17 Feb Canvas Jacket for S P R I N G
No need to call me Dr. Gunn, but I suppose if I was a physician I’d look a little like this minus the buttons and sunglasses 😉
It takes me very little to get excited about Spring, and after returning from Cleveland’s ice and snow to a few warm days of sunshine and blooming cherry trees, I am keen to sew for the upcoming season.
One of these days I might sew a capsule wardrobe, and if I do this is my first piece. Based on my Capsule Wardrobe Pinterest board one might think I was a capsule wardrobe consultant. I’m obsessed, but I’ve been unable to commit.
My jacket is inspired from the pin below, but I brightened the color to better coordinate with several of my warm weather clothes.
I wanted to sew a fairly close fitting jacket with this white cotton canvas from Mood Fabrics. An oversized garment in this stiff fabric would be bulky and unflattering and I settled on McCall’s 6520, a shirtdress pattern. The pattern was in my stash and I loved the fact that it did not have bust darts. I sewed View D.
To give the pattern a more jacket-like appearance, I:
- Cut out the pattern one size larger.
- Used a heavier interfacing in the cuffs and collar
- Removed most of the curve from the waistline for a straighter bodice
- Shortened the length by six inches
- Added two patch pockets
- Finished the bodice and shoulders with flat-felled seams
Thanks to the faux tortoise shell buttons the jacket will also coordinate with neutrals. While I doubt I’ll ever streamline my closet down to a minimal wardrobe (the true definition of a capsule wardrobe – interesting article here) I do intend to sew with purpose this year, and any garment that coordinates with existing clothes is a winner in my books 😊
Happy Saturday!
Becky Thompson
Posted at 08:40h, 17 FebruaryLove this! It shows how you can take a pattern and with a little creativity and purpose, hack it to meet your needs. Nicely done!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 08:45h, 17 FebruaryThank you, Becky! Not too much hacking. needed to be done – I like this pattern so much I might sew it straight up 😊😊
Sue Dood
Posted at 08:46h, 17 FebruaryThis jacket is fabulous! Ive been looking for a pattern to make a jacket with off-white denim fabric I bought in NYC. I like how you adapted the McCall’s pattern into a versatile jacket.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 08:58h, 17 FebruaryThank you, Sue! As I mentioned, I loved the fact that is was not oversized and had no bust darts 😊
Sue Dood
Posted at 09:55h, 17 FebruaryYes! Love that too.
Cynthia Gilbreth
Posted at 09:02h, 17 FebruarySuper jacket! Almost everyone can use a nice white jacket for spring. I think I might have a similar pattern and can try it. But first, pink jeans for my granddaughter!
Rebecca
Posted at 09:06h, 17 FebruaryThis is such a lovely jacket and such a practical addition to your wardrobe. I am sure you will enjoy wearing this for the Spring (and Summer!) season.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:16h, 18 FebruaryThank you, Rebecca! It’s hard for me to believe I had nothing like this in my closet 😉
Laura Casey
Posted at 09:14h, 17 FebruarySarah…What I think you do best, is to find an inspiration in a fashion magazine, and then create your own…..went all thru your Pinterest Capsule Wardrobe, and believe I can make one for my upcoming summer cruise thru the British Isles….but I DO THINK YOU SHOULD MAKE ANOTHER JACKET….ORANGE…..It’s your signature color! Always an inspiration, thank you.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:17h, 18 FebruaryLaura ~. A capsule wardrobe would be perfect for your upcoming cruise! I plan to make another jacket 😉
Rebecca Holdsworth
Posted at 09:36h, 17 FebruaryLove it. Great job on planning, pattern selection out of the ordinary and perfect choice in fabric.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:18h, 18 FebruaryThank you so much, Rebecca!
June W Lovell
Posted at 09:55h, 17 Februaryi like the idea of the canvas: i don’t like denim except for jeans, and it looks like this fabric has the heft i would want. it looks great paired with the t, jeans and flats. you’d have to embroider your name on the pocket as well to replicate a lab coat.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:19h, 18 FebruaryMany thanks, June. One difference I noticed between denim and canvas is that the canvas has ZERO stretch ……. now about embroidering my name😉
PsychicSewerKathleen
Posted at 10:04h, 17 FebruaryI always forget a pattern is just a pattern 🙂 I always think “dress pattern” (although this is easily adapted to top or tunic) – jacket pattern – but these 2 as you’ve demonstrated here are perfectly interchange – with a few modifications! Love your white jacket! It’s so chic.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:22h, 18 FebruaryMany thanks for your comment, Kathleen 😊 It’s not always easy to think beyond the pattern description, but this time proved worthwhile!
