Princess-line Jacket
Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 6:37AM 
This is the first of the garments I am presenting, a favorite jacket of mine. I reviewed this jacket on PatternReview.com; below are some excerpts from that review.
Butterick: 4028 (Princess-line jacket) (out of print)
Pattern Description: Fitted, lined, hip-length jacket has princess seams, shoulder pads, and long two-piece sleeves.
Pattern Sizing: 6-22, I made a size 10.
This is a finely drafted pattern with very nice lines. I like that there is a center back seam. The upper back seam is quite curved which, for me, is a nice surprise since I usually have to make a small adjustment here and I did not have to on this pattern. In fact, the seam is quite curved so this might be a good pattern for those with a significantly curved upper back. I loved the two-piece sleeve -- one of the best I've ever used and plan to keep it in reserve to use with other patterns. I also found the armhole to have good mobility. I found this pattern to run very small. I usually can wear a size 8 but made this up in a size 10 based on the finished measurements. I could not make the CF meet -- which was fine since I intended this to be a no-closure jacket -- but if I had wanted to put on a closure I would not have been able to.
Fabric Used: Cotton ikat which I purchased from Mekong River Textiles. This site has lovely cotton and silk ikats imported from Thailand by the owner. I am not associated with this business other than as a happy customer. I highly recommend her fabrics. The jacket used three different fabrics. The waterlily design is printed on the fabric. I lined the jacket with bemburg rayon.
I made no alterations to the pattern for fit but made several design changes. I designed a pocket that overlays the side front princess panels and trimmed the top in the red contrast fabric. I also used the red fabric to make bands at the bottom of the sleeves and piping along the front opening and around the neck edge. I reduced the height of the collar somewhat.
Conclusion A nicely fitted jacket with lovely lines and great sleeves. A real "sleeper" in the pattern world.
I hope you enjoyed reading about and seeing pictures of this jacket. I will feature a different garment next week. Enjoy the upcoming weekend.
Reader Comments (3)
Julie, I have collected so many of Susan's great ikats. Now I'm wondering what to do with them since the artsy, ethnic look just doesn't work for my sporty style. Wow, you made this into such a wonderfully tailored AND artistic jacket. Thanks for reminding me to think outside the box!
Thanks, Jane. I am with you 100%. I think part of the secret to making attractive clothes is to really evaluate what works for one's body. When I started sewing again I fell in love with the look of a lot of unusual patterns and it took me a while to discover that I was better off sticking to traditional lines. Sarah Veblen has a GORGEOUS jacket where she used a Japanese panel as the center back section. She also said she was challenged to use this piece of fabric. I've got two of Mekong River's beautiful silk painted panels that will likely end up in something similar.
Julie--I still love this jacket. I've seen it a number of times and every time I'm more impressed than the last. Love the lines and color combinations. If you find it gone one day, you'll know where to look! :)