Vogue 1526 Paco jacket in holiday red

My plan was to skip doing a blog post this week and settle down next week with any remaining items I have sewn. Plus do a year-end wrap up and analysis then, with some pattern usage pie charts which I always find entertaining. However something in this color deserves to be shown off in week before Christmas, don't you think?



I am sure I could not have found a better fabric and color for this pattern if I had tried. Which I did not! As it happens I bought this fabric in New York in October at Metro Textiles (Kashi's gem of a store) The color was so beautiful and it is unbelievable soft - a double faced wool that feels like cashmere (although it is not). There was just a small amount so I bought it and figured I would work something out one day. Then I bought Vogue 1526, the interesting new pattern created by one of Vogue's newest designers: Paco Peralta from Spain. The seaming is fantastic and I love the simplicity of this style.

Figuring this fabric would work perfectly for this vest I pulled out the pattern pieces and had a good look at the envelope  - where I saw that the fabric required for this jacket is 2 1/4 yards for 60" fabric. Eek! What I had was 1.3 yards cut with a slightly crooked edge and a few marks on the fabric. I pondered it for a couple of days and then worked out that if I removed the cut-on facings along the center front I could just squeeze it on the yardage I had. This does make the lining show near the collar when not buttoned but it looks better buttoned up anyway so I will try to wear it that way.



Here's the Vogue pattern envelope. I like the whole outfit but I'm not likely to make that shirt, and the pants I'm wearing are something from my closet that was so similar to the silhouette shown that they work well. I tried the jacket on with some skinny jeans and the proportion seems slightly off.



How about some sewing details?  The pattern actually calls for you to completely fuse all the jacket pieces with fusible knit interfacing but that would have been too much as this fabric is a bit thicker than the recommended fabrics which are wools, crepe, flannel or gabardine. This red is more like a coating since it is double faced. Although the edges and hem definitely needed some structure so I interfaced as I would on any jacket.

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I also put some lighter weight interfacing around the sleeve hem edges and put pieces of lining selvedge along the shoulder seam to stabilize that area. I love these buttonholes in the seams!

Which deserve their own photo. This asymmetrical collar is surprisingly comfortable to wear. I found these buttons at Joann's and bought them as a possible - but they are just right. So nice when that happens.  All my pressing tools were used - I admit it is not easy to get the edges crisp on a thick coating but I'm super satisfied with this (if I do say so myself :).



I really wanted to make a gif or short video with all these images but instead you will have me being silly and saying "why yes my new jacket does have a satin lining. Also how it looks unbuttoned.



The dress form picture shows that I removed the facings and just lined it to the edge. The lining is a poly satin that I found in my big box of linings - the color is not exact but seems complementary.





Sewing the lining as the facing on the front edge actually made this very quick to sew, since I wasn't sewing the entire lining in by hand - as I usually do. I did leave a generous pleat at the hem so the lining would lay flat and never pull up at the back during wearing.



And pockets - oh yeah I wasn't going to omit those. By the way another sewer who I admire very much also made this pattern - Tany of Couture et Tricot also made this pattern, all 3 pieces and her version is beautiful, plus she has a lot of construction details if you are interested.









This picture - with all the reds and greens - I was sorely tempted to photoshop in a red hat with white fur trim and some pointy ears onto my head - this is my demented holiday elf photo.  Or perhaps one of those people who works at the Santa Land at the department store. Anyway - I do like this interesting collar. And I put on my holiday pin just for you!



I am really happy to sew this Vogue pattern which reminded me how much I like their designer patterns, So many gems there.

Tomorrow will include some baking, gift wrapping (which I always leave until the last possible minute) and a few last minute stitches on some stocking stuffers.

Up next I will be cutting into some cashmere for a very special item, but I will leave that until next week.  And a special thank you to my friend Alice - photographer extraordinaire who takes all my best photos.

So I will wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and I hope your holiday is peaceful, healthy, happy and filled with joy.

Beth