Thursday, May 7, 2009

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.

29 comments:

  1. I absolutely love this pattern too and am planning my own version of it. Love the contrasting topstitching.

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  2. The topstitching really makes this special. Great result, and the finishing is perfection!

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  3. I love this jacket . I really like the red and white combo . You made a beautiful job of your topstitching and finishing as always.

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  4. Lovely jacket! And I like the contrasting buttons and topstitching.

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  5. It looks beautiful on you. Love the topstitching.

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  6. Lovely jacket, and I love the topstitching.

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  7. I have made this jacket and love it. I am the same, in that it is a great weight/style jacket to wear a lot! Love your red version!

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  8. I didn't give this pattern much of a notice until I saw your jacket. I will definitely have to give it a closer look now!

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  9. Very nice jacket. It's interesting that the jacket is short with large pockets at the waist. Love the details. Love the finishing on the inside. Red and white--beautiful and it looks wonderful on you.

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  10. LOVE your jacket. The topstitching and all the finishing details really make it! Beautiful!

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  11. I love the jacket. The topstitching is fantastic. Your finishing techniques inspire me to be neater.

    Check out the award I left you on my blog.

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  12. Love the jacket! It is very stylish. I love the top-stitching-it really makes it pop.

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  13. Cute jacket, great top-stitching! I wish I could be as neat and tidy as you...

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  14. Amanda the jacket is just beautiful. The topstitching really makes it "pop". Wonderful job.

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  15. This turned out so nice. I need something like this too.

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  16. Beautiful jacket! I have a mac, too, and recently did a storyboard. I used PowerPoint in the basic Microsoft Office for Mac package. I had to get this anyway to read other peoples' Word and Excel documents.

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  17. How gorgeous is that!? Hope you get time to do the mini wardrobe. The cute jacket is a great starting point.

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  18. Another terrific garment! I love how cute and summery it is.

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  19. Gorgeous, I can't believe it is the same jacket from the magazine picture. Yours is so much better.

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  20. Fantastic jacket, the topstitching really makes it. I have a mac too and like Jenny mentioned above I have used Powerpoint to make a storyboard.

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  21. Cute cute cute, Amanda! I loved this pattern too, and I didn't really think of it for summer. Beautiful job!

    If you can find a nice little editing program for a Mac (I have a Mac & a PC, but the Mac is currently waiting on a new power supply) you can still pretty much follow my instructions. I need to revamp them so that they are more "generic" so people can see the possibilities with whatever program they have. But yes, you can definitely do a storyboard in Powerpoint or even Word if you have that! You just can't cut out the inside of the pattern line drawings to show the fabric through from underneath. I'd just do a little "swatch" of the fabric by it.

    OR...print off the patterns drawings you want to use, cut swatches of your intended fabrics & trims, and do it old school on posterboard! Then just take a picture of it! I actually like this way best because its very inspirational to have it hanging around the sewing room!

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  22. Very cute jacket...the topstitching just makes it pop!

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  23. I made this jacket in linen too and it has become my lightweight summer jacket. Yours looks wonderful. I would definitely make this one again, maybe in red?

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  24. I hope you do get a ton of use from the jacket, it is so darn cute!

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  25. Great jacket to have in any wardrobe. The detailing is superb.

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  26. Beautiful, I love every single detail!!

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  27. Wow, you did a great job. It inspires me to get back to garment sewing. Love the red, too.

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  28. The inside of your garments are always an inspiration! I love this jacket, too, and can't wait to make it ('course it will probably be fall by then but I can hope!). : )

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  29. Beautiful jacket! This is the first pattern that really caught my eye in this issue of Burda WOF, but it's even more inspiring now that I've seen it made up. Thank you for sharing all the lovely photos :)

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