Friday, February 28, 2014

You can't win em all!

I've been intrigued by this Islander Sewing System jacket since I saw Sunni's version.

The pattern comes Janet Prey's Sew Better Sew Faster course on Craftsy.com.   This is a great course for mastering new techniques and for understanding factory sewing philosophy (faster, cheaper not necessarily better in my opinion).

I went straight to fabric because I was using a very cheap linen-like cotton from my charity fabric shop.  As a result I'm not entirely happy with the fit of garment.  I made a medium which based on the measures could have been too small. Sadly its a little too big, even for a relaxed fit.  The shoulders are the real problem which sit about 1 inch below my shoulder line.  I also think there is too much bulk in the back side panels - a flaw I've noticed in other versions, not just my own.  I'll wear it, but don't love it.  The big plus is the pattern booklet includes the best instructions for welt pockets and I'll also reuse the pocket and cuff design and methods.

I'll post a picture of it on after it has been washed - astute readers may notice my chalk lines are still visible! Next up I'm finalising my muslin for a basic jacket and trouser block - products of my lessons with my great teacher and pattern making mentor Anita McAdam. I've got some great ideas for jackets and pants which I hope to bring to fruition in the coming months.



6 comments:

  1. Your jacket looks very good and even better in real life. Sorry it is not fitting as you want but the problem with denim style jackets is that they do tend to be oversized on the shoulders and quite boxy.

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  2. I must admit I don't understand the desire for sewing like a factory line - I want to enjoy sewing and use quality techniques and not just turn out garment after garment as quick as possible. It's a pity you don't like this jacket because the fabric is striking, but at least you've got some welt and cuff techniques out of it!

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  3. The jacket looks great! Too bad the fit is large, but with your new jacket sloper, I'm sure you'll be making wonderful jackets that fit you perfectly. I'm really happy with my slopers -- some people may find it tedious to draft patterns, but I feel that the time and effort is well worth it, as the fit results can't be beat. I'm looking forward to seeing what you make!

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  4. I think your version looks great. Like Sharon said I think these casual jacket styles are always a more generous cut. I bet it turns out that this jacket becomes your easy to wear, go to jacket in autumn. :)

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  5. I´ve seen quite a lot of versions of this jacket over at craftsy, and yours is one of the ones I like best. I have to take your word that it is too loose for you, but it looks great to me! I´m so looking forward to seeing what you make out of your blocks! Yay!

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  6. Your fabric is great for a jacket and quite striking - I like it! :) If it's too large you can layer, as it gets colder, add a sweater underneath and go with this jacket - I like it!

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