Named Mai jacket in leather and wool

This is one of the projects I've had in my head since moving to NZ.  I had a lot of ideas of which pattern would match these fabrics, and the Mai Jacket seemed to have it all.

The pattern: Mai Jacked, by Named patterns

Description from the website:

• Short, lined jacket  with a zipper closure
• Zipper details at the bottoms of the sleeves
• In-seam pockets at the sides
• Short stand-up collar
• Contrast panels around the zipper, and yokes at the shoulders
• Loose-fitting style with elastic hemline

What I needed: simple pockets, lining, and that little collar.
What I ditched: the sleeve zips.
Size: 34 based on the finished measurements.  I wanted this to be quite fitted and I knew that all of my fabrics have some stretch so I could size down.  That worked out great, it's just a tiny bit short but is otherwise well fitting and as I expected.

My fabrics:
-purple wool from The Fabric Store, which I have hoarded for ages.  It's heavy and almost looks felted but with quite a bit of stretch.  I have been waiting really carefully for the right project for this stuff
-suede, two skins, from Copenhagen.  I think they were in a remnant bin and I found two in the same colour.
-lining is a solid black cotton jersey from The Fabric Store, which I got recently. It has a great shine and is not too stretchy.

I used a 90 sharp needle most of the time and that was enough although the needles did go blunt and start to skip at times.  I was able to get through 4 layers of the leather, on the collar for instance, without trouble.

I spent ages preparing for this, ages planning and a week or so sewing it.  First, I wanted to use a cotton lawn for the facing and pockets, but then the fabric I had chosen arrived and I didn't like it.  So I just used interfaced jersey.  Partly because I couldn't decide if I wanted to line the sleeves and I held everything up while I was indecisive.  In retrospect it might have been nice to use leather for more stability.

I obviously pinned basically never, except when it was jersey layers together.  My IDT was good for all this.

I basted the collar on prior to putting the facings, though, because there was no way I could hold together that many layers without clips or pins.

Finally I decided that the inside of suede is not great feeling and I did need the lining.  Then I put the lining sleeves together inside out and couldn't be bothered to undo.

Final thoughts: it's just like written.
That's great except for the pockets.  It ends up that I hate the pocket location. I need princess seams, or any seam to bring these pockets away from the sides.   There is a blousing effect due to the elastic at the hem and the blousing really is all around these stupid side seam pockets. 

I do not really like the way the hem is finished.  You are told to secure the elastic on each side of the zip, then you sew the jacket together and bag it, and THEN you feel through all the hem layers and stitch in the ditch without stitching the elastic, in order to create a clean hem. This of course makes a mess on the inside.

I have still not found a jacket pattern that guarantees a nice hem finish.  I was left with little bits around the zipper sticking out, but being leather, I could cut and just sew them down.

Named Minttu swing top & some stars

Initially, and for quite awhile, I've been really excited about this pattern- the facings and the shape made it seem like a substantial, interesting tank top that could be done in a variety of fabrics.  There are not very many review out there but the few I found (here and here) were inspiring.  

Fabric: Spotlight.  Exciting sparkly stuff again, because my brain suddenly wants shiny.  It is a rayon jersey with a nice drape.

I cut this out in a size 36,  (I am 33-27-37) and being all smart I removed 3 inches from the length.  I did so in the middle and I believe there were no shorten lines, I just picked a spot and made sure to keep things horizontal.  By doing this instead of shortening at the bottom, I could keep the same amount of swing in the top.

I do vary in Named pattern sizing and have cut everything from 34-38 in Named patterns, but in 36 this top was too small.  The fact of having interfaced facings means the top part of it is not very stretchy. The neck hole is tiny - uncomfortably so.

The facings I hate hate hate hate.  They pull every which way.  I have to admit once the top is on, it's not visible. But I already dislike facings and ones that refuse to sit flat just don't make me happy.

And of course I shortened it too much!  I could have kept all of those three inches.  By shortening in the middle instead of the bottom I overdid the 'swing' effect, in my opinion.

As it is, it's like a top for a 12-year old.
The shape, however, I like.
What I plan to do is make this as a super simple, single layer, no binding tank top (once I have figured out how to lengthen it without printing the pattern again, hisss.)  Then I think you get the benefit of the cool shape without all the mess of those bindings and I will be able to adjust the size of the neck hole too! 

Papercut Patterns Sapporo coat x 2

The construction of this jacket was a Sonia classic.  A pattern I thought was meh.  Fabric that I don't usually go for (from Spotlight - heavy knit jacquard with knit interlock lining.)  But this seemed very on trend and I was super curious what would happen if it made it in these heavy knits.

I didn't, however, really think I would want to wear it. I have a bad habit of jumping into sewing projects like this - the what-if projects: what will happen if I make this pattern in this fabric?  And then inevitably: who do I give it to afterwards?

I also didn't in any way make provisions for pattern matching and before I realised that I needed to, I'd cut pieces upside down to each other so I gave up.  The pieces can be a bit puzzling due to their unusual size so good notches and markings are key.  The instructions are great that way as they do show the pieces clearly.  I think I pinned things upside down a few times but always came to my senses and fixed them in time.

I cut the XS-S.  In this pattern there are only three sizes, I guess due to the oversized fit of the jacket.
I also didn't do much ironing, obviously.  I think the jacquard could have been ironed.  It's a rayon blend, not too much poly.  But I didn't.

The jacket is very straightforward to put together.
Like 95% of all jacket patterns, the finish of the bottom front corner where the hem of the jacket and lining come together is a bit confusing.  I think there's only one pattern I have ever made where that corner lined up properly and a beautiful finish was obtainable.  However in this case I definitely was working some bad odds as the jacquard is heavy and thick and the interlock lining started to curl up so my attention span for perfection, never high, was fading.  So it could be me rather than the instructions.

This jacket turned out massive.  I had already figured out who it would go to by then, and luckily not only does it fit my friend Kate really well, but she loves it.  I think that the heavy fabric pulled the jacket down a lot, making it much much larger than it would be in a woven.

Overall I think I lost a lot of the neat touches by using such a heavy shapeless fabric. The pattern comes together really easily and it does have a gentle stylishness to it which is super trendy right now.  Also matches my winter desire to cuddle up in warm things and the pockets are amazing. 

But my final thoughts were ready to be good riddance!!  Except that I realised I could make a surfing coat using this pattern, and my enthusiasm spiked all over again...

The fabric: rainwear fabric from The Fabric Store (I picked it up in Dunedin.)  It's extremely light nylon with no body at all.  The lining: terrycloth fabric for babies, from Spotlight.

This time around I had kind of a similar problem - because my fabric was so weightless, it didn't hold ANY shape.  The lining was much heavier than the outer fabric.  I tried to apply interfacing but it wouldn't stick so I just gave up and didn't use it at all which made things worse.

The result is a much smaller jacket, but yet again, the actual features of the jacket are basically invisible and it turns into a puddle when I'm not actually wearing it, which makes it really hard to get into while wearing a wetsuit.  So it was a much better idea in theory than in reality.

Considering how much effort I've put into a pattern that I initially said I wasn't sure I liked - maybe I will eventually cave in and make this jacket from the materials that were recommended? 

Plus, an update: this surf jacket was in a pile of my undifferentiated stuff when I was moving and a friend showed it to his 8 year old daughter...who loves it.  Apparently it works as a post surf layer for her just fine.  So it got put to use after all!