Pattern: Vogue 8679, View A

Description: Fitted, lined, above hip jacket with notched collar, front darts, back princess seams, godet and long sleeves.
Did it look like the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? It does.

Fabric: Tan Silk Tweed (100% silk) from Hancock Fabrics

Lining: Brown crepe back satin (100% poly)

Were the instructions easy to follow? I barely used the instructions. I only referred to them for the bustle/godet construction.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I didn't care for the styling on the pattern envelope, but I knew from the moment I saw it that it was a good knock-off for the McQueen jacket. I discussed in a prior post not understanding why they use a one-piece sleeve on great jacket patterns. So I changed that.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: I made a 1" FBA.
I also added an inch to length and I changed the one-piece sleeve to a two-piece with a vent. I fully tailored the jacket also.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I will not sew THIS jacket again, but if I find something similar that draws me in, I would do that one! And yes, I do recommend this pattern.

Since it's coat season and a lot of sewers are participating in the jacket sew-a-long, I thought I'd discuss sleeves: one-piece vs. two-piece sleeves to be exact.

This is a "symmetrical" one-piece sleeve which you probably see a lot. This is my LEAST FAVORITE draft for a jacket -- especially one that is "supposed" to be tailored. I find this draft to be disappointing. Let's face it, our arms just don't hang straight and stiff.

Now this one-piece sleeve is slightly different. I've actually made a tailored jacket with a sleeve like this one. You'll notice that there is an elbow dart which "shapes the fitted sleeve to follow the curve of the arm and provides fullness to allow for bending the elbow." (Shaeffer, Claire. Couture Sewing Techniques.)

The two-piece sleeve has seams which appear at both the front and the back of the arm. The under section of the sleeve will actually be a tad bit smaller than the upper part of the sleeve. This will make the seam appear less noticeable on the finished garment. The seams of the two-piece sleeve also fall slightly off center from the front and back of the arm. With the seams falling in the offset places, they are then less apparent when the apparel is worn. This strategic placement of the seams allows for greater range of motion.
In my opinion, the two-piece sleeve is the BEST option (for ME) for jackets and coats because it gives a more tailored appearance.

I'm currently working on a jacket now. The pattern only offered a one-piece. And the look that I am going for is nice tailored sleeves with a vent. I thought for a split second to try and convert the one-piece. That seemed really, really daunting to me. So I ended up jacking a sleeve from another pattern that I liked.


Do YOU have a preference on jacket and coat sleeves?

I always love this silhouette, so this one is a winner with me.

Very cute skirts!

I'm loving tweed jackets, especially ones in equestrian type styles. So don't be surprised if you see another one SOON!

Description: Semi-fitted, lined jackets A, B, C have princess seams, darts, front inverted pleats, flaps, notched collar, pleated sleeve caps and front button closure; jacket A has three-quarter length cuff sleeves; jacket B has long sleeves; jacket C has three-quarter length sleeves gathered at seams.


Fabric: Red & Camel Herringbone Tweed (100% Poly) from Hancock Fabrics

Lining: Light Camel (48% Acetate, 52% Rayon) - Zeus lining from Jo-Anns

Were the instructions easy to follow? I barely used the instructions. I only glanced over them for the pleats on the shoulder and the pleats on the jacket front.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love that this is a trendy jacket and not just a "classic". I wish that it had real pockets instead of faux ones with just flaps. I love that it at least has a 2-piece sleeve, I just wish that a vent had been included. After I'd given it some thought, I'd already cut the sleeves out. But next time I encounter a jacket or coat, I'll just modify the pattern pieces first.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: I made a small FBA and added 1 inch to the length. I probably could have gone a little larger on my FBA. I think I could have also done a swayback adjustment. Even though I normally don't make that alteration, it seems as if I'm starting to need one. I blame the stair climber at the gym.

I also tailored the jacket. I block fused the entire piece of fabric prior to cutting. Added in uncovered 1/4" shoulder pads and sleeve heads.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? This a great jacket. I would highly recommend it, especially for those participating in the jacket-a-month sew-a-long.

Pants are Vogue 1059

Description: Pullover tops A, B, C, D, E, F have neckline and sleeve variations, stitched hems; top A has two-piece sleeves with bands and elastic forming ruched effect; tops A, B have above elbow sleeves; tops A, B, C have gathered sleeve caps; tops C, D have pleated and gathered sleeve caps; top D has crushed, longer than full-length sleeves; tops A, B, C, D have optional sleeve heads; tops C, E have below elbow sleeves; top E has flanges and purchased sew-on jewels; top F has ruffles and long sleeves.


Did it look like the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? For the most part, it does.

Fabric: A sweater knit I've been stashing for a couple of years.  Not sure of the fabric content, but I think it would do fairly well in a washing machine.

Were the instructions easy to follow? The instructions were exceptionally easy.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I think this is a really cute and "of-the-moment" style that I've been seeing everywhere... from the high-end designers to the junior retailers and everything in between.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: I added 1" to the length.

Conclusion: This is a great "trendy" pattern. All of the versions seem as if they could be sewn up in a couple of hours. I'm not going to sew this one again -- it's really trendy. But I do recommend it.