Sewing Project – Vogue 8714

I really do prefer to sew with vintage patterns, but I do buy new ones on sale and when I find them at my not-so-secret shopping place.  After losing my old stand-by sweater last week, I had to scurry to make a replacement once it became obvious I was not going to find anything I liked in the stores.

This is where it pays to “collect” fabrics.  Most sewers call it their “stash” but I’m a little too 1970s to apply that word to fabrics.  At any rate, I do love shopping for fabrics, both new and vintage.  For the past five years or so my favorite not-so-secret place for finding fabrics is my local Goodwill Outlet.  The outlet is not a regular Goodwill thrift; it is where the sorters pile the rejects into big bins and sell the contents for $1.10 a pound.  It is an incredible bargain.  The Goodwill stores in my area do not sell fabrics and patterns in their stores, so sewing supplies always end up in the bins.

For my jacket I used a black wool and poly blend twill, and for the lining I used a vintage black and white mini gingham.  I wanted something light and casual that can substitute for a sweater.  Just throw it on over whatever else I’m wearing.  I like the combination, but to be honest, the outer fabric is a bit on the synthetic side, and if I were shopping today I probably would have passed on it.  But it sewed up nicely, and it looks like it will wear well.

I added a bit of colorful trim on the inside waist, just for fun.

I used only one button.  This one came from my button box.  Yes, I do collect buttons as well.

I put vents at the ends of the sleeves, and they can be turned back to show a bit more of the check.

And finally, a quick look at the supermodel and her new jacket.  I’ll be making another jacket, this time from jersey knit.  I’m still trying to find just the right pattern, but for now at least I have a jacket to warm up things a bit.

I want to add a small plug for my Instagram photos.  I find that I like this photo format very much, due to all the interaction and the fact that 95% of the photos seem to have been made by the poster.  And there is no re-posting, so the ownership of the photos is not so questionable.  I’ve been posting little previews of my blog posts, along with with lots of things that never make it here.  It’s a fun format.