McCalls 6294 - Black Jacket

More pics

I've been needing (and wanting) a black jacket for years. (A black coat too, for that matter, but it must wait for another day.) But I keep making outerwear that is more "visually interesting." I love my unique jackets and coats, but sometimes you just need black.

In fact, I wanted to use this pattern for my fall 6-pack but before I cut into my special Emma One Sock fabric, I tested it out in this black, novelty J.N.Y. (Jones New York) fabric from FabricMart. (As of this writing, they have another 10 yards.)

This novelty fabric, an acrylic wool blend, is very unusual. The right side is almost a textural plaid, where the plaid is formed by smooth and fuzzy areas. The reverse side is shiny. I am not a fan of shiny, so I used the right side. When you cut it, it sheds fluff. It looks something like a boucle, but it is not. It behaves as if it is primarily a metallic fiber. It is not a particularly soft fabric, especially the shiny side, so it's a good candidate for a lined garment. It's weird, but I like weird.

The fabric is somewhat sheer. Because I did not want the polka dot lining to show through, I fused the entire jacket with black Angel Weft interfacing from Apple Annie's. I really love Angel Weft and must thank Kathryn of I Made This! for the recommendation. Angel Weft retains the hand of the fabric - it does not make the fabric stiff when fused. (If you don't know Kathryn's blog, you should. Everything she makes is utterly impeccable.)

Materials:

• J.N.Y. Novelty weave, wool blend from FabricMart: 32% Acrylic, 32% wool, 37% nylon, 9% polyester. (812735)
• Lining: Black and white, rayon twill polka dot border print from Gorgeous Fabrics. A more wiggly, ravelly fabric has not been known to man. But it was polka dots!
• Angel Weft interfacing, in black, from Apple Annie's.
• Hook closure from Britex.

Alterations and Modifications:

• 3" Princess seam FBA in the side front.
• Narrowed the shoulder by 3/4".
• Removed the hip shaping making it more rectangular - more like me.
• Nipped the side seams and front princess seams in 1/4" at the waist to give it a tiny bit of shaping. This little tweak created a more flattering, less boxy, silhouette.
• Shortened the sleeve by 3/4". (I first shortened the sleevy by 1-1/2", but it was too short and I had to back it off by 3/4".)

Construction Notes:

• When I did the FBA, I goofed. When performing an FBA, after altering the side front pattern piece, it becomes longer. You then have to lengthen the center front pattern piece by the same amount so the pieces will fit together. I accidentally lengthened the side front instead - so the side fronts were too long and the center fronts were too short. I had cut out the entire body of the jacket and fused each piece with interfacing before I realized my mistake. Because I had enough leftover fabric, I re-cut the front pieces to the correct length, and I cut the pockets out of the former front pieces. I also shortened the side fronts to the proper length. Rather than re-cut the front facings, I pieced them to the correct length. It was merely an annoying mistake and not a disastrous one.
• As directed, the pockets are not lined. I lined them.
  

  

  Lined pockets. These pockets are sewn into the front princess seam, so the inner edges are left raw.

• The collar was too wide. I narrowed it at the points by approx 1.5".
  

  

  Amount I cut away from the collar points

• This pattern is designed not to close. I believe this jacket is inspired by a very popular Givenchy jacket from 2008. The Givenchy jacket uses a hook closure at the bust and I also used a single closure at the bust line.
  

  

  Auditioning closures



Final closure

Conclusions

I was considering this jacket for my Fall 6-pack. Now that I've tested it out in this fabric, I think I will find another pattern for that project. It's fine and I will use it, but it's not quite what I had in mind. Also, this jacket is a bit snug through the back. I started with my usual size 18, and tried on the pattern tissue and the in-process jacket many times, but once I put the sleeves on, it was too snug. If I use this pattern again, I need to do a narrow back adjustment, which is unusual for me.

Pictures

Worn closed

Worn open

Polka-dot lining peeping out

I lightened the photo a tad so you can see the interesting seaming at the back.

