November BurdaStyle challenge; catching up

This is the longest gap I've had in blogging, sorry to my regular readers.  As I said in my last blog I was made redundant and this has thrown me a bit.  I have been sewing a bit, though not as much as you might imagine and I just didn't get round to blogging.  Anyway finally I'm back.  I've had a couple of months of not working and thinking about life and what I want to do with it.  I'm feeling pretty positive and have been lucky enough to get some really interesting work at another college and my ideal 3 days a week, which starts tomorrow.

On the sewing front I've been on a jacket binge and I have 4 to tell you about!  I'm starting with what was my November 2018   BurdaStyle 2018 challenge. .  I ummed and ahhed whether to make this one.  I had had almost an exact match for the fabric in my stash for at least two years, and that was the decider.  The photos aren't great I'm afraid, sorry.

There are a lot of cute features, jacket tabs and a half belt at the back, plus I decided to add a little fur from my stash to the hood, and cut the inside hood facing in fur. I took about an inch from the width of the hood, but it is still a little big.

I had a problem with the collar, which is supposed to be able to button up, and mine just didn't meet.  Not sure what I did wrong here, but as I would never want something buttoned round my neck so high it will do.   I was pretty pleased with the finished jacket and mostly because I feel that if I can make a jacket like this from a Burda magazine, I could make any of their patterns.  Considering where I was at the beginning of the year, not even sure about tracing the simplest pattern I feel I've learnt a lot this year.  This is definitely not a pattern for the beginner.

I cut a size 36 which is 1 1/2" less than my actual bust size, but even so it was on the big side and I took a little width from the sides.  Is it just me or do BurdaStyle patterns come up rather big.  Although it is a cute jacket the wool fabric is really itchy on the facing and I know I wouldn't wear it, so this one has gone to Gemma.  Hopefully I'm back on track now, I have lots of ideas for 2019.

Burda 6901, a cashmere jacket

After 3 easy makes last week, this is a rather more complicated one.

This is Burda 6901, " Peplum jackets gently envelope the hips and emphasize the waist".  I loved the version made by Julie Starr.  I made a muslin and only made  minimal changes, reducing the shoulder and adding a sliver to the front side piece and about 1mm to the front edge, which I'm not sure was needed.  The main difference I made was to redraft the neckline, because I didn't want a high neck, I just wanted a simple collarless version.  This was partially successful, but there is a little gape on the left hand side, and I ended up with a bit of a point rather than a gentle curve.  I'm about to make another version and this time I want a shawl collar, so I will be having a go at drafting that.

 
I cut a size 14, and I think the fit is pretty good and it can be worn with different shaped skirts, though I think a pencil skirt would probably be the best shape.

The sleeve is well drafted and despite the fabric being thick the insertion went well.  I also liked that the sleeve is a two piece sleeve, where I think you get a better fit.

It looks OK unbuttoned.  I definitely made life difficult  by picking a fabric which is probably too thick and more suited to a coat.  It is fabulous though; a camel wool coating with 5% cashmere from Croft Mill, not cheap at £26.75 a metre but the quality is gorgeous and 2 metres made a jacket with enough left for a skirt.

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I love the lining, which is a gorgeous paisley also from Croft Mill and great value at £5 a metre (I bought 2 colours).

  
Adding 1 mm to the front edge ended up making a few problems as I didn't add any to the inner edge of the facing and so the lining was too stretched.  I had to put in an extra piece which you can see below.

The photo below shows how crucial the pleat in a lining is as you can see how it has opened up for comfort.

Th

 

To give a better shoulder shape, rather than using a shoulder pad I used a cigarette, with a softer fabric, this fills the shoulder but with a softer line.  I used a piece of fabric 9" x 6", rolled them and stitched closed.

You then fit these to the shoulders, so they slightly hang over.

 

 
The jacket has 2 bound buttonholes (quite difficult because of the thickness).

I've had a bit of an obsession recently with top-stitching and thick fabric definitely needs it.  I top-stitched all the seams except for the sleeves. 



I almost love this jacket, but not quite!  I do love the pattern, Burda patterns have such style.  The instructions weren't too bad, though I still would recommend this for beginners.  This is only the second of my SWAP makes, and it isn't looking likely that I will complete.  I keep picking difficult makes and also getting distracted by other makes which don't fit!  Never mind, it's more important I am enjoying myself.  I have almost finished a dress in two days to wear with this.