside a pub with lots of women I’d never met felt really strange, but it was stranger that in no time at all I felt like I’d know them all ages. One lovely lady I got talking to was Lucy from Sew Essential. and not long after returning home she got in touch and asked if she could sponsor a post on my blog.  Could she!!  I was really excited, and it took ages for me to decide what to make.  I came up with a few ideas – I wanted to make a casual style jacket but in a dressy up style fabric.  I found Gertie’s close fitting button down jacket and thought it would be perfect for me as I’m short waisted and not very tall. Lucy suggested their faux silk dupion.  I was sold!! It came it quite a few colours.  As I wanted my new jacket …

“Magic Our Morris” The Grainline Morris Blazer

Now, does that heading stir any memories? Selwyn Froggitt was a popular Sitcom which ran from 1974-77. I was born in 1971 so although I don’t remember everything from it I do remember a well know phrase from the show, which was “Magic ‘r’ Morris!” Morris was Selwin’s brother. If you remember it and fancy a nostalgic chuckle take a peak at this You Tube clip. If you don’t, then moving swiftly on……….. here is my new Grainline Magic Our Morris Blazer! (worn with my BHL Polly Top) I’m so excited to share this with you!  I’ve not taken it off since I finished it this lunch time and have had so many compliments.  I woke up at half 6 this morning and by 7am was well into cutting out.  All in all it’s taken me 5 hours from start to finish (not including getting the pattern ready). So here we are – I’ll get straight into the finished garment photos, then I’ll just mention a few changes I made during construction. I think you …

My Colette Albion #2

Remember the ARRRHHHHHH moment in the first installment? I eventually pulled myself together, and several deep breathes & days later I had a plan.  Here’s some more pix of the Albion: VERDICT: This is the best casual jacket I own, but also the most expensive.  When I was 3/4 of the way through making it I ran out of thread (soooo much stitching to do – buy 2 spools if you intend to make the unlined version).  I called into Boyes in Brighouse, about 7 miles away, for a second spool.  On the way home I had a bump in my car (my fault) which ended up me paying an excess of £400 to the insurance company!! Hence the very expensive coat. It’s not put me off it though.  It’s roomy enough to wear a thick jumper underneath, but looks equally good withjust a thin top underneath. I’ve lost count of the number of  “No! You didn’t make that!?” moments that I’ve had. Not including the cost of my car, and the pattern, this jacket has …

Colette Albion #1

A few weeks ago I bought a Colette pattern – the albion jacket/coat with the intention of making it for my hubby.  As we sewers do, I spents hours some time looking on the net for ideas.  I couldn’t believe how many versions there were out there for ladies.  This caused me to think that I didn’t want my hubby thinking I was making him a jacket as a practice run for mine, so I decided to make one for myself first! I had some cotton herrinbone twill in my stash, which I bought when I was in Cornwall in August 2013.  Perfect! I bought the accompanying ebook Companion from The Coletterie to help me along, and I soon had all my pieces cut out and a narrow shoulder adjustment made.  (I don’t have narrow shoulders, but I made a one armed muslin and decided I needed to loose a good inch due to it being a man’s pattern.) I even made all my own bias trim!! I didn’t go for the continuous method. I just did it …

Meet Godzilla – a.k.a. Simplicity 2150

A couple of weeks ago I stayed up late to make a start on my latest project Simplicity 2150.  I bought the black furry fabric last year and intended to use it to make the front and collar part of this Vogue 8757 jacket: I ummed and arh’ed about which other 2 fabric to use and never gotten round to making it.  I loved the black furry fabric and decided to use it to make something more straight forward that would be more useful, so went into town and bought this Simplicity 2150 pattern: I chose view D (top right).  It was one of the only patterns I could find that suggested a fur fabric and the simple style I thought would be purfect! I was between sizes so chose the larger size, tho there was no need to as this jacket has 7 inches of ease!!  This sound way too much, but when I’m wearing it it doesn’t feel so big, and it’s the only jacket I have that fits my favourite winter jumper …