Kwik Sew 2895 - Confetti Tweed

I have been eyeing this gorgeous Mood Fabrics' Confetti Cotton-Blend Tweed for about three months and in March I just knew I really needed it for spring.  My accumulation of fabric is going better than my making of garments lately but that is okay, I need some for a rainy day, right?  After this fabric arrived at my doorstep, I had time to touch, feel and admire it.  With such admiration, I needed to find a pattern.  I used to always have the patterns first and then had trouble finding the right fabric.  It is much easier to find the pattern after the fabric, at least for me.  I say that but with this instance, I changed my mind at least twice.



   My first thought was Vogue 1440, which I ordered right after the release.  The more I thought about it the more I didn't think fringe was me and decided to think about the pattern a bit more.  I went to several RTW sites and decided I like the look of a tweed jean jacket and used my Kwik Sew 2895 pattern.  I did have some doubts on my decision and blogged with a  cry for help.  Many people said go with the jean jacket, so thanks for the confidence boost.

      With all the stripes, I cut each piece out in single layer.  I did make one mistake on the front side piece and matched the subtle navy stripe to the bold stripe when cutting (you can see it in the above picture).  I was a bit disappointed after I realized my mistake but those things sometimes happen, right?  I am blaming a nice flu bug on that one (at least that is my story and I am sticking to it!)   The tweed is a bit lightweight, so I fused my entire yardage with  Fashion Sewing Supply Pro Weft Supreme Medium Interfacing  (a perfect weight for underlining) , using Fashion Sewing Supply Pro Woven Crisp for the pattern pieces that called for interfacing.

     To help make the inside a bit prettier, I went with a navy lining but didn't do a traditional full lining.  I layered the underlined tweed piece with the lining and treated the layers as one.  A Hong Kong finish did come to mind but I went with a serged seam finish.  On this jean jacket, the majority of seams are pressed one direction and then edgestitched and topstitched.  The fabric was thick with the layers and I didn't want to add the finish treatment to the thickness.  I am very pleased with the result and it works well in this instance.  

    I did use the lining on the underside of the pocket flaps to help reduce bulk.  The under collar was cut two pieces and on the bias.  Now to sizing, I went with a medium in the shoulders and a small for the rest of the garment.  Wanting a shorter jacket, like my RTW inspiration, I cut off 2" from the length but added 1" to the sleeves.  After my initial fitting of the jacket, I did add some shaping to the sides seams, creating a bit of a curve in at the waist.  I went with these silver buttons, the size recommended on the pattern envelope but not nearly as big as the inspiration jacket.

  I am very pleased with my jacket, it is my style and I love the fabric.  It was fun to make a more traditional garment from an unexpected fabric. If this colorway isn't your style, Mood Fabrics' has many other tweed options . Any styling suggestions?