It feels like a long time since I made a jacket which is odd since I love wearing them. I decided I needed a simple unlined zip front cotton jacket and started digging through my BurdaStyle magazine stash (always a dangerous black hole to get into!). Of course there were plenty of options, but having banged on and on about what a great year 2016 has been for Burda I felt I should make something current.
Now I am quite partial to a military styled jacket, however this one was shown in such a way that it almost veered off into costume territory, but the line drawing showed promise.
06/2016 - 121
| 06/2016 - 121 |
| 06/2016 - 120 Cropped, zipped version |
| 06/2016 - 121 Longer hook & eye version |
This is actually a tall pattern, but apart from shortening both the sleeves and the bands by 1.5cm each I didn't make any alterations.
The jacket goes together quite easily and even the basic pattern has some nice subtle details - I really like the way the back wraps over the shoulder, the little double vent at the back and the cut of the sleeve makes it hang beautifully. I wish I had taken photos as soon as I had finished it, but I washed it first since I had stabbed myself with pins and bled on it and just working with it had made it a grubby (kudos and respect to all bridal dressmakers out there!). It doesn't look as crisp after my bad ironing job, but it has to stand up to real life I suppose and it might actually improve and soften a bit with repeated washings. Anyway all that is to say...wrinkle alert!
I used a stretch cotton, the instructions recommend lightweight jacket fabrics with some body, fabrics with elastane are ideal. So I don't think it has to be a stretch fabric, just that it may be more comfortable if it is.
Here I am wearing it, I just threw it on over the navy jersey dress I was wearing so it looks quite formal here, but I think it will work equally well with jeans for a more casual look.