Sewing Project: B&W Jacket

So, here's the long promised jacket post. I used Simplicity pattern 2452 for this jacket, which is unfortunately out of print, but can still be found and bought here. It is a Threads Magazine pattern, and includes three different jacket options and a straight skirt. I chose to make the view A jacket, which has a stand collar, princess seams, and bracelet length sleeves. The jackets are all unlined, but the pattern suggests using bias tape to cover the seam edges.

Needed supplies. Not pictured are the pattern and black thread.

I rummaged through my fabric and trim stash to find a lightweight black twill fabric and white buttons. (Woohoo for not having to buy anything!) The black fabric was going to be used for a different jacket that never got made and the buttons were actually going to be used for this jacket, but with a different fabric. I also had double fold bias tape in both black and white. The white thread was used for topstitching, because I love it and felt it would look great on this jacket.

Unlike the pattern, I didn't use shoulder pads for my jacket. I thought it would be odd to have shoulder pads in a twill jacket. To compensate for the lack of shoulder pads, I slightly modified the pattern. I did this once the jacket base was sewn, and fitted the final fabric on myself. For me, I really just had to take in the sleeve allowance on the front and back pieces, which I would have had to do anyway since I have narrow shoulders.

Also unlike the pattern, I only used three packages of double fold bias tape rather than the four they suggested. If I remember correctly (it's been a few months since I made this!), I didn't even use all of the three packages of bias tape.

Jacket front, buttoned.

This jacket was simple to sew, and didn't take much time to sew. It did take time to do the topstitching and bias tape, though. It has become one of my favorite jackets, and I have worn it so much since finishing it. It gives a polished look to any outfit, and was also on trend for this fall. (I haven't really been keeping up with the fashion trends lately, but was super excited to see that black and white clothing was a major trend). For the buttonholes, I actually sewed them using black thread rather than white, so they wouldn't compete with the buttons.

Jacket back.

My favorite part of the jacket is the seaming in the back. The center bottom piece gives a slight peplum effect, which is very flattering. I also love how the topstitching really highlights the seaming on the jacket back. It is hard to tell from these pictures, but I did topstitching on the side seams as well.

Jacket inside with bias tape.

My second favorite thing about this jacket is the inside where I mostly used white bias tape. It is a nice contrast and hidden detail, and makes me happy for some strange reason. I only used black bias tape on the side seams and armhole seams.

I'm currently decorating for the holidays, and will be working on a few related projects. I do not have a Spoonflower contest entry this week, but will be posting more sewing projects, and maybe some holiday related ones.

Fabric Recap: Creepy Crawlies to Flights of Fancy

I've been working on some new fabric designs lately, with some recent contest entries. I'm working on some more new fabric designs, and some sewing projects that need to be finished and photographed. I'll do a fabric recap in this post, and will post a sewing project this weekend. Onto the fabric designs!


My entry for the "Creepy Crawlies" Spoonflower Fabric of the Week Contest was "Scrollwork Creepy Crawlies Iron":

Scrollwork Creepy Crawlies Iron, fat quarter 21"x18" view shown. Click image to see repeat in yardage.

Scrollwork Creepy Crawlies Iron placed 31st out of 224 entries. Both it and the Leather (brown) colorways are available for sale.

My next entry was also a new kit. For the "2013 Tea Towel Calendar" contest, I entered "Geometric Citrus 2013 Calendar":

Geometric Citrus 2013 Calendar, fat quarter 21"x18" view shown. Click to see its fabric page.

This was my first calendar design. I wanted something bright, fun, and modern. I also wanted to keep it geometric and not cutesy. Geometric Citrus 2013 Calendar placed 177th out of 186 entries. Eh.

I created several different arrow themed designs for the "Arrows" Fabric of the Week Contest before settling on my entry. "Bias Arrows" was my entry for that contest:

Bias Arrows, fat quarter 21"x18" view shown. Click image to see repeat in yardage.

This design got me started on a bit of a diagonal design kick. These arrows are rotated on the true bias, and the arrow head colors form a zigzag pattern. I think this design would be great to use both on the straight grain and bias. "Bias Arrows" placed 149th out of 221 entries.

The other arrow designs I created are "Geo Arrows" and "Arrow Grid", both shown below. I may do some variations on these designs, and upload them later.

Geo Arrows, fat quarter 21"x18" view shown. Click image to see repeat in yardage.

Arrow Grid, fat quarter 21"x18" view shown. Click image to see repeat in yardage.

For the "Flights of Fancy" Fabric of the Week Contest, I went with a whimsical (ahem, whimsicle) entry that was a bit odd. The contest called for fabrics with a bird or flight theme. I chose to go with a flight theme for a few designs. I couldn't get my first idea for the contest to look right, so I went with my second idea. My entry was "Peculiar Fancy Flights":

Peculiar Fancy Flights, fat quarter 21"x18" view shown. Click image to see repeat in yardage.

Various accessories have taken flight to the next party in unconventional methods. A top hat air balloon, mask with pretty wings, blimp carrying a monocle, and wings attached to a handbag float and fly against a sky background. This contest required a limited palette of the colors shown. "Peculiar Fancy Flights" placed 216th out of 323 entries.

I also created a brown colorway of this design, shown below:

Peculiar Steamy Fancy Flights, fat quarter 21"x18" view shown. Click image to see repeat in yardage.

I really like how this colorway looks. It fits perfectly with the accessories and modes of transport.

I have another contest entry ready to go, but will wait to post it until the contest. I am working on several coordinating prints for it too. I will work on a sewing post for this weekend. Maybe I'll be able to catch up before decorating for the holidays. And yes, there will be posts for the decorations too. Hmm, I need to get out my Cookie Advent Calendar.

Squiggle Stripe Design

I meant to write more blog posts for recent designs and projects, but was so busy with life (moving and work) that I forgot. Oops. This post will be on my current Spoonflower entry, and the next post will be a catch up of new designs. I plan on finally photographing a few sewing projects this week and will have posts for at least one later this week.

The current Spoonflower Fabric of the Week contest is something right up my alley. Spoonflower partnered with The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University to hold a limited palette contest for fabric designs that would fit in a Matisse painting. The contest theme is for an upcoming exhibit at The Nasher Museum, and the Top Ten designs will be featured at an event there.

Matisse happens to be one of my favorite artists, so this contest was a must for me. I like both his earlier paintings with the bold use of color and design and his later paper cutouts that still have the bold designs. I drew inspiration from both his early and later works for my entry, Squiggle Stripe:

Squiggle Stripe, fat quarter 21"x18" view shown. Click image to see repeat in yardage.

I've been on a bit of a diagonal kick lately, which is good considering there are diagonal elements in several Matisse works. Creating shapes and lines that weren't perfect was a bit hard for me, but was also fun. Getting the repeat right was much easier after messing with several other diagonal repeats, even if this one wasn't a typical diagonal.

While the contest brief led to the impression of the designs working well for home decor purposes, I think my design would also be great for a summer outfit. I am imagining a full skirt or even a dress made from this fabric. A fashion scarf would also look great with this fabric.

You can vote for your favorite entries for the Matisse/Nasher contest at Spoonflower here. The contest ends Wednesday. There are lots of fantastic entries in a wide variety of styles, so be sure to check out the contest.

*Up next: a catch up post with new designs and recent contest entries.*