Corduroy Khaki Blazer

12:57 AM

I've been trying to sew and dress out of my comfort zone.

A fitted jacket/ blazer seemed daunting--not only to sew but to figure out what I should wear it with.
I'm not the best with fashion/ styling/ outfits.
Anyway, it all started with my buying some really expensive fabric with hopes to make a feminine blazer.

But before I cut the expensive fabric, I wanted to make a mock or muslin first to make sure it would work out.

So this was my trial blazer.

I had some uncut corduroy in a dark khaki color.

I learned corduroy is woven, then the pile is cut into the different widths of lines to determine the wale.

But you can buy it before it's cut, so it has the corduroy texture without the lines cut into it.

I modified Simplicity 2703 for this jacket.

I knew I wanted the princess seams to give it a better fit, and as I was looking at patterns and blazers, I decided I would like the shawl collar rather than the standard lapels which seemed a little too business-like for what I was going for.

The pattern has a belt feature with gathers below, so I had to modify the pattern for the front center pieces and just create the line to continue down and slightly curve into the bottom hem.

This jacket has a slight gather in the top of the sleeves which add a little feminine touch, or that's just what I'm saying because the gathers shouldn't be there and it's just me being too lazy to carefully ease in the shoulder.

I kind of ran out of the corduroy actually, so the inside center front pieces should have been out of the coordinating corduroy, but I ended up using this periwinkle lining I had instead.

You can see the blazer isn't lined, which makes it a lot quicker and easier to create--not as fancy though.

I've just been getting into blazers, and chose to dress it down in a casual outfit today.

{plaid pull-over top, jeans altered to skinny}

The Saturday before Halloween I took my little sister Lynette to the ballet for her birthday (Dracula as a ballet--awesome) and wore the blazer a little more dressed up.

{trousers Lynette made me, infinity scarf}

So in the end, this practice blazer ended up being pretty great and gave me the courage to cut the expensive fabric for the "real thing".

PS Lynette just made the cutest silhouette of my baby girl if you like chubby baby cheeks in profile

Jessica @ Running With Scissors

Jessica and Lynette are crappy at the blogging side of things, thanks for stopping by anyway!

9 comments

camsmomNovember 10, 2011 at 7:24 AM
Wow! I am impressed. I think for it being a 'trial' jacket, you did great. Love the trousers, too. I think you're much better at sewing than you give yourself credit for, really. Have a great weekend, Christie
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CraftcherryNovember 10, 2011 at 7:31 AM
That looks fantastic! I can't imagine what my trial jacket would look like.
A ballet of Dracula?! That sounds awesome.
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NatalieNovember 10, 2011 at 9:54 AM
You look fantastic--- I love everything you are doing and you are rockin' it!
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AnonymousNovember 10, 2011 at 10:04 AM
Jess, I am so impressed with your sewing skills. I have tried to alter patterns before and they do not come out right. I dont quite understand what you were saying about the corduroy fabric. I'm not that well educated in fabric, if I was my projects would turn out better b/c I would get the correct fabric. You did an awesome job!!
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SarahNovember 10, 2011 at 1:24 PM
What a beautiful jacket, I have been too scared to contemplate sewing a jacket, silly I guess but some how it seems like a much harder project than dresses and so on. You might just have inspired me to give it a try!
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pinksuedeshoeNovember 10, 2011 at 3:56 PM
I think I have some uncut corduroy, but I had no idea what it was. I love this jacket. It looks great with the scarf and the jeans AND the boots/plaid outfit too. Fantastic, as usual :)
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LynnNovember 10, 2011 at 4:07 PM
what!? it looks fantastic! i especially the jacket with your casual look. way to go!
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JessicaNovember 10, 2011 at 7:40 PM
Whitney:
Oh most times I alter a pattern and it's a fail then fix situation. I actually bought the "uncut corduroy" and had to google it to figure out what it was. Basically it's just a thick fabric with the slightly nap texture. Oh, and I always use the wrong fabrics on things. Like RJ's blazer--that was upholstery fabric I used just because I liked the color and it was free from my aunt.
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AndreaNovember 10, 2011 at 9:40 PM
Very nice blazer. Excellent fit, looks great on you.
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