Sewing, thrifting and the like...


Monday 9 March 2015

Japanese Jacket

I have developed a slight addiction to Japanese sewing books, along with half the sewing world. They are so very very cute, and cool and totally kooky as a rule. I like kooky :)

When I saw (via my lovely/gorgeous/talented friend Ute) on @stoffbuero's Instagram account that there was a Japenese sewalong going on, I decided to hop on that train. Basically, make something from a Japanese pattern book and blog it! I asked for a few of these books from various relatives for my birthday, thanks sisters!! The hard bit was picking a pattern. There are some real random gems in these books and a lot of bagginess and frills which aren't necessarily my cup of tea, but what they do really well is structure and shape. That I love.

I eventually settled on pattern X from the Stylish Dress Book by Yoshiko Tsukiori.







I really like the shape of this top - lots of rectangles. I seem to go for that look. However, I didn't want a blouse and I didn't want it in thin material and I wanted it with a centre front opening, not just a slit. I wanted to try and emphasize the shape too! This is what I ended up with:
 

 Basically, a winter jacket!

Same shape. I love the shape, which I think is pretty true to the original photo.


 
You can see here the rectangles! The large sleeves are awesome! 


      

The fabric is pretty awesome. I actually found it for a few dollars at a car boot sale. A lady was getting rid of a whole load of random bits of fabric that had been stuck in her garage, or some such, for probably decades. There was probably a metre and a half of it, in two panels, which had been sewn together and hemmed. There was fading in some areas so I suspect it had been used as a very cool curtain at some point! It actually makes me VERY happy to breathe new life into a bit of unloved fabric. Hence my complete addiction to saving fabric from op-shops and garage sales ;) The fibre is cotton and its really quite thick...definitely curtain material!! The fact it has this divine peach and gold and cream japanese style design complete with blossoms and birds makes it even more suitable for the Japanese sew-along. Yes kitsch, but I feel that is also entirely appropriate to the Japanese style!


I lined the jacket. Canberra gets pretty cold in winter and I wanted to lift this make from a summer top to a winter jacket. I envisage wearing it layered over warm winter woolies during the day and over a slinky little number at night....who am i kidding...with five kids...my nights out are pretty rare! But I am sure it will get worn lots because it seems pretty flexible as an item of clothing.


I lined it with some cream fleece that I had in my stash. Honestly, I think it had been there for about 6years. I seem to remember trying and failing to make a baby blanket for my first nephew! Times have changed. I can bloody sew now, not fantastically, but i would be all over that blanket now! Anyway, the fleece is really warm and soft. I probably would have chosen black if i was buying it, but beggars can't be choosers. Stash fabric means a cheap make! The combination of a very close weave in the thick cotton fabric and the fleece makes this pretty toasty. Too toasty for a warm photo shoot, ahh, the things I do for my blog!

The original top wasn't lined. So I had to use my fledgling pattern making skills to draw up the lining and the facings! Pretty happy with how it turned out. Sure I could tweak it, and some of you probably think my skills are very bodgy, but it works well enough! I also added huge pockets to both insides, I need pockets in my life always!


My skill to learn this time, was yes the drafting the lining/facings but also to do some piping for the first time. I scored about 20metres of this sparkly gold piping out of the sale bin at Spotlight for a few dollars. Win. I love sparkle and the colour goes so well with the jacket. Being the first time, I sewed the piping to the jacket first using my invisible zipper foot and then sewed the lining to the jacket. The front looks pretty good, the inside not so much, but I am sure practise will help that!! And I still have a LOT of piping, so I am sure to get a lot of practise over the years, ha!


Already eyeing up quite a few other patterns from my Japanese pattern books, so i will no doubt have loads more in my future! I have a couple of other makes to blog, so see you soon!!






29 comments:

  1. You are far too hard on yourself when you call yourself bodgy. The lining, facings and pocket look so clean (from here) and with piping too? You've done an amazing job and the shape is marvellous. Hope you get some nights out this year! P.S. Totally in love with that print!

