Teal Jacket

This is my new favourite garment and a very silly "look here I am taking a picture of myself in a mirror" pose. It is made of boiled wool blend. I literally took it from the sewing machine and put it on and we have not been separated but for a day of cleaning. What no whole days of cleaning at yours? Not that I am cleaning like that all the time, but when I am in my creative frenzy the cleaning tends to slip from my mind and we go two, maybe three weeks without cleaning. And then I suddenly notice the dust bunnies, grime in the bathroom, bits on the living room rug. This time of the year elfing business is at its busiest.
We have had lots of snow, so some time has been merrily used in three-way snowball fights, sledging and building snowman.

Anyway, I started off with an Ottobre pattern from 5/2008 magazine. In the end I had adjusted rather a many details and after listing them to Elf husband he said: so you re-designed it. The jacket is unlined and works as a cardigan, but I foresee it being used as a spring jacket too.

First the changes you would not be able to see; I added a layer of fabric to the front opening and collar area to give it a bit more structure and made the armhole considerably roomier. This is my gripe with Ottobre patterns. We seem to have very different ideas of what constitutes an armhole. I got caught in this again and despite making the armhole up to next size, it was not enough, so ended up adding extra ovals under the arms, where they hopefully cannot be seen. I should have made a muslin, I know.

I also changed the front pleats from being scrunched up style to little individual pleats and that pleases me to no end.. The sunshine(!?) during the photo session washed the colours out rather well, so this detail looks almost black and white.

I used the pocket pattern as it was, but did not add the velvet band on the stitching on the pockets. I like them as they are and used a double top stitching instead.

Sleeves were extended to full length and added a cuff. The pattern had 3/4 sleeves, but I find them cold in the winter and I especially loathe them in jackets used outside. I find it is too much of faff to match my indoor clothing, which would be peeping from the sleeve with the jacket.

In the end I also went with two buttons instead of three, just because it looked nicer in my eyes and allows the jacket open to a slight a-shape, which I like.

So here is another shot of the whole jacket, the true colour is the colour of the sleeve and the cuff picture. All the others are despite photoshopping washed out in colours in various degrees.