Jackets and coats

Blue jacket 2.0

I’m back!! I feel like I’ve been away from the blog for ages (sob sob).

Today I’m sharing the story of a little blue jacket. This bad boy:

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I bought it from Next a few years ago. It has some awesome details like cool pockets and great top-stitching.

But if you wear a jacket for several years, stubbonly refusing to get a new one, it’s going to end up bobbly, full of holes and missing buttons. Ack!

Then… (plot twist alert!) during early February another Amy remade her favourite blue coat and I wonย Sonja’s Anise giveaway, so I started to hatch a plan.

Ahem, I promptly sat on my butt and did nothing with that plan for months and carried on wearing my broken jacket – what a hobo.

But now I present to you blue jacket 2.0!!

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I found this awesome blue coating at The Fancy Silk Store in Birmingham which is a near perfect colour match. It may have been a little bulky for the Anise but think I get away with it.

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I used fusible interlining for warmth and a mixed blue satin lining, which reminds me of looking through a window on a rainy day (I’m so poetic).

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I used prym metal self cover buttons and nearly broke my thumb by not buying the assembly gadget. You’ll notice no bound buttonholes. I swear I practiced them… here’s the proof!

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But in the end I felt like I didn’t need the extra hassle/bulkiness. I’m glad I learnt the technique though!

I think I like the quality of my welt pockets but I’m a bit iffy on my collar execution. It was soooo fiddly to sew together and turn out. The curves of the collar look a bit lumpy to me. Hmmmmm…

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Because I’ve seen it on many rtw jackets,ย I added internal buttons to minimise stress on my exterior buttons and to stop the left side slipping.

One totally obvious thing I didn’t add was a hanging loop. Why isn’t this in the instructions!?! I’m really gutted about this as it won’t hang up now. Booooo.

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So there you go! My jacket is done and I can get back to some less stressful sewing!

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(73) Comments

  1. Jenni says:

    Awesome jacket, can’t see anything wrong with the collar!

    1. almondrock says:

      Thanks! I’m probably just imagining it. I’ve been staring at this jacket for too long :-p

  2. Wendy says:

    It’s beautiful! And I totally agree about the hanging loop, but you can get little leather ones to sew on after.

    1. almondrock says:

      Thanks Wendy! I’m going to have to do something as I can’t keep using a hanger every day!

  3. This is really lovely and looks totally professionally made, hoorah! I sewed a chain hanging loop onto a jacket I made, which is actually better for holding the weight of the coat. Enjoy wearing it, x

    1. almondrock says:

      Thanks Jane! Ooh yes, chain sounds like the most secure option

  4. Holy smoke!! This is fab-u-lous!! Happy wearing ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you. I’ll probably wear it to shreds in no time and have to start again!

  5. It’s gorgeous! Well done!

    1. almondrock says:

      Aww thank you!

  6. Gorgeous! Well done for getting through it. your bound buttonholes look fab even if if you didn’t do them on on the final version! And your collar looks perfect perfect to me! You made a jacket!

    1. almondrock says:

      Heehee thank you! Yours was a great inspiration to me. I might use bound buttonholes on future coats so best to learn how.

  7. simply fantastic. I ALWAYS tell people to buy the assembly gadget for cover buttons. I find it pays for itself in not wasting buttons very quickly and yes saves your thumbs as well:)

    1. almondrock says:

      My thumbs agree with you ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. I love your jacket! Awesome colour! Great job remaking the other one!

    1. almondrock says:

      Thanks, I’m really pleased with it!

  9. Wowser! This must have been a labour of love but it is so worth it! The colour is spectacular!

    1. almondrock says:

      YES! It took years off my life, but it is rad so I forgive it

  10. Great job! Such a great colour.

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you!

  11. So pretty!! And you are adorable!

    1. almondrock says:

      Awww thank you very much!

  12. Gorgeous! And well done for getting a head start on your winter wardrobe!

    1. almondrock says:

      Getting pretty nippy out there sadly. Might have to upgrade to my big big coat sooner than I thought but will use my jacket for nights out if it comes to it

  13. AHHHHHH! This looks GREAT! Well done, lady!

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you for the pattern! Excellent enabling skills ๐Ÿ™‚

  14. This looks amazing, well done!

    1. almondrock says:

      Thanks very much!

  15. Just lovely, well done on a beautiful piece. Bet it ends up lasting longer than the New Look one too!

    1. almondrock says:

      I really really hope so! ๐Ÿ™‚

  16. Oh, it is GORGEOUS! I love the colour and the collar looks wonderful. Well done for sticking it out it was very definitely worth it. I hope you wear it to the point of disintegration like you did the inspiration jacket.

    1. almondrock says:

      That is a definite possibility unless I get jacket making fever and make a new one every year (unlikely)

  17. This, my friend, is gorgeous! You should be SO proud of yourself and please stop picking holes in it…because it’s perfect! Well bloody done…make something super easy next to celebrate ;p

    1. almondrock says:

      Thanks very much! It’s easy to see the mistakes and forget to step back look and how much went well

  18. Bรฉa says:

    It’s beautiful! You got a brilliant colour match for your Blue Coat #1. I hope you have many happy years of wear with Blue Coat #2.

