Burda Anorak Jacket

Hey, there! I hope 2018 has been kind to you, so far! 2018 has had its rough edges, at least for me, but let's not dwell on that.

Today I have a spring jacket to share. Elliott Berman Textiles gave me this beautiful reversible jacquard last November. It arrived just before I left for Japan and I loved it, but then I fell and rolled, backwards, down an escalator in Tokyo within an hour of landing. The resulting injury to my dominant (left) hand has slowed my sewing output.

After deliberating, I decided I wanted to use a Burda anorak pattern. I downloaded it from the Burda site, but I gather it's from the September 2014 issue of their magazine, if you have that.

Unfortunately, Elliott Berman has sold out of this fabric, but they have other brocades and jacquards.

I've made a lot of changes to the pattern, but it's been awhile, so let me see if I can remember all of them...

• The pattern is from their collegiate collection and is sized in "tall" sizes. I'm not used to their tall sizing, but went with it anyway. I ended up using the original length for my size. I could have shortened the armhole, which is long, but I didn't. I really like the large, 3-piece sleeve that reminds me of the 80s.
• I didn't need to add width to the pattern, so I did a vertical-only FBA.
• I eliminated the elastic sleeve hem. I left the sleeve long so I could fold it back and show off the Petersham ribbon hem.
• I hemmed the entire jacket with Petersham ribbon, in two colors. I originally bought 5 yards in a plum shade, but ran out. I went back and bought another 1-2 yards (I can't remember exactly) but I neglected to bring a sample of the original ribbon, so this time I got a more purple color. I decided to use it anyway, as I liked using both colors. I hand sewed the ribbon, which means I sewed 12-14 yards by hand, since I hand sewed each edge.
• I omitted the drawstring at the hem.
• The pattern calls for 4 yards of fabric, and I had 2.5, so I had to be judicious. I omitted the back shield.
• Instead of the 3 pockets from the original pattern, I made two front patch pockets finished with Petersham ribbon.
• The hood was supposed to be finished with a narrow trim from the same fabric, but this curved shape takes a lot of fabric, so I replaced with a plum-colors cotton stretch velveteen.
• I harvested the beautiful selvedge from the fabric and inserted it into the upper sleeve seam.
• I lined the (unlined) hood. By the way, I like this hood as a collar, but not so much as a hood.
• I added shoulder pads, covered with the lining.
• I replaced the zipper with 3 buttons. I sewed the very last bit of Petersham ribbon on each side of the buttonholes.
• This pattern is quite boxy. I narrowed the side seam, at the waist, by 1/2", for a total removal of 2". I also added two 3/8" tucks in the back at the waist, removing another 1-1/2". I left it boxy, but not too boxy.

And now, for some pics!

Harvesting selvedge. When a selvedge is nice, I harvest it even if I'm not sure that I'll use it.
Sewing the selvedge into the sleeve
The selvedge is a bit uneven, but I let it be.
Spring has been glorious here in San Francisco
I used the last bit of Petersham by sewing it on either side of the 3 buttonholes.
I usually don't bother covering shoulder pads, but I've been in a slow-sewing mode!
Once I finished covering the shoulder pads, I had to cut some of them off, or they would have peeked outside the neckline. I guess my shoulders are narrow. Patterns certainly seem to indicate that I have narrow shoulders, as I'm always narrowing them, though I didn't in this pattern. I decided to go with the wider shoulder, as part of the boxy look.)
The 3-piece hood. I trimmed with some stretch velveteen and lined with Ambiance.
I enjoy finding backdrops with different textures
Hand sewing
Covering the hood seam
And more hand sewing. Lots more.
Fabulous earrings by Pam Neri.
(I buy from her right off Instagram. See something you like on her feed? Message her!)
I bought this fringed leather purse for DD1 in Florence last spring, but she didn't want it.
Taking in the side seams at the waist.
Thanks, Elliott Berman, for the fabric!
I paid for all other supplies.

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Misc

These days I want to blog projects, but not travel or other activities. You can follow me on Instagram to see my current hijinks. You don't have to join Instagram, unless you want to leave comments.

Here are a few miscellaneous pics, and one video.

I was recently in Venice Beach, CA for DartConf 2018, a Dart language conference that I helped organize. Actually, my primary contribution was producing swag for the event. I had so much fun getting a plushie made. I gave a brief talk, introducing him at the conference. Meet Dash! (If you want to hear my voice, it's a 2-minute video...)
Loving Dash!
I'm proudest of the first ribbon, "Chief Plushie Officer"!
Since I never posted about Christmas, here are a few pics. I took my daughters to the Claremont Hotel and Spa in the Berkeley Hills. We were upgraded to the presidential suite. It was pretty sweet!
Christmas morning
Love these munchkins!
Visiting Twin Peaks on Christmas afternoon
Taking a selfie
Too bright to see the screen. LOL
Christmas view from the Presidential suite
Christmas morning
Visiting Britex a couple days after Christmas
A recently purchased outfit that I'm enjoying. The vest is from Simply Bella (she may have more in stock - if interested, give her a call). I purchased the pants in Venice Beach, when I visited in January.
People often ask about my fingers, so I took this pic this morning, exactly 104 days after the accident. I am using them, though the nail on the pointer finger is growing in with a split down the middle. I really miss my fingernails! Without them, it's almost impossible to pick up pins and needles.

What's next for me? I have an upcoming sewing retreat, a trip to London, and lots of deadlines at work! It will be pretty busy between now and Google I/O, in May.