Zipper pocket Blazer for travel

In October I took a trip to Italy, a place I love and had not been to in quite a few years. Along with brushing up on my Italian all summer I did sew a few items to take on the trip. Top of my sewing list was a multi-purpose and all-season jacket I could dress up or down.  Once I decided to make a jacket I thought about fabric and then pockets - who doesn't love a plentitude of pockets when traveling? 

While at home I don't wear many garments of ponte knit but it is an ideal fabric for a travel wardrobe. I ordered some swatches from Mood and ended up using this fabric  which is their version and comes in a lot of colors. Way before I decided to make a ponte blazer for travel I had seen this Veronica Beard jacket (which they call iconic and travel ready). I loved the idea of the zipper pockets and saved it to my ideas board. Here's a look at the jacket after 3 weeks of travel and many times being folded into my suitcase when not needed. 

I am sold on this fabric for travel pieces. I also took denim jeans as well as a pair of ponte pants so I had travel outfits based on navy blue with plenty of different color tops and sweaters. I buttoned it so you can see the lapels and center front but I don't think I ever wore it buttoned like that. 

Looking at the ready to wear version it had several features that I really liked. Of course the zipper pockets, but it also had a peak lapel which I really like these days. But single breasted, not double. You very often see a peak lapel jacket which has that double breasted front (where the front edges cross over the center front line and have 2 or buttons horizontally placed. I didn't want that so I had to figure out how to change an existing pattern.  I used a pattern I have previously used here and here. The inspiration idea is from this jacket (images from their website)

So I went to work altering that quasi-vintage Vogue jacket pattern to have the peak lapel on the single breasted version. Now that I have made it twice I think the lapels are a bit skimpy in Versions A, B, C but perhaps that was the look then. 

Here's a look at the different lapels on the 2 versions, you can see there is a big difference in the lapel width and shape.  Below is my traced pattern  piece and the changes I made to blend the two versions. 

Actually this is a combo of info on my fit adjustments as well as the lapel design detail. I grafted the shape of the peak lapel onto the jacket front for Version A,B.C and then made new facings from that redesigned front. 

Instead of welt pockets I made a facing using lining fabric, and created a rectangular opening for the zipper, which I then basted into place and sewed in (after a LOT of basting to make sure it was in just the right place.) Then once both zippers were looking reasonably even and centered I stitched them in by machine. Then I created a pocket bag on the bag attached to the edges of the rectangle. That was later covered by the lining. 

At first it bugged my how the zipper pulls hang down instead of remaining horizontal but now I think it looks fine. These pockets did their job and I could go out to dinner without carrying an extra bag for sunglasses etc.  Here's a look at the jacket on the dress form before putting in the lining or hemming.  Once I had done the lining I got the idea to include more inside pockets, so I added breast pockets as well, they were also very functional but not very beautiful so I won't show you those :) 

This fabric presses really well and I did use a silk organza press cloth to prevent shine on the fabric. 

But it is also springy - the same feature that gives it the wrinkle resistance means you have to press it well to get the creases. I basted the lapel and then pressed it with steam to get a good crease. I used weft interfacing on the body of the jacket front and then knit fusible on the lapel and collar facings. 

I was really pleased with this jacket, it was the right weight for the trip. And the weather was strange in a global warming kind of way - much warmer in October in Italy than any other time I have been there. Which often required scarf and gloves at night and a wool jacket - but this trip it was really warm almost no sweaters required.  Here I am on a high tower overlooking the cathedral in Siena - it was a bit chilly that time although we warmed up quickly with aperitivi in the Campo. 

And just a week later in Florence it was back to short sleeve tops and barely a jacket required. Definitely odd weather but I wasn't complaining! 

Buon Anno a tutti!   Happy New Year to all. Thanks for reading and I wish everyone a great year with health, happiness, great travels and fantastic fabric choices!

Beth

Summer blazer in Bright Blue: Burda 07/2023 # 122

 Let's see if I remember how to do this blogging thing! Slight joke there but I have certainly been slow in my posting this year. A lot of other stuff going on and actually less sewing than usual. However I have been teaching a lot of classes and private students which has been great. Plus a trip to NY and teaching 2 classes over that weekend at Urban Sewciety in Westfield NJ. It was a great trip and of course I did some shopping so I will write about that soon plus my fall sewing plans.

Meanwhile I did make one more blazer to add to my needless collection of too many blazers. But when I saw this pattern in the Burda magazine I just really wanted to try it as the pocket detail is interesting and different. 

