Hubs is in the Navy. This means we move. Often. For the last three glorious years, we were stationed in Hawaii. It was wonderful!!! We were in shorts and tank tops all year. Our only interaction with snow was in a snow cone, though there it's called shave ice.
And then it was time to move. To New England. Just in time for winter!
Y'all, I'm freezing! All. The. Time!!
I cracked open my bin of winter clothes that haven't seen daylight in years, and I was so disappointed. Most of it doesn't fit, and not because any weight gained or lost. I used to buy things two to three sizes too big just to get the sleeves to hit at my wrists. But I spent the last few years getting pickier about fit. Why bother sewing if I am willing to wear garments that don't fit well?
During a recent shopping outing with Mama, I saw a super cute moto-style sweater jacket. I tried it on, but my arms were about 3 inches longer than the sleeves. You'll realize this is a common theme for me. I had been considering making a faux leather moto-jacket this fall, but I knew a sweater one would be much more versatile, not to mention the materials would be far more affordable. I had gotten the Evergreen pattern by Hey June months ago, and knew it would be a perfect pattern for what I had in mind. I found some cozy sweater fleece at the fabric store, and it was game on.
The pattern printed out nicely and everything lined up perfectly. I didn't make any changes, except to add four inches (yes, you read that right, 4!) to the sleeve length. My sweater fleece is so dense that I killed my Fiskars rotary cutter, but I eventually got it all cut and ready. The instructions were clear and concise. Right away, I was sewing zippered welt pockets. It's details like these that totally make the pattern exciting for me!
Eventually, I got to sew in the asymmetrical zipper that makes this jacket truly moto- styled. I even got to play with pliers (once I found them, that is) to remove some of the metal teeth from my zipper. The pattern includes notches that tell you exactly where to start your zipper so that everything will line up perfectly at the end.
I did have a few hiccups, but they were all my fault. I sewed a piece on backwards and had to cut it off and recut the piece from my remaining fabric. Then I ran out of thread while topstitching my collar. But the quilt shop down the hill had what I needed. With dinner in the crockpot and the kids playing with friends, I got back to work.
Once I got this far, it was a matter of attaching the sleeves and closing up that bottom band. It was a late night sewing, and I was completely exhausted the next day, but I wasn't cold!
I finished this beauty two days ago, and have worn it every day since. It's tremendously warm and cozy. And best yet, it fits. My thin blooded arms aren't exposed to the wind and cold temps that send me hurrying toward heated shelter. In fact, I got a little toasty during today's outing to the apple orchard.
This was not a fast sew. It took me several days to work on, but it was absolutely worth the time and effort. I've dubbed this a Mary Poppins pattern - practically perfect in every way! I want to live in it, and expect I will!
Thanks for stopping by! Y'all have a great day!
