Sequined jacket
The fabric! I won this fabric in the raffle at SewBrum in either 2016 or 2017! It’s not like me to sit on fabric for up to 3 1/2 years. Mostly I have washed and cut it out within days of purchasing. But this fabric is very fine and has sequins. I don’t think I have ever sewn with sequined fabric before, and the manipulation that entails.
Amongst other things, I needed to find the right pattern, which is back-to-front to my usual pattern lead approach. I don’t really know how long I’ve had the pattern, but it came free with Sew magazine at some point. I stopped buying Sew for quite a long time, so it was probably late 2019. The pattern is New Look 6438.
I’m guessing that the fabric was sari fabric; never intended to be cut up for sewing, and it frays a lot. Obviously I had to carefully remove any sequins that would be sewn over before starting. But now I have time to do things like that! The fraying was clearly going to be a big deal, so I decided that I needed to limit the fabric handling as much as possible.
Yet again I have avoided using French seams, although there is quite a bit of structure in the fabric which might have made French seams ‘clunky’. So to facilitate limited handling, I took the front, back and sleeve sections only, and overlocked them together as quickly as possible. I ignored the facings, and simply used a rolled hem round the edges. The finishing is a bit untidy, but on the rare occasions that it will be worn, I don’t think anyone will notice.
Having acquired a fixed length, the belt was constructed to use up the remaining fabric. My notebook has several sums addressing the matter!
I really like the result; it is a good pattern / fabric combination, and it goes quite well with the photographed outfit. I have another similarly coloured brown skirt which should also work well. With or without the belt? Any detail located mid-stomach is never complementary on me.
I vaguely have it in mind to make another, this time with facings, and possibly no belt, from drapey summer weight fabric; something that will travel well, and serve as a cover up for outdoor evening drinks and walks talks, on these walking trips that keep being cancelled! A careful choice of fabric will be required to match a wide range of outfits.
Note: the pretty little sleeveless top that I am wearing is in fabric bought in Kathmandu several years ago. It was a roll end that I just had to have, and I have worn it so much. I think I bought the skirt fabric in Kathmandu as well, so an altogether ‘sub-continental’ outfit!
One Week, One Pattern
Me Made May 2016
Me Made May 2015
Simplicity Competition
Sew Over it Patterns
all my own work by ann 