Wendy Ward Zipped Jacket

I’ve had my eye on this pattern for a while, and only just got round to making it. Despite measuring, and cutting size 3, I was quite concerned that I had cut it too small, but it’s OK. I think the lesson is not to try it on over large jumpers that you will never wear with it!

It’s very easy, so I decided to complicate it! I have lined it, instead of using bias binding to finish the insides. It’s not difficult to do, and I am sure that other people have done it, but I have not seen a lined version before.

So here is what a lined version looks like. I also lengthened it by 5cm, as it was rather too cropped for my liking. This might be where my concern about the sizing started, because I realised after I had cut it out that maybe I needed to add a bit more shaping to the bottom to cope with the start of my hips. I have got away with it, but any further lengthening (and there is scope to lengthen it further) would need consideration for added width.

There’s nothing much to say about the construction, other than that the left zip is no where near the pattern markings, but fits great thanks to using my dress form to get the placement right, and I left a gap in the lining seam to pull it through, and then finished the seam by hand.

The exciting part is the source of the fabric! Its very rare that you get a picture of the fabric being purchased, but I have one here! It is lovely gabardine, bought on Hanoi market, Vietnam, for about £6 per metre. In a rare appearance in my own blog, here I am doing the deal.

My intention was to use it for the Ultimate Trousers, but that is another story. I need to get the fit right first. But I still have enough left. I won’t be wearing the two garments together. That would look far too ‘Star Trekky’.

The lining is cotton poplin from Barry’s, and although I had purchased a 16″ open ended zip as per the instructions, having lengthened it by 2″, I decide that I needed an 18″ zip instead, and its quicker to send for one from Minerva Crafts than to go back into Birmingham and find that the stores / market stalls haven’t got what you are looking for!

So there you have it. A rather neat and slightly trendy jacket. Do I need more jackets? No. Will I use the pattern again – probably. Its so easy.

Will there ever be more pictures of me buying fabric? Probably not! Thanks to John for that.