Minoru!

It's a wonder this hasn't been on BBC news, but I have finished, and worn (yes, the weather was spring-like on Saturday, but only Saturday, mind!),  my first Sewaholic Minoru jacket. It's in dark green 100% linen which I bought from Stone Fabrics after getting quite a few swatches. I seriously like the fabrics in that shop and will definitely be buying from them again. The free swatch service is great and although you can't order online, ordering by phone is easy-peasy. The fabric arrived very quickly.

I obviously pre-washed the linen and steam pressed it. The outer fabric was ready, but what about the lining? I did think about lining it in silk but ended up buying from John Lewis what was left on the bolt of the viscose I used to make this top. And again pre-washed it before cutting out. It is a perfect match for the linen, I think. Here's a flash of the lining, ha ha!

I made a muslin to check the fit and trial some adjustments. I did a 2" FBA as this pattern is drafted for pear shaped folk and I am not. Actually I'm not sure I needed to bother because this is very roomy. I also decided to continue the gathers at the neck along to the front centre bands. It just looked odd on the muslin to have then stopping before this.

I also added welt pockets. Got to have somewhere to put my phone and hands!

Didn't add the inside pockets. I also reduced the height of the collar by 1", it would just get covered in make-up otherwise.

I didn't add the sleeve cuffs. I have really long arms, matches my tendency towards 'long', and these sleeves were so long I just hemmed and topstitched. That's seriously long sleeves, people! Here's a photo of the sleeve hem treatment:

I didn't add anything to the length of the jacket body either but for some reason the front bands were too short in the muslin, I don't know why! So in the linen I just cut them as long as I could make them. The zip is the stated length on the pattern, a 30" open ended one. Getting the right zip was sooo difficult! It looks terrible in this photo but in real life the colour matches the textured weave bits on the linen and looks fine.


The green is so difficult to photograph and looks different in every photo! The top photo is probably the most real-life!

I love how the linen behaves with the elastic in the back. It seems to form softer gathers.

So, time for the round-up. I suspect this jacket will be a bit 'Marmite' for people, you'll either love it or hate it. I didn't press the jacket when it was finished, just wore it so that must be a good sign. Don't think I'll bother either as that's part of the charm of linen.

I also think the dark green makes me look like I'm off to a World War 1 re-enactment!


Here is the jacket out on its maiden voyage on Saturday, near St Andrew Square in Edinburgh, just to prove there was some sunshine about! I'm also looking slightly stunned as two Young People complemented me on my jacket in the morning. Just about fell over. Twice. And was almost speechless!
Right, now that I've lured you in by lots of colour photos and witty chat (hopefully!), it's now Confession time. I added interfacing to the collar and front bands. The pattern says just the front bands but the collar didn't stand up enough as I wanted it to. So, with interfacing the collar didn't sit right when it was unzipped. Can't win! So I ripped off the upper layer of the interfacing and enough stayed behind to stand up right. Result! It was just right.

But the biggest confession is that I got too carried away trimming my hem and cut away too much. Had to put a patch on either side:

*sigh*

Until the next time...which could be the big feathers skirt. You're warned but it still won't prepare you for what's to come!