McCalls 6165 - Layered Tunics

I am a fan of the funky swing tunic with non-linear hem that has been available in upscale boutiques for some time now, but the style is now appearing on teens. For example, my daughter recently brought one of these home and she would not have worn this style even a few months ago. Of course, hers is more youthful with its cropped hemline and giant trompe de l'oeil bow, but don't fashion trends typically migrate in the other direction?

Twice I have made Very Easy Vogue 8542. Though I made the grey top only last August, it has seen serious duty and has become quite pilled and worn – I find myself thinking I should toss it, but then I wash it and put it right back into rotation. I haven't worn the red rayon version as much – it's a bit more formal.

I made another, somewhat similar, tunic by Marcy Tilton – Vogue 8582. I have worn it more than the red top, but less than the gray top. This one was made from a slinky fabric and I find I don't wear slinky fabrics as much.

McCalls recently threw their hat into the ring and offered their version of this style – McCalls 6165. This pattern has some interesting features.

• It is designed to be layered.
  
• There are three under tunics (views A, B, and C) with different necklines and sleeve lengths.
  
• The over tunic (view D) is a tank style with an open neckline and a wider armscye to accommodate the sleeve on the under tunic.
  
• The under tunics are similar in design to Vogue 8542, except they have no side seam – there is a side panel instead, but the overall silhouette is similar.
  
• The Very Easy Vogue tunic has dropped sleeves and the McCalls pattern has set in sleeves - a design line I find to be far more flattering.
  
• The over tunic is similar to Vogue 8582, except the side drape is on both sides and the drape is shorter and wider than the drape in 8582.
  

I decided I wanted to use this pattern for an expensive, sheer, cotton, single knit jersey I bought at Britex. However, I wanted to make a few changes:

• I wanted to make the under layer using a black mesh knit I purchased as Fabrix and I wanted it to be sleeveless.
  
• I wanted the over tunic to have the sleeves. This way I could showcase the pretty Britex fabric and use the mesh tunic strictly for modesty in the main body of the garment.
  

The sizing of the pattern seems to be off. It is labeled as a "close-fitting" design. The bust for a large is 38-40" and an XL is 42-44". My bust is 43" (high bust) and 48" (full bust). The finished bust measurement printed on the pattern for the over tunic was 41" (L) and 45" (XL). The bust measurement for the under tunic was 37-1/2 (16), 39-1/2 (18), 41-1/2" (20) and 43-1/2" (22). (Yes, the over tunic is sized XS-XL and the under tunics are sized 4-22.) However, when I pin fit the pattern tissue for the under tunic, it was clear that the size XL would fit me without adding an FBA, and my full bust measurement is 48". The over tunic is much larger than the number on the pattern tissue as well. At the bottom of the armscye, the pattern piece immediately veers away from the bust line, so it is very loose fitting, not close fitting at all.

To summarize, check the measurements before cutting! You may want to go down a size, especially for the over tunic (views A, B, or C). But even the under tunic (view D) was not that close fitting, or it wouldn't have fit me without an FBA.

I made the under tunic first. As I mentioned, I cut out the size 22 and made it without any alterations – no FBA for Shams! The seams are relatively straight and the fabric is quite sheer, so I used French seams. I omitted the sleeves and left the neckline and hem edges raw. It fit me nicely, especially over the bust. The armscye was nice and high. Wow, this is the second McCalls in a row that I have made and both have been drafted with nice, high armholes. Very impressive.

Just for fun, put this top on over a bra and pants. Wander into teenage daughter's room and ask, in all seriousness, if she thinks it will work for your upcoming vacation to warmer climes. You know, the vacation where you are also taking her guy friend? ;)

Here you can see the front and back French seams for the side panel.

Before I cut out the over tunic (in an XL), I made several changes to the pattern. Because I like the fit of my Marcy Tilton tunic, and I wanted the over tunic to have sleeves, I transferred the armscye from the Marcy Tilton tunic to the McCalls pattern. I then used the Marcy Tilton sleeve (I have used this sleeve many times now - I really like the fit of it). I also raised the neckline a bit.

