BWOF 2-2009-115 - Red linen jacket - Mini wardrobe contest?

I've been wanting to enter a contest at PatternReview.com for ages. The mini-wardrobe or wardrobe contest seemed like the most fun to me. So I check each month just waiting for it to be posted. (Lately I've discovered they have all their contests posted for the entire year - duh!) Anywho, imagine my excitement when Dawn revealed the new mini-wardrobe contest for the month of May. Only this is the worst month for me because we are going on vacation for the last two weeks. And my mom is here visiting from Oregon. And my 9 year wedding anniversary is the 13th. And I'm helping out with a baby shower the 16th. AUGH! So, I really really want to enter, and I have everything planned out, but I don't know if I'll have the time to get it all done.

Hows about I show you my first garment? This is the cropped linen jacket from the fantastic February issue that I instantly fell in love with.

I stuck with the linen - my first linen garment ever - but did contrasting white topstitching to really make it stand out. This thing matches practically half my wardrobe! I really do have a thing for red.

Here it is buttoned up. I just love everything about this design: the patch pockets and pocket flaps, collar stand, sleeve tabs, raglan sleeves. Plus, I'm always cold when I go anyplace indoors during the summer, so this will get tons of use.

The back:

Here you can see the top of the raglan sleeves. They form a nice V but that gets covered up by the collar.

All the topstitching was done with a heavy-weight cotton thread and I used my machine's walking foot. In order not to show reverse stitches, I pulled the top thread to the inside and tied it to the inside thread with a square knot. I then snipped the threads close to the fabric and applied a dot of fray-check. I've used this method before on this vest with good results. However, I'm planning to hand wash the jacket. I don't know how this method would hold up to machine washing.

Pocket close-up:

Sleeve tab close-up:

2 Packages of bias tape were needed to complete this project since there is no lining. I put it around the facings, the seam where the sleeves meet the bodice, and the bottom hem. In this picture you can see the sleeve and facing finish. (Weird yellow lines are light from the nearby blinds!)

At the hem I applied bias tape and then slip-stitched it in place invisibly.

I did french seams along the jacket and sleeve sides. This picture is the top of the sleeves and side neck facing.

I wish I could figure out a storyboard; they are so fun to look at. Angie has a great tutorial about this, but we have a Mac. Hers works on a PC. And I tried the program that's supposed to be easy for Mac users and was pulling my hair out trying to figure it out. I am just not that computer savvy. I'm glad it's not a requirement to enter the contest. At this point, I just don't have the time to learn it.