Checking off the second of nine items on this year's Make 9 plan is the Kelly Anorak by Closet Core Patterns. I can't say this pattern has always been on my radar, though it was something that piqued interest anytime I saw a new review in the sewing community. During a visit to an out-of-town fabric store, I tried on a sample version of the jacket and bought the pattern on the spot. This happened before the company changed its name, so that's an indication of how long I've had it!
Fabric & Notions:
- 2 yards lightweight olive cotton twill
- 1.5 yards wool flannel
- 0.5 yard red Kasha lining
- 30-inch black separating jacket zipper
- 10 x size 24 spring snaps
- 2 yards 4mm draw cord
- 2 x cord ends and stops
- fusible weft interfacing
- 3" x 11" bias-cut fleece for sleeve heads
- needle: 80/12 universal
- regular sewing and serger thread
- walking foot
I should have measured and shortened the sleeves. I am proportionately short and know that I need to make sleeve length adjustments. I don't know why I didn't do it this time.
Aside from the FBA, I did not make any other changes.
Construction:
General
Sewing the anorak was fairly straightforward. There are separate pattern pieces for right and left facings, so it is very important to label everything and double check that you are using the correct piece.
The front pocket was easier to assemble than I thought. The front flap is purely cosmetic - even though it has a fully functional snap closure. I still don't see the point of this, but decided to sew it as is. I think someone somewhere did something to make the flap useful, but I can't remember where I saw the post. I could also be imagining this.
The instructions use the Burrito Method for attaching the yoke. I also used the Burrito Method, but the way I do it is totally different from what is described in the instructions. In fact, the instructions for this seemed backwards to me, so I did what I was used to doing and it worked out fine.
Something seems off with the sleeve cap. Usually I don't have an issue setting in sleeves with sleeve heads, but I found it hard to do here and I'm not sure why. The stiffness of the fabric probably contributed to the difficulty, but I don't think that's the entire reason. There's some slight puckering on the front armhole with which I have since made peace.
Attaching the hood wasn't difficult, though I wish there was a better way to get a cleaner finish. I feel like I missed a step with topstitching, so this area is not as nice as it could be. I
was following the booklet instructions, online sew-along, and the
alternate instructions that came with the lining expansion pack concurrently, so it's
possible I missed something.
Lining
I bought the lining expansion pack because I didn't want to take the time to figure out how to make adjustments to accommodate the hood and front left/right facings. I know how to create lining pieces for an unlined coat/jacket, but this project already had enough going on and the work was already done.
The lining is a plaid wool flannel with the most beautiful colors and wonderful hand. I was saving this fabric with the intention of making a dress, but I could not resist using it here since the colors matched perfectly. Plus the flannel gives just enough heft to make the coat warm without being too heavy - making it the prefect season-transition piece. Sleeves were lined with Kasha lining from Vogue Fabrics. The inside of the jacket makes me smile every time.
Casing
This is the part I had the most trouble sewing. I found it very hard to (1) maintain the precise shape of a super long rectangle and (2) stitch said rectangle on the outside of the jacket. Despite my best intentions at marking, pinning, and sewing slowly, I had to re-do the casing at least three times. On the fourth (maybe fifth?) try, I did my best to make it look not terrible.
That snap placement in the first picture isn't helping the wonkiness at all. 🙈
Snaps
Let's talk about those snaps. As drafted, the snaps are supposed to be attached close to the right front edge. Something about the asymmetry is unsettling to my eyes, but I pressed on anyway.
In hindsight, I definitely should have moved them inward 1/4-inch or so as having them too close to the edge makes a weird bubble. Plus they're not completely aligned with the snaps on the collar-hood combo.
Final Thoughts: At first, I was not excited about the finished jacket. It hung on my dressform for a couple of weeks and finally made its way to the coat closet - out of sight, out of mind. When the weather started getting cooler here, I wanted to wear something warmer than my trench coat, but not as heavy as my upholstery or yellow wool coat. So I thought, eh, let's wear this.
O M G. I love it so much!!! I've worn it every work day for the last two weeks! With the exception of one snap placement, I don't even notice the other issues. The jacket is super comfortable, warm, and just looks good! A dear friend of mine saw it yesterday and was amazed that I made it; she was really impressed.
I can be hard on myself when it comes to sewing mistakes. I'm not a perfectionist by any stretch, though I am a don't-want-this-to-look-like-crap-ist. 😏 I think time away from the jacket made me appreciate all the good things about it and how nice it actually looks.
My takeaway from this project: cut and sew the good fabric, don't sweat the small stuff, and wear it anyway!
L