The over tunic was fairly quick to sew up, but the fabric was a bit of a pain. This is one of those very fragile cotton jerseys that sticks to itself, and loves to curl, or snag, at the drop of a hat. It was difficult to lay out, because of the "sticking." Because the seams are curved, I serged them rather than bothering with French seams. To hem it, I serged the raw edge and then used yards of Steam a Seam 2 Lite. For the neckline, I used a reverse binding, so the raw edge of the binding curls on the outside of the tunic. (There is a picture of this below.) So, it wasn't hard to construct, but the fabric required special handling.

In the end, I still made a novice mistake. I neglected to pay attention to the giant, lacy floral motifs. I cut the fabric on the fold and, of course, one of the motifs ended up right on my left bust. I decided I don't mind too much. ;)

Instead of a giant bow, I have a giant flower on my left breast. Thank goodness it's lacy!

"Close-fitting," McCalls? Really?

Close-up of the reverse binding and of my 26-year-old thyroid surgery scar. To make the binding: I cut a strip 1-1/2" wide and sewed it to the inside (right side of binding to the wrong side of the neckline), with a 1/4" seam. The binding was then folded to the outside, and stitched in the ditch, from the inside, making sure not to catch the roly poly raw edge on the front. The remaining raw edge curls up decoratively.

McCalls 5525 - Trench Coat

I mentioned in a previous post that I have caught Trench Coat Fever that seems to be epidemic. I've never been interested in the classic Burberry-style trench coat, but lately trenches are everywhere, and some feature interesting details. I started thinking that I needed a trench coat too, and, suddenly, I was seeing trench coats wherever I turned.

I finally decided the time was now and I allocated the bulk of the July 4th weekend to tackle the project. So many great trench patterns are now out of print, but McCalls 5525 was voted one of the Best Patterns of 2009 by readers of Pattern Review, so who am I to argue with success? I read all of the 25-or-so reviews of the pattern before starting my own.

For my fabric, I used a cotton/lycra blend from FabricMart. It was from the Vera Wang collection and this fabric is a dream to sew. It is so substantial that, at first, I thought it was a twill, but it's a plain weave and it does ravel, but not crazily so. It is very beefy, but not stiff, and the stretch from the lycra is a bonus. This fabric sews like buttah. For the lining I used a synthetic from Fabrix woven with a diamond-shaped design. For the pockets and bias trim, I used a polyester charmeuse, also from Fabrix, using the shiny side for the pockets, and the dull side for the bias. The belt uses a black stretch pique from Emma One Sock.

The pattern is described as semi-fitted and it is definitely fitted through the bust. I made a size 22 and still added a hefty princess FBA.

I made view D (mid-thigh length), with the sleeve from view A. Because this is a very bold print, I left off all the regular trench details: epaulets, front shield, back yoke, button bands. (Question: if it lacks all that trench detailing, is it still a trench?) But, to be honest, I would have left off that detailing anyway. I did make a muslin, after performing a fairly hefty princess seam FBA (more about that in the alterations list), and then I made further tweaks.

I did not omit the belt. Why, you ask? Why would a waistless wonder who has no intention of ever belting the coat, go to the bother of sewing a belt and belt loops? Well, I plan to wear it tied behind the coat, and my thinking is that the contrast black belt would cinch in the back and help create a flattering line. And, if I decide I don't like it, it's simple enough to remove. :)

The following list details my alterations as well as my construction notes:

• Removed some of the shaping from the front and back side seam at the hip. After the outer shell was constructed, I further tweaked the side shaping by removing about 1/2" from the waist at the side seam (for a total reduction of 2").
  
• Narrowed the shoulder about 1".
  
• A Princess FBA on the side panel. I followed the instructions in the Palmer/Pletsch Fit for Real People, page 151, Adding to the Side Panel, which are excellent!
  
