Thursday 11 February 2010

BWOF jacket - finished at last!

I have finally completed my Burda magazine jacket. Here’s a full length picture

Here’s a close up, so you can get a better look at the construction details


And here’s a picture on a hanger so you can see the crazy lining – it’s bold but I thought that it would be fun!


This is the line drawing of the pattern (which is no. 120 in the August 2009 issue).
As you can see, I omitted the front flaps. Because the wool fabric I used is quite thick, I decided that these flaps (which actually serve no real purpose because there are no pockets there) would just add more bulk than I wanted to have around my waist.

Fitting this jacket wasn’t a problem. I made my usual FBA but that was the only alteration I had to make. I did, however, reduce the sleeve ease. When I made my muslin I noticed that there seemed to be a lot more ease than I felt I could neatly get into the armhole, so I altered the pattern to take out about ¾” ease from each of the sleeves. I did this the way that Sandra Betzina recommends in her book Power Sewing. You draw three vertical lines from the top of the sleeve cap to the hem of the sleeve (one in the centre and two about 1½” either side). Then cut down these lines leaving a small hinge at the hem edge. Then overlap the pattern at the sleeve cap at each of the three cut lines (losing ¼” per cut) and tape it all down. It worked very well – I had no trouble getting the sleeves in smoothly.

I had a bit of a crisis over the fastenings. At first I decided to use no buttons, just five covered snap fasteners, like Burda used on their other version of this jacket (pattern no.119). Then I decided not to cover them because I decided that the gold snaps would add something. But once I’d sewn them on I didn’t like how you could see the outline of them on the outside and I felt that when done up the jacket looked too plain and kind of ‘so so’. Finally, I sewed on six decorative buttons and, at last, I was happy!

All in all, as jackets go, I don’t think that this was a very complicated one to make. The Burda instructions were, as always, pretty skimpy but, with the exception of their collar joining method (where I did my own thing!), I managed to follow most of what they were saying.

I’m hoping I’ll get a lot of wear out of this jacket. It’s nice and warm (I’ve underlined it as well as lined it) and I think that the shapely style means that it can be worn with dresses as well as more casually with a pair of jeans.

So, jacket done! Next up is yet another dress………

43 comments:

  1. Beautiful jacket and I LOVE the lining!

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  2. That looks really lovely on you. I'm such a sucker for a winter white jacket, too. :)

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  3. The jacket looks really wonderful on you. I think adding the buttons was the right decision. Love the fun lining!

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  4. The jacket is very chic and noble! I like it very well!
    A very good job!

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  5. That is one elegant jacket. Love the lining. The jacket has a beautiful cut and great details. In fact, your whole outfit is just beautiful. Nice job!

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  6. So cute! and I love the way you styled it with the black skirt and boots :-)

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  7. This is a great jacket Eugenia . You have done a really great job . I really like this on you and it fits like a glove.

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  8. It's beautiful!! The lining is so fun!

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  9. Love it! It is beautiful and fits you wonderfully.

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  10. Well done! This looks absolutely perfect. I am very impressed!

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  11. Your jacket looks so well made. It looks RTW! The color is so versatile, it's almost all-season - I bet you could even wear it on a chilly summer night.

    Where did you find the gold jumbo snaps? I've never seen those before. They are much nicer than the silver ones I used on my jacket (which I had to cover because they looked so cheap).

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  12. I absolutely love this. You can do so many things with it. Good decision on omitting the pockets, I don't think you need them on this style either. Lining is hot!

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  13. When I saw the linedrawing for the first time I didn't find it a very interesting jacket. But seeing it made up....wow....this could come straight of the runway of some famous designer. This jacket is so stylish and well made (with a big surprise on the inside). Beautiful!

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  14. That jacket is absolutely stunning and you wear it well! The lining is a fabulous surprise.

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  15. That is really pretty!!! I have been wanting to see that jacket made it. The line drawing in the magazine really appealed to me.

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  16. Fantastic jacket. I only have two Burda magazines and am just too lazy to trace. You make me want to rethink that now.

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  17. Fantastic jacket, it looks great on you.

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  18. Stunning, stunning. We have to meet one day ...I think of you as my stylish twin.

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  19. This is quite a lovely jacket. It's on my list of winter sewing. Did you not make any adjustments to un-petite it? Or are you petite in the first place?

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  20. This is a beautiful jacket. It fits you perfectly and it looks very chic done up in white.

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  21. That jacket is so elegant! Beautiful.

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  22. The lining definitely ups the wow factor! It would be very hard not to feel fabulous in that jacket!

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  23. That is a real stunner! You are going to be fabulous walking down the street in that.

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  24. Thanks so much to everyone for your kind and generous comments!
    To answer a couple of questions -
    Hi to A Sewn Wardrobe - the snaps are made by Prym which is a German company (www.prym-consumer.com) that makes lots of sewing notions. They are readily available to buy in the U.K. but I don't know if they sell in the U.S.
    Hi Amanda - I didn't have to un-petite it because I'm 5'2" high (short!) so the sizing worked out really well for me. I always have to shorten regular sized patterns.

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  25. Stunning and a perfect color. Well done!

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  26. I am sure you will wear that jacket out, and I won't blame you for it. I like everything about it!

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  27. This is beautiful! You really did a nice job on it. The lining looks very nice, even if you say it is crazy!

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  28. Love it! It's so clean and simple that it's perfect! Great job!

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  29. Gorgeous!! The lining is so fab!

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  30. Very nice and I especially love the lining- a bit of understated wow.

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  31. Your jacket is amazing. The construction is so well done. Love the lining, too.

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  32. So elegant! So beautiful!!!!

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  33. I love your jacket. It's beautiful, and you really look great in it with the skirt and boots.

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  34. OMG Eugenia, I. Want. That. Jacket. It's fabulous and you look fabulous in it.

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  35. What a fabulous jacket! Elegant, classy and very versatile. I love it!

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  36. Holey schmoley - I want this jacket! It looks incredible on you.

    And the lining? Perfect!

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  37. It is stunning! I love, love, love the lining! You did a fabulous job!

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  38. Outstanding! You look ultra chic. Beautifully crafted.

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  39. Really lovely jacket. The fit is great and it is really becoming on you. I love a white wool jacket for winter wear. I think it is unexpected and classy

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  40. Eug...I can't say enough how incredible the jacket is! What a fabulous , awesome job you did with it!

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