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you! I think we’ll be very happy together hehe

  19. Amazing! I’m so glad you did it, it looks very professional. And I can’t believe it took you so little time to make an entire jacket!!

    1. almondrock says:

      Phew I know. I didn’t want it to drag on though as it was rather cold. Thanks for helping pick the fabric!!

  20. Yay you’ve made a jacket. It looks awesome, love the colour and those buttons.

    1. almondrock says:

      Thanks very much!

  21. What a beautiful, beautiful job! Collars are tricky, and curvy ones even more so, yours looks great! The fabric looks amazing as well, I bet it’s super warm!

    1. almondrock says:

      Aww thanks. I am rather snuggly in it ๐Ÿ™‚

  22. Oh it’s so lovely! What a stunning colour, it goes really well with your hair! And it doesn’t look too bulky at all. Perfect now that’s gone a little chillier today? x

    1. almondrock says:

      Brrrr yes definitely. Thanks very much! X

  23. This is gorgeous, and so impressive! The colour really suits you too. I’d love to be able to make my own coat one year. I’m the same as you in that the one I have I love and have been wearing for years, I’m hoping it will last this winter then maybe I can sew a replacement for next year!

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you! I’m glad I did it as I get my jacket for longer but not sure I’ve caught the jacket making bug ๐Ÿ™‚

    2. almondrock says:

      Ps. You can totally make a jacket, I think they’re only intermediate/advanced as they require a massive amount of patience and have lots of steps, rather than being difficult to sew

  24. Well done! It’s come out beautifully. The covered buttons are such a nice touch and I like the length – is it shorter than the original or is it just my eyes? And that blue is great on you.

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you! Sadly yes it is shorter. I lengthened by 7cm but it wasn’t enough! My bum is a little colder than it used to be! :-p

  25. This is really great! And I like it more than the Next coat. I really want to have a go at making a coat, but maybe for next Winter…..

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you! Yeah I’d give yourself plenty of time and plan for next year. I was racing against the weather towards the end brrrr!

  26. It’s gorgeous! A dead ringer for the original and really well finished. Well done.

    1. almondrock says:

      Thanks m’dear! I fixed my ropey button now and have a chain to sew in for hanging. Win!

  27. This looks AWESOME!
    I can’t believe you made that.
    Well I can. But it looks so damn professional.
    Congrats you!

    1. almondrock says:

      Haha maybe not up close but thanks very much ๐Ÿ™‚

  28. Looks awesome – such an epic project – your sewing is evolved so much – congratulations!

    1. almondrock says:

      Aww thanks. It’s strange and wonderful how my sewing has developed the most over the last year

      1. I’m often startled too how much I’ve improved and changed. Round of applause for everyone!

  29. It’s gorgeous, and such a great replacement for the royal blue coat that was!!! I had the exact problem with a favourite trench coat of mine last winter… and am now happily wearing to death the replacement I made for it. I hope your new coat experiences (suffers?) the same fate! Yay for fabulous new coats ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. almondrock says:

      Yay for us! It’s really freeing to know that even if you wear something to death you can always get it back. High five!

  30. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! And totes agree, it’s way more classy than the original x

    1. almondrock says:

      Awww thank you. Throwing away that horrible old jacket was pretty liberating!

  31. Superb jacket, beautiful execution- thank you for sharing! Only person who would dream of criticising the collar is yourself!.
    And no, they never include that hanging loop in the instructions, very annoying- but I suspect they expect you to use a coat hanger, because, you wouldn’t just stick it on a peg, now would you? ( yes..)

    1. almondrock says:

      Haha exactly. I can’t live my life like that so I’ve got a sew in hanging chain to put in!

  32. Rachel M says:

    Great jacket. I sometimes work in Birmingham and had ignored the Silk shop thinking it was all silk! Of course the rag market is my main aim when Brum. I live near Warwick are there any sewing groups near me. Having a pile of material left from making clothes and it would be great to swaps etc. R

    1. almondrock says:

      Thanks for commenting! The silk store is pretty much all silk upstairs but downstairs is full of other treats. I definitely recommend it. Have you tried Barry’s also? Big warehouse of fabric deliciousness 5 mins walk from the rag market. I’m not 100% sure about sewing groups in Warwick but you should get in touch with Roisin who lives in Leamington Spa for a better idea. She blogs here http://dollyclackett.blogspot.com. Would be great to meet you at a future meet up!

  33. Hey doll,

    This jacket is so, so lovely and soooo close to the original. Good work lady and I can’t wait to see that ballgown!

    1. almondrock says:

      Thank you lovely! Ballgown is creeping along. Hopefully I’ll make my deadline!

  34. […] 1. The Anise jacket […]

  35. […] making my Anise I sort of laughably said I’d never make another coat or jacket. Well that didn’t last […]

  36. […] overwhelmed. I in fact made my first version when I was very much an adventurous beginner, in 2013! I copied my favourite blue coat and was pretty chuffed with the results… see my fabulously grainy photo below if you […]

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