Molly Hayden
Posted at 10:50h, 17 FebruaryOnce again I love your inspiration, my brain is turning with ideas. My more fitted coat isn’t. This may be the direction I need to go instead. So many patterns, so much fabric, so little time… m
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:23h, 18 FebruaryYou hit the nail on the head, Molly = just not enough time for all of our ideas to materialize!
Peggy Slavin
Posted at 11:08h, 17 FebruaryWhat a great transformation! This inspires me to look at my pattern stash in a new light (outside the box). Did you add shoulder pads?
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:23h, 18 FebruaryThank you, Peggy! I did not add shoulder pads 😉
Linda (ACraftyScrivener)
Posted at 11:09h, 17 FebruaryA white jacket that doesn’t look clinical! As you said, it’s all in the details. I have been going through my wardrobe and putting it into the style book app, it’s an interesting process. As I am up to 60 items and haven’t finished, I cannot imagine having such a minimalist wardrobe- it would get so boring I would think! I am actually organizing a ‘sew from stash’ capsule that I am going to try and wear for Me Made May this year, but I am already worried I will get bored with it! So I completely understand your fascination with capsule wardrobes 🙂
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:26h, 18 FebruaryThank you, Linda! Style Book App? Please tell me more…………
Linda (ACraftyScrivener)
Posted at 14:14h, 19 FebruaryIt’s pretty cool, you take photos of your clothes, it helps you keep track of when you wore something, calculates cost per wear, all kinds of stuff. The only thing I don’t like about it so far is that to transfer info from my iPad to iPhone, you need to send each piece, its not connected to a cloud. http://Www.stylebookapp.com 🙂
Rosalind Clayton
Posted at 11:29h, 17 FebruaryI like it better than the inspiration! Beautiful work as usual Sarah! How do you do flat fell seams? I’ve never tried them because I don’t have the foot necessary, but would love to know how you do it!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:25h, 18 FebruaryMany thanks, Rosalind! You don’t need t special foot for this seam. Here is an online tutorial link 😉 https://sew4home.com/tips-resources/sewing-tips-tricks/how-make-flat-felled-seams
Faye Lewis
Posted at 11:39h, 17 FebruaryI am capsule wardrobe obsessed too but committing is my problem. Very nice jacket!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:27h, 18 FebruaryThank you, Faye! I always wish I had one when I travel……….. one of these days 😉
Leslie Stimson
Posted at 11:43h, 17 FebruaryLove how you modified the pattern! Your t-shirt is really cute too. What pattern did you use?
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:29h, 18 FebruaryThank you, Leslie! The stripe top is an old. ready to wear from J McLaughlin 😉
Mary Helen Crowe
Posted at 11:59h, 17 FebruaryI really like your jacket. I have been looked for a pattern to make similar jacket. You have solved my problem. I also like your blue striped top. Would you share what pattern you used for that.? It is a real spring inspiration.Mary
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:29h, 18 FebruaryMany thanks, Mary Helen! The stripe top is an old. ready to wear from J McLaughlin 😉
LuLu Thomas
Posted at 12:15h, 17 FebruaryThat is a beautiful jacket. I would never have thought about making a dress pattern into a jacket. I am so happy I have found your site, because you are full of wonderful ideas and you are wil to share. Thank you very much !
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:37h, 18 FebruaryThank you for such a nice comment, Lulu! I love the name Lulu so much I gave my puppy the name 😊
https://goodbyevalentino.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/IMG_0023.jpg
Linda LaMona
Posted at 12:56h, 17 FebruaryLove how you converted a dress pattern into a lovely spring jacket! Looks great
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:38h, 18 FebruaryThank you so much, Linda!
Cathy Larsen
Posted at 13:08h, 17 FebruaryLove this look on you.
