Next Up: Tan Jacket

Ok, well, khaki, but it'll pass for tan.

We've had a number of months in which 'tan/beige' has been one of the choir colors and I've kind of danced around the edges of it because, really, it's not one of my more flattering colors.

But, well, having a tan jacket would certainly go a long way towards improving my choices.  And I realized this week that I had a large piece of khaki stretch sateen from which I could probably squeeze a jacket AND a pair of pants...so I decided to use it to test out a jacket pattern that's been in the 'on deck' box for about 2 years now (and, I just discovered, is listed as 'Out of Print' - boo!), McCall's 5860.  So, yesterday I pulled it out, traced it off, and made the following alterations:

1) added 1/2" to all vertical seams except center back and center front.  High bust size is 14, the largest size in the envelope, but as I've said before, I'm, um, over that size everywhere below my high bust measurement. ;-)

2) made a 3/8" square shoulder adjustment

3)Lowered the bust shaping 1 1/2 inches and added a 1/2" FBA

4) Shortened the sleeves 2"

All of those are pretty much standard adjustments for me; however, when I cut out the cuff for the jacket and checked how much circumference it had, I found that it would be a whopping 12 1/4", buttoned up.  So I whacked THREE INCHES off the cuff side seams, and then narrowed the lower edges of the sleeve (on the graded seam) to match.  Yeesh.  The sleeves on the envelope photos do not look nearly that floppy. Sigh.

Oh, I also did the Louise Cutting modification to the collar AND the collar band...trace the pattern, split it on the center back, tape the front edges together, overlapping the seams, and add a seam allowance to one of the cut  center back edges.  The other CB edge goes on a fold.  That'll eliminate a bunch of bulk at the front edge...I may even tape the facing to the jacket front to eliminate that seam as well.  

I'm debating adding side seam pockets, and I have just about convinced myself that it would be a good idea.  Small ones, you know, just to hold a kleenex, 'cause you never know when you'll need one during worship...

We have a wedding to attend today, so I don' t know if I'll actually get any fabric cutting out done.  My project for next week...if I have time. 

Standard rant:  this is a P/P Perfect Pattern, which means it does have things like the bust point marked, waistline marked, etc, BUT...those markings are only on some of the pieces.  Would it be too much to ask for the waistline and bust point level to be marked on ALL body pieces?  That would make alterations SO much easier...sigh...