I bought this fabric last November in Madrid. I think 11 months turnaround from fabric to garment is pretty good! I bought 3 cuts of fabric at Ribes y Casals in Spain, including this sunny viscose dress, and I still have a cut of gorgeous silk chiffon tucked away on my shelf. I was in love with this fabric when I purchased it, but as sometimes happens, as time passed, my feelings cooled a bit. It seemed…too oversized, too bright. I had wanted to make a more structured winter coat, but as I got more familiar with jacket & coat making, I realized this fabric was too floppy, and it felt like a shame not to somehow show off it’s fluid drape.

I don’t sew with a queue, more just a general idea of what I need to add to my wardrobe and what I want to sew next. But, I do usually have an idea of what that next will be, and I like to sew for the upcoming season if I can. So I started flipping through my coat patterns. I have about 10, which feels like a lot to choose from (to me). The cover of this pattern isn’t super appealing to me, but I have seen so many versions of it sewn up, that I knew it had potential to be a statement piece. Suddenly, I knew I wanted to wear a big floppy blanket coat!

This jacket is a great introduction to jacket making, because there is no tailoring, no collar, no lining, and no closure! If you’re more advanced, you can bang it out in an afternoon; if you’re a beginner, this is a nice project where you can learn to make flat felled seams.

The construction is simple, and the instructions are good, but I recommend using Liesl’s sew-along blog post instead of the envelope instructions. Liesl is a pattern designer and her “Lisette” patterns with Butterick always get rave reviews, so I was excited to try one. Her sew-along photographs are crystal clear. I did everything to a T, with only two exceptions: I added 1” at the bodice lengthen/shorten line (as usual) and 1” at the hem (I am 5’8”). And I sewed the shoulder seams first, and then the neckline seam after. I found this made it easier to ease in the shoulder seams and match the notches.

Look at that lovely drape! This jacket falls just so. Fabric choice is really important and this ended up being idea. You need something that looks good on both sides, because the wrong side shows, and drape is important. This plaid is a chunky twill which hangs very nicely. The face of the fabric has been brushed, creating a luxurious nap, and the back side looks similar, but is much more smooth.

If you choose a plaid, especially an oversized one, be sure to get a little extra fabric so you can match it at the side seams and sleeves. I had a 3 meter cut, which is like a very generous 3 yards, and I still had about 1/3 yard of fabric left at the end.

This was so straightforward to make and it was a pleasure to fall back in love with this wool plaid! My only regret is not adding pockets - I’ve worn this twice and I’m always trying to put my hands somewhere cozy. So, I’m glad I have that remnant I mentioned, because hopefully there’s enough to match the plad and add some invisible patch pockets. Alright, on to my next coat project! XO, Martha