Catch up Monday: Floral bomber jacket

As with many other viewers of the Great British Bake Off last year, I was captivated by Mary Berry's floral bomber jacket - worn with great aplomb during botanics week. 

I'd been vaguely thinking about making myself something similar when I came across the perfect fabric, in the sale (even better) of my local fabric store.

I did quite of bit of searching for the pattern I wanted to use, and in the end went for Waffle Pattern's Cookie Blouson Jacket. I really like the pattern, but I have also been eyeing up one of Waffle's coat patterns for a while. Never having used a Waffle pattern before, I was a bit nervous to have my first attempt with some rather precious coat fabric. So, I thought a cookie jacket would be a good way to test out their patterns. 

I was not disappointed.

The main fabric, as I mentioned above, was from my local store. While I was able to get black ribbed cuffs for the jacket, none of my local shops would sell me black ribbed bands for the bottom or for the neck. Indeed, in one shop the assistant seemed surprised that I should want the same colour. I didn't think this project would be improved by black wrist bands, a brown bottom band and a green neck band. Instead, I used some black double jersey fabric from my stash instead. I decided to go for the piping option around the yoke - 'cause who doesn't like a bit of piping, and I went for the optional lining.

The main jacket pattern was easy to follow, and the most difficult bit for me was to get the pattern lined up across the zip and across the yoke in the centre of the back, which I think I managed fairly well. However, when I got to adding the lining I began to struggle a little. Yuki provides a detailed series of blog posts on how to add lining, the instructions were clear and easy to follow. However, I found that the lining didn't have quite enough fullness in it. However, I was using some pretty slippy fabric so it is possible that I messed up on cutting it.

I just about managed on the main body of the jacket with some very small hems, but the sleeve lining pieces were way to short and would have been pulling up the outer fabric. I didn't have enough lining fabric to cut new sleeve pieces, so I had to put my thinking cap on! My solution?

I dug about in my boxes of bit and bobs and found this fancy embroidered ribbon. I added a band of it to the bottom of the sleeve lining and then stitched it on to the ribbed cuff. The only problem? No one will be able to see the bands, but I'll know they are there and that makes me smile.

I did have one problem, the neck band. When I put the zip in I realised that it was about an inch shorter than the jacket and I had a inch of floppy neck band at the top :(  I had done such a good job at matching the pattern I couldn't face unpicking the zip, then taking the collar out and making it shorter. Instead of doing all that, I folded down the top inch of the collar to the inside and tacked it down. A cheat, but on on the inside so no one know except me ... and I guess you now too.

I love my floral cookie and I was delighted enough with the result to order the coat pattern - for my next project!