I finished it! I finally made time to finish the coat that's been in my head (and on my cutting table) for over 6 months. Behold, my Lonetree Jacket:
This jacket is exactly what I've been wanting and needing in my wardrobe, and perfectly fits into that 'not too heavy, but not too light' category for this time of year.
Confession - I bought this pattern IMMEDIATELY after it got released last year. I had seen the sneak peeks prior to release, on Allie Olsen's Instagram and I was sold way before it came out. In my excitement I bought the fabric shortly after, from Dressew in Vancouver (if you are a sewist in or around the Lower Mainland, and have not been - RUN, don't walk there. GO NOW), aaaaand then I sat on the pattern and the fabric over the winter. Ooops.
When the weather changed here, I got back on the horse and got to work. I sewed up a muslin, intending to only sew the front and back pieces, along with a zipper just to see how the fit worked out for the size Small. I ended up being really curious how it all came together and just basically sewed the whole thing up (roughly - I didn't do any type of finishing or detail work). I liked the fit (the only modification I did was to shorten the sleeves), so I went ahead and cut into my long-hoarded fabric!
The fabric is a lightweight charcoal coloured tencel twill, with a little stretch to it; it's soft, drapey and comfortable.
The facings, hood lining, and pocket flap linings I did in leftover pieces of Nani Iro double gauze, which I chose for the subtle accent colours and geometric design. I matched the light purple of the double gauze in the thread I used for edge finishes, and all the button-holes.
The hardware is all sort of brassy-gold (other than plastic buttons), and I love how it kind of elevates the whole look and style.
The pattern itself is not for the faint of heart. While the instructions and drawings are all professional and clear, this is definitely not a beginner pattern. That said - if you've sewn a few woven garments, tackled a few things like sleeves, and you're looking for a challenge, this would be a great one to take on!
Things that tripped me up:
a) I must have cut my cuffs incorrectly because one was a little shorter and I had to ease it a little. As a result you can see it pulling diagonally a little. If you look closely. Please don't look closely.
b) The front pieces, by the bottom of the zipper pull up a little where my facing is sewn in. I think it's because my main fabric has stretch, and my facings do not, but I'm not 100% sure. I fiddled with them a bit, but decided it's not noticeable enough for me to really care :)
c) I think I might try adding darts to my next one - although the fit is nice, I feel like I could use some more ease (without sizing up) in the chest area.
Bottom line, I love this jacket, I've already worn it a ton, and I've bought blush pink tencel to make another one.
Hope you enjoyed my rainy day pics! I was determined to get shots done, so I put the camera and tripod in the carport, got out the umbrella and went for it. I'm kind of digging the way rain softens some of the edges!
xo Mandy