McCall 4394, Palmer-Pletsch Princess Seam Jacket

Source: shop.nordstrom.com via Trena on Pinterest

You may recall that when we went to Fabric Mart, this somewhat scratchy nylon jacquard was the only piece I regretted.  I had bought it thinking sheath dress (honestly, I'm not sure why I thought an ivory sheath dress would be a good idea in the first place.  I blame the fabric haze). Anyway, I realized when I got it home that it was in no way suitable for a dress.

I thought it might make a nice jacket, but the ivory color wasn't turning me on as a jacket.  Then I got the idea to dye it, as nylon takes dye to some extent.  So then I thought I'd dye it orange and make it into a jacket for me.

I usually sew for my mom for Christmas (I occasionally even take pictures, but then never get around to posting the projects).  The only two people I'll sew for are my mom and my niece, because they both like whatever I make for them.  I don't take requests!  Purple is her favorite color, so I decided to dye the fabric purple and make a jacket for her.

In snoop shopping I ran across this casual Eileen Fisher Open Front Three Quarter Sleeve Coat ($468).  I really like the causal open look and thought the longer length would suit my mom.




I had McCall 4394, a Palmer/Pletsch wardrobe, in my stash.  This pattern is now long out of print, but it has nice classic elements.  I may give the princess top a try at some point.

I also appreciate the fitting/alteration lines printed on the pattern. That is a big advantage of the Palmer/Pletsch line. I did a full bicep adjustment, in addition to a swayback, as mentioned below.




  One of the things I really like about the draft is that it has nice shaping through the back.  Too often, center back seams are straight, when nobody is straight in the back!

I also did a small swayback adjustment.  It's hard to get my mom to give me a set of current measurements, and I don't know all the adjustments she needs.  But I figured I was safe with a swayback adjustment.

My one gripe about this pattern is that the pocket placement is very low.  I mean, I'm short, but I don't know that I'm *that* short.  To be able to put my hands in the pocket I had to be pulling up the coat a bit.  Check the placement before you make it.



 



 
 
The pattern is drafted with a two-piece sleeve that naturally curves toward the front, to follow the anatomical shape of the arm.  It's a nice detail.


The jacket isn't designed with a closure.  I thought I had made it with an overlap so I could put buttons on, but due to the lack of measurements that was not the case.  We bought a frog closure from Joann in white.  I figured I'd dip it into dye and hopefully it would take a little color.  Well, it turns out those frogs are extremely dyeable!  I wasn't crazy about the super dark purple as compared with the pastel purple of the jacket, but my mom said she liked it so I sewed it on and that was that.









I forgot that I was really working hard to make sure this got done on time, and didn't take any in-progress photos.  This is the only photo I have of the inside, showing my two different linings.  I was in stashbusting mode and didn't want to buy a new lining.  The body lining (the red-purple) is leftover from a skirt I made for her a couple years ago.  I've made her several tops to coordinate with the skirt.  I thought it would be nice to wear the jacket with the skirt and show off the matching lining.

The blue-purple sleeve lining is the last of of the Fabric.com Vera Wang silk/rayon satin in that color.  





 



I've covered my mom's face for her privacy (that's Helen Mirren smiling in the front view photos).  Here's a star whose face I *can* show, Crafty.  He is a retired racing greyhound and the nephew of my family's beloved Smash.  We have always been a dog family, but this is the first time we have ever had a dog that likes toys.  He loves them!  Especially squeaky toys.  He squeaks them for a while, then tosses them in the air for a while, the squeaks again.  He knows his toys by name, so if you tell him to go get Pink Bear, he comes back with Pink Bear.  It is adorable.  He is wary of paparazzi, so any time I tried to sneak up on him to get an action shot he just looked at me reproachfully.

All photos are here and the pattern review is here.