A First for Fall

I know it’s been a while, guys. But finally – FINALLY! – my first jacket is finished! This was a long and tedious project (hence the hiatus), but in the end it was well worth it.

Here’s my Simplicity 2443 jacket

I used a brown cotton bottomweight from JoAnn, which was perfect for a light, unlined jacket.

I cut out a 14 for my broad shoulders, graded to a 12 at the waist. Even after cutting this out, I still ended up taking it in ½ inch at each side and the back seam to get a better fit – I prefer my jackets to have some shape. I used bias tape to finish most of the inside seams for a cleaner interior plus a pop of color.

This project took so long because it has a lot of details – the pockets, buttons and tabs, sleeve plackets and D-ring loops. And I was determined not to let my impatience to finish get the best of me. I forced myself to go slowly, and be willing to unpick seams – I was almost finished when I realized I wanted to take it in. So I had to unstitch the bottom band, take in the sides and back, and then sew it all together again.

The instructions were super easy to follow. I didn’t even read through all of them, just used the pictures mostly. I didn’t add the ribbons or the random tabs in between the front pockets – I didn’t care for how they looked. Instead, I got these sweet wooden buttons, also from JoAnn. The only thing I would do different next time is lengthen the torso and sleeves just a tad.

I love this jacket, and I’m so proud of how it turned out! Plus it has a ton of pockets — when I wore this to work today I put something in each pocket just cause I could. And it’s finished just in time for some cooler weather. Hello fall!

Next on the fall wardrobe list: Simplicity 1877. Stay tuned for the finished product!