I’m inspired to make one for myself!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:39h, 18 FebruaryGo for it, Cathy! It was a fun make 😊
Lillian Martin
Posted at 13:25h, 17 FebruaryGreat pattern hack! I used this pattern a couple years ago and hacked it to make a bolero jacket and skirt. I’ve been searching for a Spring jacket pattern and thanks to you, I’m going to revisit this pattern!! So excited!!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:40h, 18 FebruaryNow that’s some kind of hack, Lillian! Go for it one more time 😊
Ava
Posted at 09:25h, 20 FebruaryLillian are you able to post a pic of the bolero. I’m so inspired when I see hacks that take a garment to another garment. Sarah, so clever I hadn’t thought about hacking this way.
Jennifer Shaw
Posted at 15:03h, 17 FebruaryLove your new jacket! That is a brilliant idea to take a skirt dress pattern and covert it to a jacket.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:40h, 18 FebruaryMany thanks, Jennifer!
Judy Gordon
Posted at 15:20h, 17 FebruaryFabulous! Would not have thought to use a dress pattern for that jacket. Excellent adaptation.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:46h, 18 FebruaryThank you so much, Judy!
Mary Funt
Posted at 15:36h, 17 FebruaryGreat looking jacket. I think your decision to use a dress pattern and cut one size larger worked much better than most jacket patterns which would probably not have fit as well. Love the crisp white fabric also.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:48h, 18 FebruaryThank you, Mary! I’m surprised I could not find what I was looking for, but it all worked out 😉
peggy leah
Posted at 15:43h, 17 FebruaryI plan to be a copycat as well. If a person who sews wants
a capsule wardrobe, what do tney make when the
capsule is complete? Great idea. Impossible to
folliw through..
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:49h, 18 FebruaryGood question, Peggy 😂 …… and please copy away!
peggy leah
Posted at 15:53h, 17 FebruaryI see I should check my spelling before I push
submit. My apologies to all the readers out there
Vanessa Thomas
Posted at 20:23h, 17 FebruaryYou made a beautiful jacket! I am sewing a capsule wardrobe now, and I understand the whole commitment thing, lol!!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:52h, 18 FebruaryMany thanks, Vanessa! I look forward to seeing your capsule wardrobe 😊😊
Gail Cunningham
Posted at 20:45h, 17 FebruaryWhat a sharp-looking creation! Who would have thought to convert a dress pattern into a jacket! Thanks to what I’ve seen on your blog, I have made the decision to sew some garments for an April visit to Nashville, beginning with yesterday’s Amazon purchase of your book. Those tunics are just too versatile to do without! And who knows: maybe a sharp new jacket for the chilly nights 🙂
Keep on inspiring us, Sarah!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:53h, 18 FebruaryGail, Thank you so much for buying The Tunic Bible! I look forward to seeing your creations, and appreciate your comment 😊
Lavina Brennecke
Posted at 21:28h, 17 FebruaryThis is such a nice jacket. I also save Pinterest ideas and love the satisfaction of making my own garments. Just beautiful.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:55h, 18 FebruaryThank you so much, Lavina 😊
Leigh Rollins
Posted at 21:36h, 17 FebruaryI love reading your posts; so wonderfully creative! I would never have thought to use a shirt dress patters for a jacket. Thanks for sharing the idea! ✂️
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:55h, 18 FebruaryMy pleasure, Leigh! Many thanks for your comment 😊
La Riesha Simmons
Posted at 22:11h, 17 FebruaryI love this idea. I am not a fan of bust darts, but have found that I have mastered them pretty well. Very nice. I have this pattern, this would like great in blue as well. Great post!!!!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:57h, 18 FebruaryThank you, La Riesha! I like bust darts fine for dresses and tops but I wasn’t sure they would work in a coat/jacket from stiff fabric. Anyhow -😊
Kathy McKenna
Posted at 23:57h, 17 FebruarySuch a great jacket! I hope one day that I can look at a pattern and see the possibilities beyond what is shown on the envelope.
As a member of the 2018 RTW Fasters group, I’ve been tossing around the capsule wardrobe idea,, But it’s difficult to get excited about sewing the basic pieces that make up what is usually shown as the basic capsule pieces. For now, I’ll just keep working on my skills and make garments that make me happy.