Also I had bought this stretch cotton fabric at Stone Mountain because that blue works with my wardrobe and becomes a jacket that you can wear with jeans (instead of a double denim look). It might even be this fabric that they still have but I'm not certain. I really like the result although I had planned to make a different style - more of a longer unlined jacket with patch pockets. Well maybe next spring in a different fabric. 

Here's a better look on the dress form. I think this fabric is just a tiny bit too stiff for this style (despite washing/drying) although it might soften up with wearing.

I don't think I took any photos while I was sewing. But I did post a few videos on my IG stories back in September and I took this still image from a video. It shows how the pocket works with the top pattern piece of the jacket extending into the pocket and then it is seamed across to create the edge of the pocket. I love pockets that are designed into seams. Just this morning I downloaded a Patrones pattern for a coat which has the most amazing seaming/pockets. No idea if I will get to it this year but I wanted to see the pattern pieces. 

Closer look at the pockets.

Here's a look at the line drawing and image from the Burda Magazine. July 2023 Pattern 122. I think I will consider this pattern again if I have a softer jacket fabric sometime, like a wool flannel. 

Here it is buttoned up, which is actually something I rarely do.  Wearing my favorite Ash jeans. I made those about 4 years ago? and they have been in constant rotation since. I should do a post on the items that I've made that I wear most frequently, it might be interesting to evaluate what ends up being the most useful items. 

Slightly wild print lining. I'm not a fan of the novelty lining and most always prefer a solid color that matches or coordinates. But one not so important casualty of the pandemic is the difficulty in finding nice bemberg rayon lining. In fact they used to have about 4 basic colors at Joanns and I regret not stocking up like crazy but I haven't seen it there is a couple of years. Even at Britex they told me they had to find a new source. So I've been ordering from Mood, their Lucidum Bemberg Lining  which is 60" wide and comes in just about any color. But my stash of lining which used to be well stocked is diminshed now and I will be on the lookout for bargains. This print lining I did order from Mood and it adds a nice pop when the sleeves are rolled up. 

Back view, you can tell it's a slightly stiff cotton and even with pressing there are a few wrinkles but it probably looks better when worn and lived in. 

So that's some end of summer sewing accomplished, I have some other interesting things to blog including a top I copied from RTW and made for my friend Heather which I think you will find very interesting. 

No classes scheduled for the rest of this year - with the holidays I think people are busy with other things. I'm just finishing my online blazer class and in January I will do an online trouser class. And a few in person classes yet to be determined. 

Sewing plans - they change daily although I have a lot of test versions of things in process now so maybe a color blocked coat for me and some new items for Heather. 

Happy November Sewing,

Beth

Here's today's garden photo, they are just finished blooming but these aster plants are real winners and look so pretty at the end of summer when everything else is running out of energy to bloom. Time to divide them soon and make more plants!

Update on Fall Classes and a quick summer top

It took a while for our summer weather to arrive after the June gloom, but the "too hot to sew" time has finally arrived. It's been a busy few weeks, there's always plenty of work to do outside, plus I've been trying to swim more often. Which feels great at the end of a 100+ Fº day. July was also bathroom remodel month which is a bit disruptive - although it came out beautifully. 

In early August I was rummaging through my stash fabrics and came across this 1 yard piece, which might be a cotton/silk blend or maybe just cotton but it is very luxe feeling. No idea where I got it, and didn't even remember it was there. Perhaps on the remnant shelf at Stone Mountain? It looks like the type of thing I would buy if I saw it there. Turning to my new favorite way to keep my patterns in one place, the Freeform App on my Macbook and I saw a pattern which is super simple and didn't need much fabric.

It's a good thing it was simple as I finally caught Covid after avoiding all this time, and so I was recovering but still a bit limp, and of course stuck at home. FYI all better now. It was a good excuse to catch up on sleep and watch foreign language TV. (note: I am hooked on all the French detective shows - they are not that different to the American ones but the clothes are so chic and the scenery is fantastic (streaming on Mhz channel if you are interested). I also watch the Italian ones which I can do when sewing as I can understand but for the French I need the subtitles - should have studied more French. 

Anyway, back to sewing, here's a look at the pattern from the magazine. 

This is the second top I've made with those cut on cap sleeves and I really don't like them. I prefer just a regular sleeveless top. But otherwise I do like this top and it goes well with my Mirambell skirt from Pauline Alice patterns (blog post here on that skirt).  And this image shows why I mostly look at the line drawings - the styling often obscures the pattern. Which is not a problem unique to Burda but they seem to specialize in wacky photo shoots that hide the garment details. 

I think this could also be sewn in a lightweight knit which I might try. But up next I'm sewing some cotton jersey sent to me by Minerva (gifted). The quality is so nice. Anyone have feedback on shipping charges to the US from them? All the items I have received have been as a Minerva ambassador so there were no shipping charges. I'm curious, as I would order some more of this knit if the shipping were reasonable. 

