Yes, I'm still
here. I was aiming
for a monthly post this year, but as summer went by, my priority
became planning a long-anticipated trip to France. Which, of course,
involved sewing something absolute essential for my travel wardrobe.
Here I am
sewing away on a skirt before my very first trip to Europe in 1985. And here you would have seen me a few months ago, once again sewing madly away.
This time I
required a lightweight jacket that could take all the scrunching up
that travel often inflicts, and that was roomy enough to go over a
warmer fleece jacket if necessary. And, of course, would look chic
enough for Paris but not out of place while, say, browsing an outdoor market in Brittany.
I happened to
have this 2009 Sandra Betzina pattern, Vogue 1097, which, made up in
a fluid polyester peachskin, satisfied all of my criteria. 
I love the
raglan sleeves, the roomy in-seam pockets, the interesting seaming in
the body and the placket with the concealed zipper. What I did not
love was that particular hood with its gathered edge, nor the
excessive fullness of the sleeve at the wrist, so those two features
were modified. My jacket has a
plain hood which I adapted from an old pattern. I narrowed the
sleeves and replaced the wide sleeve tab with a narrower band, as on
a trench coat. You can read all the details here on Pattern Review.
It was a
terrific traveling companion. Although it looks better belted, I
mostly wore it loose with just the button buttoned. It wasn't a
difficult pattern to make, and contrary to my usual practice, I
didn't even make a muslin. Well, to tell the truth, I didn't have
time to make a muslin. But I'd rather be bent over my sewing machine
racing the clock than racing through store after store trying to
find something among all those anonymous garments. Or more likely, clicking through website after website. Once again I have to say, I am so glad I sew!
