Warning, this is a post with lots of photos… Here the first one:
It’s been getting a little bit warmer and I started to feel like I am missing a shorter jacket to wear when the temperatures pick up even more. I don’t really have a proper sewing plan (more like a list of things I’d like to make in the order it strikes my fancy), so this didn’t totally mix things up, although it was a late addition to the list.
So, this is the Vintage Boule style Jacket from the Back to the Fifties Vintage Burda Magazine that came out earlier in the year. I was intrigued by the deep pleat at the arm/back.
Sticking to my colour palette for the season, I found this beautiful blue/black, thick houndstooth made of cotton at The Fabric Store and decided to match it with a black silk with little shiny dots. Makes me happy just looking at it:
The houndstooth fabric is coated on the inside with something that makes it quite stiff (and smell bad when ironed), so I hardly used any interfacing at all (apart from a strip at the front underneath the buttons and the back facing). I’ve never seen a fabric treated like that, but it suits the shape and style of this jacket to a T.
I cut out a size 38 with slightly larger seam allowances, just in case it turned out tight around the shoulders or hips. I didn’t make any other fit adjustments and didn’t need the extra seam allowance in the end. It was a pretty straightforward sew. I grew up on Burda, so I’m used to their style of writing instructions and learned early on to muddle my way through. The only thing that I think ended up wrong in the end was the direction of the shoulder/arm pleats on the lining. But since you can’t really tell from the inside and it doesn’t inhibit movement, I didn’t bother to unpick and resew them. That was my oversight though, not the instructions.
Because of the stiffness of the fabric I catch stitched the seams down by hand, like I did with the Quart coat, which makes the seams look really nice, especially since this didn’t like the iron at all.
Made an effort to match the pattern, at least the horizontal lines. Therefore, I cut out every piece individually rather than on a fold. And it worked quite well. I love the darts in the sleeves, that’s such a nice vintage style that I wish would be around more these days.
It’s got quite high/slim arm scythes, which probably feel even smaller due to the stiff fabric, but as long as I can fit a cardigan under it, all good.
The boule shape is not only created by the pleat in the back but also by two darts at the back hem (you can just see it in the picture here, which I know is a duplicate, but don’t you love that lining…).
The pattern calls for large snaps, and luck would have it, I had bought a packet of black/dark grey ones at the last Fabric-a-Brac for a whole grand total of $1. They’re perfect.
A few more images of me trying to copy the model in the drawing (top left)…
My one and only picture from the front (and without a head).
Verdict: It’s a simple pattern with a nice twist, fun to wear (a few times already). I do miss some pockets, if I make this again I might put some small ones in or at least one on the inside.
There’s a range of patterns in the magazine, but this and the playsuit with the skirt are the best. That playsuit is tentatively on my sewing list for our Thailand holiday later in the year. More about my plans and first muslins coming up soon.
I bought a whole range of dress patterns recently, as my dress selection is limited for some reason. So look out for more dresses soon.
And on another note, I have decided to support Shave for a Cure and shave my head on the 18 September. If you want to support me with a donation, Shave for a Cure and I would be very happy! This maybe my last post with hair…
Kristina's Style 