Thank you for the inspiration!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:45h, 18 FebruaryI so agree with you Kathy regarding the uninspired pieces I often see on a capsule wardrobe board. Many thanks for your comment 😉
Julie Starr
Posted at 08:23h, 18 FebruaryThis whole look is just great, Sarah. I’m a big fan of anything nautical inspired and your jacket is an ideal basic on which to base a capsule. Hopefully you will explore and share your ideas formcreating this type of wardrobe – my closet is full of orphan pieces that I love but go with nothing else I own.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:43h, 18 FebruaryOrphan pieces – what a great description! I crave a capsule wardrobe when I travel but I’ve yet to make it happen 😉 Many thanks for the comment, Julie!
Barbara Varnedoe
Posted at 09:00h, 18 FebruaryYou always have such great ideas! I was wondering about the button band though. Are the photos reversed or did you intentionally sew the buttonholes on the left side?
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 11:59h, 18 FebruaryThanks, Barbara! I’m left handed and sometimes do this backwards, but it works for me 😉
Elizabeth Chambers
Posted at 09:09h, 18 FebruaryVery nice. I like the lean, sporty lines.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 20:41h, 18 FebruaryThank you, Elizabeth. The fabric had no stretch whatsoever, so the lean sporty line worked best for sure 😉
Laureen Larrison
Posted at 06:50h, 19 FebruaryYour work is AMAZING! I love this and now want to make a jacket like this! You so inspire me! My mother, now 88 years, used to sew for my sisters and myself. We had beautiful clothes, with 8 kids usually only one good dress, but it was always gorgeous. She was a self taught sewist, starting at the age of 18 with the first of her 8 babies. She was meticulous and creative (and still is). I still remember the dress she copied from Seventeen magazine for my older sister. Mom would look at a picture and put together as many patterns as she needed to get the exact copy. What you do reminds me of her work. I can’t wait to dig through my patterns to find one I can “hack” into a jacket like yours. Thanks for the motivation to proceed!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 21:18h, 19 FebruaryWhat a lovely story and amazing mother you must have, Laureen! I’m delighted she is still living creatively at 88 😊 Many thanks for your comment, and good luck with your sewing!
Alicia Burrus
Posted at 12:52h, 19 FebruaryI love your white jacket! I’m inspired to look forward to spring as I look out on the snow. Beautiful job!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 21:16h, 19 FebruaryThank you so much, Alicia!
Claire
Posted at 22:35h, 19 FebruaryYour jacket reminded me immediately of the linen workcoat worn by Daniel Day Lewis in Phantom Thread! Im glad you wrote about capsule wardrobes. The article you linked to brings up the key question I find myself asking with capsules: what is the intention? If it’s sustainability and minimizing textile waste, sure, a capsule makes sense. And if it’s because you are a biz traveller living out of a suitcase 70% of the time, then a capsule also makes sense. Im neither of those and while i don’t have a lot of closet space, i love sewing occasion-specific garments and don’t find pleasure in just sewing basics. That said, I struggle to create an efficient travel capsule; i always feel like i could have packed less and used what i packed more. I think the question of how to develop personal style not strictly in conformance with others is much more interesting and nuanced for a creatively expressive sewist. Unlike the capsule, the development of personal style is a journey with no defined end….
Marvel Donovan
Posted at 07:32h, 20 FebruaryLove your “sewing with a purpose” comment. It really made me think. As a faster I don’t want to waste time sewing items that don’t fit or flatter. So that’s my theme song for the remainder of my fast. The goal fits well with using up my stash fabrics, because not all of the fabric is a flattering color on me OR the fabric is old and out of date. Thanks for planting the seed in my sewing.
Beverly Breslen
Posted at 08:54h, 20 FebruaryI love this entire outfit! Did you make the top and jeans, too?
Wednesday Weekly #123 – Helen's Closet
Posted at 06:00h, 21 February[…] love the simplicity of this white jacket from Goodbye […]
Beth Tingo
Posted at 19:53h, 21 FebruaryLove the jacket! Great idea for spring.
Is there a way to follow along with your RTW fasters & their progress?