Tag: Outerwear

Stashbusting Outerwear

Now that summer is officially over and the kids are all back to school, it’s time to bust that stash!

For a couple of years, I’ve been participating in the Stashbusting Sew along. It’s a very casual sew along, where the goal is to use up the fabric (and patterns and sewing notions) that you already have. There are themes each month and people are encouraged to participate when they can – which is exactly the type of easy going sew along I like best.

Brindille & Twig slouchy beanie.
Brindille & Twig slouchy beanie.

This year, there are guest leaders, and this month it’s me! My theme is outerwear, and seasonal change- both of which are perfect for september sewing.

In my sewing room, the one fabric that keeps piling up is fabric for outerwear – but often it’s “reserved” for big, complicated projects that I never seem to get around to. So my goal this month is to complete some outerwear projects.

Arctic Trapper Hat sewing pattern from See Kate Sew, made by The Finished Garment.
Arctic Trapper Hat sewing pattern from See Kate Sew.

But I also wanted to share some cool links for outerwear projects to help get people in the mood. I decided to feature some independent patterns that you might not have spotted before, and to choose ones that are especially quick to make. Hope you see something that inspires you!

The Spring Showers Jacket sewing pattern by Elegance & Elephants, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
The Spring Showers Jacket sewing pattern by Elegance & Elephants.

Outerwear Sewing Patterns for Kids

Hats
slouch beanie by Brindille & Twig
Little Cap by by Leila & Ben
Huck Finn Cap by Sew Liberated
Balaclava by Make it & Love It (free)
Arctic Trapper Hat by See Kate Sew.

Shoes
Toms-Inspired Baby And Toddler Shoes by Homemade Toast (free version available)

Coats, Jackets and Capes
Agatha Coat by papillon & mandarine
Urban Weekender Coat by Heidi & Finn
The Cape by Vanessa Pouzet
Lars Jacket by Zonen 09
Black Pearl Coat by papillon & mandarine
Quilted Baby Coat by BurdaStyle
Dinosaur Hoodie Tutorial by The Sewing Rabbit

Outerwear Sewing Patterns For Men

Mister Comet Hoodie by DaWanda
Honey Crisp Conductive Mittens by Seamster

Outerwear Sewing Patterns For Women

Hats
Slouchy Beanie by Imagine Gnats

Jackets
Jett Biker Jacket by StyleArc
Zinnia Jacket by Blank Slate Patterns
909 Jacket by Shwin Designs
Bernadette Quilted Jacket by République Du Chiffon
Jacket Vest by i love sewing (free)
Manufacture Top by aime comme Marie

Coats
Sophia Coat by Tamanegi-kobo
Eagle Jacket by Vanessa Pouzet
Frakke Coat by Stoff & Stil
Eve Coat by Schnittchen

Some Vintage Inspiration from my mother’s sewing pattern stash.

Simplicity 5928
Vintage pattern from my mother.
Vogue 9308
Vintage pattern from my mother.

And maybe this year, I’ll finally make myself a cape…

Simplicity 7866
Vintage pattern from my mother.

Spring Showers

Well, it’s not quite spring here, but mother nature is working on it. So this pattern came along just in time.  It’s the Spring Showers Jacket by Elegance & Elephants (yay! Canadian content!) and I was lucky enough to be a pattern tester.

The Spring Showers Jacket sewing pattern by Elegance & Elephants, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
The jacket is a big hit and fits well with room for layers underneath. And yes, this is what April looks like in Montreal.

It’s a lined, zip-front, hooded jacket. You can make a version with a cinched waist, but I like this version better.

The Spring Showers Jacket sewing pattern by Elegance & Elephants, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
I’m pretty happy with the results.
The Spring Showers Jacket sewing pattern by Elegance & Elephants, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
I used bright turquoise quilting cotton for the lining.
The Spring Showers Jacket sewing pattern by Elegance & Elephants, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
Requisite action shot.

I was going to make a waterproof/water-resistant version, but the one day I could get to the fabric store…. snow storm! So I shopped my stash instead. I used a (hard to photograph) navy, 100 per cent cotton twill for the outer fabric and quilting cotton for the inner fabric. I thought about using lining fabric on the sleeves, to make them easier to slide on and off. Montreal may be Hoth in the winter, but it’s Tatooine in the summer. Cotton breathes better, so this will be a better summer jacket this way.

The Spring Showers Jacket sewing pattern by Elegance & Elephants, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
I did all the top stitching in turquoise to make it a bit more fun. And I used the biggest zipper I could find – easier for little hands.
The Spring Showers Jacket sewing pattern by Elegance & Elephants, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
The sleeves ended up a bit long, but I kind of like the folded over look.
The Spring Showers Jacket sewing pattern by Elegance & Elephants, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
A better look at the cuff.

I made the size 4/5 for Kid No 2. Usually he wears a size 5, and the fit of the jacket was just right. Room to move and grow and layer over whatever he’s wearing.

The Spring Showers Jacket sewing pattern by Elegance & Elephants, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
And photo session over!

The pattern is really cute and practical, and I’ve already had a couple requests for more from Kid No 1 and Kid No 3.

The Spring Showers Jacket sewing pattern by Elegance & Elephants, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
Little sister decided to try on the jacket when no one was looking.

Summary

Pattern Review: Spring Showers Jacket by Elegance & Elephants.

Fabric: Navy twill (100% cotton) for the outer fabric and Ziggy in Aqua from Timeless Treasures for the lining.

Size: 4/5.

Sewing Level: Average.

Modifications: None.

Results: Great. I hope to make this again. Next time I’d like to add snaps to the pockets and a zipper flap to the outside.

Disclaimer: The pattern was generously provided by Elegance & Elephants, in return for testing the pattern. As always, my opinions are my own.