Unreasonably Unseasonal: Summer Jacket

My head is full of sewing ideas, but new ideas keep pushing in. It's hard to keep track - I'm not a fast enough sewist, so I've resorted to wrapping patterns + scribbled drawings in their designated fabrics.

Yes, this is winter down under :). Temps around 20+C / 70+F ...

One plan that I am determined to keep hold of is to make a cream-coloured cropped cashmere jacket - sounds indulgent, doesn't it, but I found 2 coordinating remnants in my stash, and after a trip to Tessuti (they have no more of it!) I'm sure I've convinced myself there's enough.



I've got some patterns earmarked for the cashmere jacket, and I know my size, but fear of cutting into my lush, expensive cashmere led me to the idea of a wearable muslin from one of the pattern contenders...

...which led me to make this decidedly summery jacket in the middle of winter!


Although I guess some of you may want to point out we don't have a real winter per se in Sydney ;)





I don't know what the flowers on this fabric are supposed to be, but the lighter pink is a great match for my neighbour's magnolias (is that what they are? I'm not a gardener!). 

NEARLY pattern matching on the centre front

This next photo shows the colours a bit better - and shows that I managed to sew a snap on neatly for once, although I didn't turn the points out properly:

This pattern, Vogue 1127 (suit + blouse by Badgley Mischka) is rated Average, but the jacket is very straightforward - loose fitting with darted raglan sleeves, and only the sleeves are lined. The rating might be for the floaty blouse it comes with; it wouldn't be for the straightforward-looking suit skirt. There's minimal interfacing: nothing like the level of stiffening you'd need for a tailored jacket, and even with the stand up collar left off the facings work out neatly.  Notches, curves and lengths in the pattern pieces align nicely and the pattern pieces are really logical; no puzzle solving required.  All the jacket seams are finished with bias binding, which you're instructed to make yourself (I just used pre-made stuff, whatever I had to hand) which means the pattern is ideal for non-serger owners. If you've never made a jacket, this might be a good pattern to start with; success will come easily.


But the thing is, this may not be a top contender for my cashmere jacket after all.  I want a full lining in my winter jacket, even if it is cropped, and I want more room for winter layers and movement. Also I'm pretty sure cold hands need pockets.
 
 

I like having no collar though, even on a winter jacket - makes it easy to wrap a scarf on top.



The original pattern has a standup collar but I didn't think this would be great on. Maybe for someone else with a nice jawline :). The original also had full length sleeves, but I only had 1.10 metres of my heavy linen to play with. I've also left off some buttons, just because.

As a wearable muslin, I'm calling this a success. It'll be totally wearable in Spring and Summer, and I know it'll go with a much loved coral sillk top:
 

I can also imagine it made in a softer fabric, with the fronts folding back on themselves... and it would be super-easy to make contrasting turn-backs on the sleeves.

I think I know what I really want from my cashmere jacket now.

I'll leave you with a couple of interior photos so you can see how easy this little jacket is to make :)

 

 

and an exterior photo too just because those flowers nextdoor are so pretty:

See you soon!

- Gabrielle x