CLASSES: some good things on my calendar including an East Coast weekend of classes at Urban Sewciety in New Jersey. I am so excited to be going there in October to teach 2 days of pattern fitting classes. It will be an all-day workshop offered either Sat. Oct. 21 or Sun. Oct 22. Here is the link to their website to register.   And I will be in Manhattan during the week prior for shopping/fun with my pal Heather. 

And fall means Jacket time, right?  I will be running my online Jacket-making class again starting in September. I love doing this class and talking about collars, lapels, interfacing, seam grading, welt pockets etc. Here's the link to register.  note the dates when you go to the link - we will skip a week for my travel and another week for Halloween - which is unbelievably big in my neighborhood. So that means more time to work on your jacket :) 

I also have an in person class with Hello Stitch (in Oakland) to sew the Lander Pants - that isn't until Oct. 8 but it is on the way to selling out so if you are interested sign up soon. Here's the link. 

So that's the latest - I haven't really sewn much this summer as I have so many items I made the first 2 summers of the pandemic that got little wear, so I am enjoying wearing those items. I do have a fall blazer in mind and am about to start an upholstery project for friends (shudder). Which has prompted me to think about reupholstering one of my couches. But that will wait until gloomy winter. Until then it's time to be outside! 

Here's another look at my Burda top, a little silly but I get a thrill when they repost and with a garden theme too!

 

Happy Summer Sewing

Beth

Today's garden photo - finally some modest success with Dahlias.  

Cashmerette Auburn Blazer: 2 versions

Did I intend to have 2 months go by since I posted on the blog? No, I think I've just fallen out of the habit but I really wanted to share this pattern and the jackets I made for my friend Heather. Here is the most recent version, in a summer color and fabric. 

This is the Auburn Blazer from Cashmerette Patterns. It's the first pattern I've sewn from this pattern company although I have been looking at them with great interest ever since they started. Below I will discuss some of my thoughts on this pattern. 

It has princess seams front and back, plus side seams, 2-piece sleeves and a slanted single welt pocket. 

Here's a look at the winter version I made back in the autumn. This is the most gorgeous wool from Britex Fabrics, so soft it feels like cashmere. 

Here's a look at the pattern photos and their technical drawing. 

I took a picture of the  PDF of this pattern as I was really impressed. I think this is one of the best PDF patterns I have worked with.

• every page is numbered and lettered so it is easy to put together
• the printing is bold and clear
• the pattern pieces are labeled distinctly
• the size labeling is easy to find

I did a real combo of sizes and while it is great that the jacket comes in various cup sizes I had to do some reshaping of the bust area. While Cashmerette is marketed to full busted sizes I often notice a few fit issues on both their samples and on garments that people make and show on IG or blog. My impression is that on some their patterns, particularly ones with a distinctive waist, the waist seam is too high, and there is not enough length in the front bodice, even though it fits around the bust area.  I just made the Upton dress and came up with the same issue and I think it is due to the center front piece being the same for all cup sizes. So only the side panel changes. That doesn't seem quite right to me and I did change the shape of the princess curve a good bit. But in general I liked the fit of the jacket pattern and chose a starting size based on body measurements with good result. On a tailored jacket I will always make a muslin and fine tune a lot of things before cutting out the wool.  I did shorten the longer version with the pockets. 

I don't want to go overboard with too many construction photos, I did do an Instagram story "Auburn blazer" which I saved as a Highlight so if you go there you can see some construction details including a lot about making the pocket which because it's slanted is a bit tricky.

When it comes to construction I tend to go my own way, so I catch-stitch down all the seams in the collar and lapel with silk thread. I used fusible weft interfacing for the jacket front and undercollar, and then lightweight interfacing for the upper collar and lapel facing. And of course lots of tailor's tacks! 

This image doesn't have the best lighting but you can see the sleeve has a nice curve. I used the regular fit sleeve which is generous and I didn't need to do any full bicep adjustment. The pattern comes with pattern pieces for a full bicep sleeve which is really nice to include. 

You can see this wool has an almost fluffy texture. And it was very tricky to press! this is the type of wool that will get marks easily from the iron and flatten the nap so I was SO careful. It also seems to pick up every little piece of lint. 

The navy blue wool jacket fabric and the lining were from Britex in San Francisco. 

For this casual version the fabric was from Mood in NY. It's a cotton pique with spandex, so to me it looks sometimes a bit rumpled but also doesn't really need pressing, it behaves like a lightweight stretch denim. 