• I shortened the sleeve 1-1/2".
  
• Various reviewers on Pattern Review have mentioned that the pocket is small. The pocket is ridiculously small. I think this was intentional – the pocket is inserted into the front princess seam, so they probably thought it was better to make the pocket small, so when the wearer has her hands in both pockets and the coat is closed, the hands won't "overlap". Me, I don't care. I redrafted a considerably larger pocket.
  

  

  Their pocket laid over my pocket.

• I sewed the side seams, the center back seam, and the front and back princess seams with 3/8" seam allowance to give myself extra room. I tapered to a 5/8" allowance at the neckline and armhole so the collar and sleeves would fit without problems. Of course, I did this on the lining as well as the outer shell.
  
• The instructions have you interface the entire front with sew-in interfacing. My fabric was quite beefy, so I didn't bother.
  
• The instructions have you interface one layer of the collar and stand with sew-in interfacing. I used fusible. I did interface the outer collar, as directed, and but I also interfaced both the outer and inner collar stand, because I want the collar to really stand up and not become floppy over the life of the coat.
  
• The instructions call for 3/8" top-stitching. I don't care for such wide top-stitching, so I used 1/8".
  
• The instructions do not mention it, but I graded the seams where necessary – particularly the collar seams. I also allowed for the turn of collar, also not mentioned by the instructions.
  

  

  One of my favorite pressing tools, the Tailor Board, by June Tailor. No longer being made, you can still track these down and it's worth every penny. All the various edges let you press every little corner or curve you might ever encounter.

  

  A well tailored collar is a joy forever... or at least a joy when you wear the garment. :)

• I made sleeve heads from muslin and Pellon fleece. I also used 1/4" shoulder pads - the shoulder pads were listed as optional.
  
• I applied a 1/2" bias binding around the entire outer edge of the jacket and both sleeve hems. This was rather painstaking work, because there were two outer curves, one quite sharp, and an inner corner. The black binding gives the print some structure.
  

  

  The bias binding, isn't perfect, but if anyone starts scrutinizing me that closely, I might have to tweak their nose. ;)

• I narrowed the belt to 2" and made it several inches longer. I used a black pique fabric and channel stitched it to give it some additional body.
  

  

  The pique belt with channel stitching completed.

• I used a single column of buttons, so the closure is asymmetric. I think this is hard to see in the busy print.
  

What do I like about this pattern? It is well drafted. The princess seams go together well, the sleeve cap has the right amount of ease. Once I did the FBA, I was extremely happy with the fit, especially around the bust and armhole – no gapping whatsoever. I especially like the fact that there is one pattern piece for the front panel and for the front facing, as well as for the side front and the side lining. This meant I had only to apply the alterations once – usually I would have to repeat the alterations on the lining pattern pieces and hope I got them exactly right. This was a huge plus for me. The only separate lining piece is the center back.

What would I change next time? When you attach the lining to the outer shell, there is a 1" pleat at the bottom of the hem for wearing ease, which is what you would expect. But there is no similar pleat at the bottom of the sleeve. I think there should be, so the coat would be easier to wear and the sleeves would look better.

Progress at the end of the July 4th weekend.

By the end of the long July 4th weekend, I had the outer shell and lining constructed. I worked on the coat two or three evenings, but I spent this weekend finishing. The bias binding took me most of Saturday. I finished the coat at 2pm on Sunday (today), then took a nice, long nap. I took the photos, by myself, this afternoon. Can I say how much I love being able to take photos on my own? :)

Buttoned up

Collar up. So dramatic!

Unbuttoned. The general consensus of both daughters is that it's more flattering buttoned and unbelted. :)

Back, with the collar up, and the belt tied jauntily in back.

I know that most of the country, at least east of the Mississippi, is suffering from a heat wave. I wish I could send you some of my weather. Here, it is foggy and chilly – true San Francisco summer weather. I had to lighten these photos because it is rather dark from the fog, even though they were taken at 5pm. This trench coat will get immediate use!