Sewaholic 1205: Cordova Jacket.

After finishing my bodice block the other day I wanted to try using it on a pattern and seeing as this was a shoulder princess seam jacket pattern I figured it was a good one to try.

I find using the pants block quite easy, just line up the crotch line and grainlines and then trace, but there is so much more to using the bodice block. The back was quite easy to do but the front gave me fits! Because my side front was so different to the pattern piece I wasn't quite sure where to line up and trace from but I ended up lining the underarm seam and making sure the grainlines were parallel. Then I walked the seams to check and used a nice wide fitting allowance on the side seams.

It worked quite well, this is the fit with no muslin and no paper pin fitting just cutting straight into fabric and sewing (I do check fit as I sew though). I suppose after using it a few times it will become a lot easier and intuitive and eventually it will be fantastic to actually draft my own patterns (and if nothing else its been great for a dressform cover!)

So about the jacket; Size was a 16 with a FBA.

 The pattern comes with a one piece sleeve with a pleated sleeve cap but I used a 2 piece sleeve from McCalls 5936.
I used a polar fleece fabric and left it unlined. The insides are serged with bias binding at the hem and neckline.

I haven't sewn with polar fleece much and it stretches out a lot more than I thought. I ended up taking it in by an inch on each side before these pics and I reckon I could take it in more again, but at least its out of my stash and its a nicer version of a basic hoodie!