Sometime ago a friend gave me this pattern: Vogue 1129, which is described as an unlined fitted jacket, with pockets, drape, two-piece sleeves and topstitch trim, above mid knee length.
I have looked at this pattern so many times as I love it, and with the Sew Together For Summer challenge having a jacket theme, I thought I would finally make it.
Then I had to find fabric. I had several candidates but they were either too small or not suitable. I needed more than 2.7m and I finally found this fine piece of wool bought at Knitwit so long ago, but it was only 2m. I thought: “close enough”!
This pattern is mostly cut on a single layer of fabric which meant I had the excess rolled up out of the way. I pinned on the pattern and then rolled it up, but it would move in the rolling. It took more than a day to cut out the jacket! The drape/scarf thing is cut on the bias, so that used most of the fabric and I had to fit everything in around it.
I was terrified I was going to forget a piece, or forget to reverse a piece, but I managed to cut it out correctly, albeit with some pieceing. This fabric is very forgiving and the piecing is quite well hidden. I tend to use a ligher bobbin thread for this sort of fabric as it can be impossible to unpick, and it was handy to show the piecing.
Once I had finished the basic jacket, I matched the bobbin thread for the topstitching, but managed to put a hole in the shoulder during some unpicking activities, which did emphasise the wisdom of the lighter thread.
This pattern uses a large number of tailors tacks and thread tracing and I knew, with dread in my heart, that I would be pulling out threads for a long time. And so it has proven.
In spite of sitting down with the jacket and searching every inch, I found this during my first wear.
I found more white tacks later on, then I found red thread during my third wear, whilst I was sitting in a coffee shop. It will never end!
The jacket is secured at the waist with two large press studs and the drape has a hook and eye on the shoulder. Here it is, as it should be worn.
But then I began to play!
I began moving the drape around to see the effects. Pulled up a bit tighter, and then like a scarf. The second photo shows how it is joined to the jacket.
I wondered how the drape would be wrapped around my body. I can’t say I love it, but it is warm and maybe it would look better if I didn’t have three jumpers on under it!
This is how the back view looks when it’s wrapped. I took this on a two jumper day, decided the hem needed another press, and clearly hadn’t brushed my hair! Even worse, I had just got home from visiting with a friend!
And yes, I spotted a thread on my left hip…
With the drape flung insouciantly over my shoulder, and another thread in evidence, although I don’t think it was attached.
Another back view with the drape done differently, and showing how the recent rains have exploded the weeds in my garden!
I looked after my granddaughters today and Miss G did some sewing/stitching, whilst Miss E got into mischief with all the sharp things in my sofa sewing station, which I took with me. Miss G was making Pigleta, from the class by Trudi Symonds at Sew A Softie, at Making Zen, May, 2026. I punched holes in the felt for the blunt needle to go through, and she sewed it, although I sewed the blue wings on. I thought the punched holes were a great idea and had them all lined up, until a certain person removed the pins!
Please note that her manicure is much better than mine!