Dear readers,
I hope that you are all safe and sound in these tumultuous times. In case you missed it on Instagram, I wanted to start by inviting you to look at the Diversity Commitment I posted for Just Patterns last week. I have begun to implement some changes already.
Today, I'm sharing a project influenced by several slow/sustainable fashion accounts and brands I follow. I'm sure that my love of my upcycled Megan Nielsen Dawn Jeans and pairings involving Persephone Pants and boxy tops is attributable to them. My latest obsession was wearing a duster kind of overlayer. The idea was to maintain clean lines, and play with lengths by pairing it with cropped pants and tops tucked at the natural waist level. I decided to use the Wiksten Haori pattern with some modifications. I already made this pattern in a bigger size for my mom last year, and I enjoyed it. It's a very simple sew, and she wears her jacket a lot.
Pattern
Pattern - Wiksten Haori, slimmed and lengthened
Size - XXS
I started by looking at pictures of the pattern on sewists my frame, and I realized that the width might be overwhelming on me. So I started by removing a lot of width from the pattern pieces. In case you want to try something similar, I summarized my changes in the illustration below, starting with the long version of the pattern.
As you can see in the below diagram, I removed 1” (2.5cm) of width between the neckline and the armhole on the front and the back pieces, and 1”¾ (4.5cm) at center back (3”½ / 9cm in total because the pattern is cut on fold). I lengthened the body by 6” (15cm) and the collar by 4”¼ (10.5cm) to ensure it matches the front and back new neckline (the representation below is not at scale).
Making
Fabric - technical cotton knit from Sacré Coupons in Paris
Notions - Hug Snug, thread and fusible from stash
It was easy to work with the fabric, a piece of unusual cotton knit I bought at Sacrés Coupons in Paris. The weave reminds me of sportswear, but the print and color make it a dressier. Because it's bulky, I thought I had three meters of it, but when I unfolded it, I realized it was only 1.5 meters. I had to narrow the collar a bit to make it all work and had almost nothing left over.
This pattern is a very straightforward sew, and there is little to report here. I omitted the lining, so I decided to finish the seams with Hug Snug (rayon seam binding) rather than my serger.
Overall, I quite like my jacket, and I see myself wearing it quite a lot in the fall and in an environment where I want to protect myself from the A/C without wearing a formal blazer. The big pockets are also super convenient for my #momlife, and on the days I want to skip carrying a handbag. It does have a bit of a robe feeling that makes me hesitate sometimes, but I think I will get over it!
It's interesting to me how the sewing and slow fashion communities tend to intersect. I'm sure that you have all heard that Elizabeth Suzann started selling fabric (yes, I placed an order already!!) and will begin selling sewing patterns, which I'm sure will be a big success. I look forward to adding more clothes to my wardrobe that will make me feel like pouring my expresso mindfully and admiring shades of leaves. Even though in real life, within 30 minutes of waking up, I'm already negotiating (and losing) with the little human.
Do you have a favorite slow fashion influencer or brand that you turn to for sewing inspiration?