I'm really happy I gave this pattern a try, proportion-wise it's almost perfect for Heather and I think next winter we will do a suit version with trousers. Spoiler alert - I tried the Meriam trousers for her recently and they were great (with some specific adjustments  - what pants patterns doesn't need a few adjustments, right?)

So I am on the Cashmerette team for my friend Heather. It's a little ironic or perhaps fated because when I first started making things for Heather I remember showing her a picture of Jenny (owner of Cashmerette) in a black dress that looked fantastic, and I told Heather I could sew something like that for you. And now I have made so many. A truly gratifying partnership. 

Up next, I have traced a few items from recent Burda magazines but my sewing motivation is on the wane. A combination of 100ºF plus temps here, and the fact that I sewed so many items during those first 2 years of the pandemic that I am now getting to wear more. Also I'm in the midst of a bathroom remodel which is almost done but kind of hectic when the builders are here. Plus it's swimming season so that's a lot more fun than being in hot sewing studio!

You can see a peek of a silk blouse in the photo above, I copied a top (from Universal Standard) that Heather owned. It was a bit of a pattern puzzle but very rewarding so I want to post about that soon.

Happy Summer Sewing and stay cool 😎

Beth

This time of year merits more than one garden photo. White shooting stary hydrangeas, pink hydrangeas of a similar type, and a pink dahlia that I forgot about but is blooming like wild this year. 

Blazer season, vintage Vogue 1193 pattern repeat

Last month I was surveying my fabric stash and noticed this heavy weight cotton sateen that I've had for absolutely ages, and decided it would make a neutral blazer to wear with lots of my various tops. Yes, solid red is a neutral for me :)  I decided to repeat a pattern I had made earlier this year, in a too heavy wool tweed that might have been better suited to a coat pattern.  Also I was just about to begin my online Blazer making class, which is going well and everyone is conquering welt pockets. 

Here's a look at the pattern envelope. If you look at the technical drawings on patterns you can see the lines and details, and realize that so many patterns are basically the same as a newly released pattern. This one has the option of pocket variations and also a double breasted version which I might just try. 

I did change the patch pockets of Version A out for the welt pockets of Version D.

Here's a look on the dress form.

As you can see it is missing the button and buttonhole in the front. I didn't have a single button in my stash that would work, so I will leave it off for a while and see if I can find a nice one when I next go fabric shopping in Berkeley or SF.

Let's talk about welt pockets. When I'm teaching the jacket making classes I always say once you get the welt pockets completed it's smooth sailing from there on. Well that might not be exactly true, but I like to be encouraging. Plus a nice welt pocket does make the jacket look so sharp and I think mastering that skill gives you a lot of confidence to tackle the other steps. 

This fabric doesn't have much room for error, not like a nice wool tweed that is soft and pliable, but on the plus side it's not going to unravel. 

A look at the inside, I always make a thread ladder to show the pocket line on the front of the jacket as that is where you apply and stitch the pocket welts. The pocket pieces for the welts are something you can toss, I never use and just make my own, longer than needed and then cut down as I apply.

If you have an open toe foot for your machine it does make seeing where you are stitching a lot easier. 

And just to show that we all  make mistakes, these little folds of fabric can happen anywhere you are stitching, this was on the lower pocket lining and it was a quick step to unstitch and redo it. I think they also happen so often when sewing in sleeves as well, just a tiny bit of fabric gets folded as you are sewing along and it makes a pucker. 

Of course wearing my Ash jeans. I love that pattern! Just cut out a corduroy flare version with stretch corduroy from Minerva which is exactly the corduroy I had been searching for. 

I did put the back vent in this one, it seemed to go with the style and color. As usual I omitted the back facing and put the lining up to the edge of the collar.

Attaching the lining to the hem of the jacket and the vent were done with hand stitches. 

So that's the latest on this vintage pattern blazer. I just started to make a new coat for my friend Heather, in a beautiful camel colored wool from Britex so I will post about that project.

I have a few in-person and online classes scheduled between now and the end of the year. Including a couple of classes on fitting, Bodice Fitting Dec. 2 and Pattern Adjustment-Make-Fit a Test Garment on Dec. 3. I've listed all the upcoming classes on another page on this blog, at the top menu click on Sewing Class Schedule. The Bodice Fitting Class will also be an online version, on Sat. Dec 10 if that works for you.

It's actually coat weather - I wore my tricolor coat last evening and it was just right. 

My front garden revamp is finished so other than planting a few daffodil bulbs (around 70) I'm putting the planting aside and waiting for everything to burst into bloom in spring. 

Happy Sewing,

Beth

Today's garden photo, a few of these daisies still blooming, it's a bit patch which I plan to divide for more plantings.  Plus one of my bee friends visiting.