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:
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 won 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!!
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.
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).
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!
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…
Because I’ve seen it on many rtw jackets, 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.
So there you go! My jacket is done and I can get back to some less stressful sewing!
73 Comments
Jenni
Awesome jacket, can’t see anything wrong with the collar!
almondrock
Thanks! I’m probably just imagining it. I’ve been staring at this jacket for too long :-p
Wendy
It’s beautiful! And I totally agree about the hanging loop, but you can get little leather ones to sew on after.
almondrock
Thanks Wendy! I’m going to have to do something as I can’t keep using a hanger every day!
Handmade Jane
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
almondrock
Thanks Jane! Ooh yes, chain sounds like the most secure option
Lynne
Holy smoke!! This is fab-u-lous!! Happy wearing 🙂
almondrock
Thank you. I’ll probably wear it to shreds in no time and have to start again!
Tabatha Tweedie
It’s gorgeous! Well done!
almondrock
Aww thank you!
sewlittletime
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!
almondrock
Heehee thank you! Yours was a great inspiration to me. I might use bound buttonholes on future coats so best to learn how.
Fabric8 (@Fabric8Online)
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:)
almondrock
My thumbs agree with you 🙂
Hanne
I love your jacket! Awesome colour! Great job remaking the other one!
almondrock
Thanks, I’m really pleased with it!
Amanda
Wowser! This must have been a labour of love but it is so worth it! The colour is spectacular!
almondrock
YES! It took years off my life, but it is rad so I forgive it
Kirsty
Great job! Such a great colour.
almondrock
Thank you!
Ching
So pretty!! And you are adorable!
almondrock
Awww thank you very much!
nicoleneedles
Gorgeous! And well done for getting a head start on your winter wardrobe!
almondrock
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
gingermakes
AHHHHHH! This looks GREAT! Well done, lady!
almondrock
Thank you for the pattern! Excellent enabling skills 🙂
gingermakes
🙂
Helen Made
This looks amazing, well done!
almondrock
Thanks very much!
smittenness
Just lovely, well done on a beautiful piece. Bet it ends up lasting longer than the New Look one too!
almondrock
I really really hope so! 🙂
Vicki Kate
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.
almondrock
That is a definite possibility unless I get jacket making fever and make a new one every year (unlikely)
Marie
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
almondrock
Thanks very much! It’s easy to see the mistakes and forget to step back look and how much went well
Béa
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.
almondrock
Thank you! I think we’ll be very happy together hehe
Sabs
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!!
almondrock
Phew I know. I didn’t want it to drag on though as it was rather cold. Thanks for helping pick the fabric!!
Pootle and Make
Yay you’ve made a jacket. It looks awesome, love the colour and those buttons.
almondrock
Thanks very much!
Juliet
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!
almondrock
Aww thanks. I am rather snuggly in it 🙂
Jenny Clark
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
almondrock
Brrrr yes definitely. Thanks very much! X
Kathryn
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!
almondrock
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 🙂
almondrock
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
catherinedaze
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.
almondrock
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
jamahistory
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…..
almondrock
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!
charityshopchic
It’s gorgeous! A dead ringer for the original and really well finished. Well done.
almondrock
Thanks m’dear! I fixed my ropey button now and have a chain to sew in for hanging. Win!
Jodie (@scaredstitchles)
This looks AWESOME!
I can’t believe you made that.
Well I can. But it looks so damn professional.
Congrats you!
almondrock
Haha maybe not up close but thanks very much 🙂
sewbusylizzy
Looks awesome – such an epic project – your sewing is evolved so much – congratulations!
almondrock
Aww thanks. It’s strange and wonderful how my sewing has developed the most over the last year
sewbusylizzy
I’m often startled too how much I’ve improved and changed. Round of applause for everyone!
poppykettle
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 🙂
almondrock
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!
ooobop!
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! And totes agree, it’s way more classy than the original x
almondrock
Awww thank you. Throwing away that horrible old jacket was pretty liberating!
mammafairy
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..)
almondrock
Haha exactly. I can’t live my life like that so I’ve got a sew in hanging chain to put in!
Rachel M
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
almondrock
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!
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Miss Demeanour
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!
almondrock
Thank you lovely! Ballgown is creeping along. Hopefully I’ll make my deadline!
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