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    1. Thanks sweets. I think you are just far too nice to me ;) Nights out, hmm, possibly, not many...sad you are so far away..sure we would have FUN! xx

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  2. Wow! VERY cool! I love the whole outfit, from head to toe, including the lipstick :-) I also really like reading how you set yourself a challenge with each project - I do the same!

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    1. Thanks Gail :) Yes, slightly obsessed by orange lipstick! I can't really do bright red, its not my colour, and i am not really a pink girl, so orange it is! I have so much to learn about sewing that its good to learn new skills rather than just doing the same basic things, i have learnt heaps this way!

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  3. Fabulous Jen! I love the jacket & wouldn't have guessed that you made it from the Stylish dress Book top - you have serious vision!!
    and I love the interior pockets, definitely essential ;)

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    1. Haha! I really need to just stick to patterns and follow the instructions a bit more, it hurts my head having to think. But i just keep thinking of little changes as i go, i cant help it, but it is a curse because i dont really have the skills to carry it off yet!!
      Pockets ALWAYS! xxx thanks nic

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  4. I love everything about this jacket! And you cut your hair! Looks fantastic!

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    1. Thanks honey! Yes, cut awhile back. Usually still looks shit, but i dug out the straighteners yesterday! ;)

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  5. Great jacket. That piping is awesome.

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    1. Thanks Kirsty, love ths sparkle! Did you ever use that gorgeous sparkle you had, was it fold-over elastic from france?? I remember seeing and loving in sewvember! x

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  6. Gold sparkly piping = amazing!!! I love this fabric with it too. As always you look awesome and I see no bodginess anywhere. I'm really loving your headband too!

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    1. yay! its hard to see in the photos, but i do love it. It was okay for the first time, but need to try harder!! Headband made by tying a scrap of lace from my wedding dress round my head, ha!!!

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  7. I love and totally agree with your comment about "breathing new life into a bit of unloved fabric". Such a good feeling to make something new and beautiful out of something that has been discarded. Love your work.

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    1. yes, i know you are a fellow thrifter Kath! How are you? Are you going to the monthly sewing get togethers Amanda at bimble and pimble is organising at Downer??

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  8. Love pockets, must remember to add more to the things I sew

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  9. Lady, you are rock'n it! I love the head piece. And those pockets are AMAZING! xxx

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    1. I hate my hair, so any excuse to cover it...hats/scarves etc and i am onto it. This is just a piece of lace, from my wedding dress, that got tied on!!! :) You are the queen of hair decorations though :)

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  10. Oh wow, I adore this. You have taken such a basic top in many ways and totally re-fashioned it to a very cool jacket.So wonderful. You're inspiring xxxxx

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    1. Oh thanks darling!! You are pretty damn inspiring yourself madam...still want your beaver cullottes ;) xxxxxx smooch xxx

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  11. Thanks Monika!!! That's very lovely of you :) I want to pipe all those things now!!! :) :)

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  12. Ohhh that fabric and the piping is a perfect match for the pattern, lovely! We need to have a winter sassy ladies night (even if it is walking round to each other's houses in our fancy duds!) Rad work, chica!

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    1. haha! We wouldnt have to walk far, the others might complain about the hike here though! xx

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  13. Thanks for linking up your post in our finale! May I repeat myself, I love it (both the jacket and the post) :-)

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  14. in love with your pictures: you look like a queen!
    S.

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  15. I love your jacket. The fabric is gorgeous!

    Liebe Grüße aus Berlin.
    Mond

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  16. Very nice, I love the fabric

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  17. Fantastic work. It looks so good on you from head to toe. Greetings from Germany, Griselda K

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  18. I love this!!!!!! You did an amazing job! I want oneeeeeee.

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  19. I had a double take on this one. I sewed up my curtains and cushions out of this very same fabric in 1986 for my first house. Who would have imagined is as a garment? Don't times change :-)
    You've done well.

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Hey, would love to hear from you, comment away my fine feathered friends....x jen