If you’ve read my blog, you might remember past attempts I’ve made at pattern drafting. This time, my oldest wanted a new blazer for Easter but the stores did not have his size. Being the silly mom that I am, I volunteered to make him one. After all, I’ve been dying to try a new book Slobo bought me:

Dorothy Moore’s Pattern Drafting and Dressmaking

First, I made the foundation top from his measurements, then drafted the overcoat pattern.

Here’s my cowboy complete with his herd dog Sylvester Squiggle Stitches

Materials:

• The fabric is a khaki (kind of) twill found at Walmart for 1.00/yd.
• I already had some cream sunline lining. Cost would have been abt. 4.00/yd.
• The buttons were the most expensive part. 2.50/pack of two for the larger buttons, 1.75/pack of three for the smaller buttons at Hobby Lobby. The pkg said genuine 24k gold, yet they have the weight of a plastic button and look a bit tarnished. Things you couldn’t really tell in their blister card packaging. Still, he wanted them because they are gold eagles and reminded him of his heroes, our soldiers.
• I used some crinoline (for lack of anything better on hand) as an interlining. The interfacing was pellon med. wt.which I used in the jacket from the shoulder, extended to the underarm and curving toward the front facing. There are shoulder pads along with sleeve headers of fuzzy white felt (leftover from Christmas stocking making).

Jacket Details:

• Fully lined with a cream lining.
• There is a ‘kick pleat’ (I know that’s a skirt term… what is it called on a man’s jacket?) in the center back. That was a new trick for me since the lining had to go around it.
• There are double welted pockets with flaps on the lower front
• Single welt pocket at the top
• Inside double welt pocket on the left. (That inside welt was supposed to go on the right, but alas, I got my left and right’s mixed up)

Searching for pictures of my last attempt at a jacket, I was suprised to find it was two years ago almost to the month. My mother needed a new suit to attend my brother’s graduation. Here it is two years later, the same brother is graduating with his Masters next month, and I’m making another jacket. Hmmm… Maybe my muse is graduation ceremonies.

The pros - it was fun to try drafting again. I’m anxious to try it again and since my 6 yr. old has requested a blazer like his brothers, I’ll get my chance again soon!

The cons - I had to take the jacket apart after having sewn TWO no less rows of stitching on all the lines, because I kept putting the sleeves in backwards - I’ve learned I need to really mark those fabrics - especially the ones that look the same on both sides - better!

I also realized why the sleeves were coming out so huge on previous attempts - Silly - I only needed to measure for “HALF” a sleeve when doing a two piece. lol.

My last problem to deal with is why the back came out so large. I suspect the book’s overcoat drafting instructions included a much larger easement than a child can use for a jacket - not to mention - that it was for an “OVERCOAT”! One day I’ll learn to take it a little slower and be more mindful of the “key” terms. lol.

Pattern Drafting is really fun - and I’m anxious to do it all over again! Hopefully with fewer mistakes this time.

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