Well, hello!
Today’s project is a sweater knit jacket with a moto zip that I lined with a cozy sherpa fabric. I used Lisette for Butterick 6169 ,and a lovely blue wool sweater knit backed with fleece from The Confident Stitch. I used a sherpa knit fabric bought in downtown LA to line the inside and some unknown lining fabric for the sleeves.
I cut a size 12, but ended up taking in the seams at the sides and also at the princess seams. If I make this again I’ll cut a size 10. I made the four seams I took in one inch wide on each side instead of 5/8 of an inch. I then serged all the seams because they were very bulky pressed open. I top stitched them on the outside to help them lie flat. The top stitching is almost invisible. The pockets are a bit bulky, and I wish I had made zipper pockets instead. They aren’t too bad, though.
I made the lining out of the jacket pattern pieces instead of the separate lining pieces. Instead of making the waist hem lining one inch shorter as specified, I made it 1/2 inch longer than the outside pieces so the sherpa would peek through on the bottom. I couldn’t figure out how to bag the sleeves so I stitched the sleeve hems by hand.
The sweater knit is bonded to a fleece fabric, making it easy to cut. I serged all pattern piece edges before sewing to keep the two pieces securely together and to avoid any raveling of the sweater knit. It’s actually a first draft as I’d like to sew it agin in some lambskin I’ve been saving for ages.
It’s finally cooling off here in Southern California this week so maybe I can wear it soon. I made this little jacket over the course of two weeks which is a long time for me to finish a project.
My dad has been in the hospital and I have been so worried about him, but he is doing better now, so that I am thankful for. Many of you may remember my dad and I used to collaborate together on a lot of my blog posts in the past. He has taken some of the best pictures and is quite a talented photographer.We had such fun together and I really miss those times we had together driving around town finding cool spots to take blog photos. I’m thinking of putting together a post with some of my favorite photos he has taken to post on his birthday, which is coming up soon.
We also had all five kids home for Thanksgiving, two with significant others, along with my aunt and uncle and my BFF and her daughter. I cooked for two days and my mom helped out a ton. Actually, she made the turkey this year so I could go run a 5K with Gigi and Oliver!
Today was my son’s twenty fourth birthday. We made a big brunch outside on the porch before he and his girlfriend drove back up to Berkeley, and that was a nice way to end the holiday. The house feels so empty now that my grown kids are gone. They always have a lot of friends over when they are here, and it’s so lively. I’m feeling sad because I already miss them, but thankful for the time we had together.
Now it’s back to watching what I eat, starting tomorrow, because I can barely button my Levi’s!
This jacket is so fabulous, love the sherpa lining. I totally understand missing your adult children after they leave. I love having the house full of people and laughter, not sure time will ever change me missing them at home.
Happy sewing.
Seeing our kids grow up is fun but also can be bittersweet, but that’s life, I guess.
This jacket is so pretty! I like the sherpa visible at the bottom; that was a great idea.
Thanks Shirley!
I love the jacket and sherpa, looks comfy. I have this pattern too! I was wondering about the zipper and if it was difficult? Love your posts.
Hi Barb. The zipper looks hard to do but I watched the photos from the sew along on the website and it wasn’t a big deal.
Late commenting (sorry), but this is FABULOUS! It looks so warm and cozy. I am constantly going to your links to look at the fabric you use. I want to copy so many of the things you’ve made. And this one would be at the top of my list.
That is so nice! Thanks, Sandy! You will love this one.
What a beautiful jacket! This looks like it was a fun knit to work with! I have something similar on my table at the moment, but it’s just a solid ivory. This must be so cozy for cooler weather!