Peacock Collection ‘09: BWOF 02-2009-112

Pattern: BWOF 02-2009-112

Pattern Description: This shaped jacket with contrasting print is as classy as a fitted jacket and as sporty as a trench coat. The sewing pattern comes in petite/half sizes because this style is particularly suitable for shorter women.

Pattern Sizing: Burda sizes 17-21.  Increased to a 23

Fabric Used: Canary Yellow Stretch Cotton Sateen from Downtown LA

Notions Used: Buttons!

Pattern Alterations: Increased to a 23. Eliminated the buttons and buttonholes for the neck area.  Did not add belt loops.

The Good:

• I really love the color.  I am afraid of it much like I am afraid of white but I love it …LOL 🙂  Can’t wait till it cools down some to wear it.

• I had just enough of the main fabric to finish this jacket.  I had to use lining fabric underneath the flaps but it worked out well as it would have been pretty bulky otherwise.
• I like that it came in petite sizing already as that is one less step in my pattern adjustment checkoff list.

• Love all the details!
• My sewing pals helping me discover the paper towel buttonhole technique.

• Leaving out the buttonholes at the top.  This was yet another sewing pals suggestion as I will probably never wear the jacket like that.  However, if for some reason I did want to rock that style the flaps pretty much stay in place when they are tucked in anyway so it was a win all around.

• My buttons were super inexpensive!! Normally for me buttons cost more than the whole damn project…LOL…but for this one I found them at Joann’s and they cost me all of $7.00 for the lot.  Love it!
• Finally posting this jackets after it has been finished for AGES!!! LOL!

The Bad:

• Holy Cow is there a lot of topstitching!  That is what kept me from getting this done quicker.  What made it worse is I am quite OCD about my topstitching so it is slow and tedious and will be ripped if it looks crappy.  Thank goodness for the adjustable blindhem foot.

• Although I made a muslin, I was focused more on the sewing technique and should have looked a bit closer at the overall fit (and this picture! especially since I look hunchbacked, short, and wide.  I am not hunchbacked.  The rest…well…LOL!).    Although I have finally come to terms with some of my major adjustments like petiting patterns, I need to now focus on other details like back width, swayback, etc.  The back has some extra fabric floating around that should have been remedied since there are back seams and I could have petited further.  I also think I need to adjust for the width of my back as the sleeves seem ample length but pull a little when I stick both of my arms out.  Or maybe that is just the way it should be since only zombies walk around with both arms straight out all the time.  mmmm…braaaaiiinnnssss 😯
• I used a knit interfacing due to the stretch in the fabric but should have used more stable woven interfacing as this did not NEED the stretch in the areas that had interfacing.  I just wanted the interfacing to be lightweight and not too stiff.  Must find proper substitute for this in the future.

The Ugly:

• I am really upset at how the front facing and jacket meet in the front.  Per Burda’s instruction I snipped the fabric where requested but it is exactly at the breakline for the facing.  I should have snipped a little inside to give it some stability and maybe even added some interfacing to give it some structure there.  It peeves me to no end as this was one of the last steps before the jacket was complete, but I will get over it…I hope.
• What is with the super tiny pockets?!  I was gonna redraft them but I was afraid they would be too close to the bottom of the jacket and might hang too low.  I often think of just cutting them off and having them be mock pockets and sew them closed.  I do like the flaps so i wouldn’t get rid of those.

Conclusion: Although I have quite a bit in the bad and ugly categories, I really do like this jacket.  Now I just need to get a years supply of Scotch Guard 🙂