Coo's Vintage Pledge Project: 'Twice as Nice' Reversible Jacket

Coo blogs at Betty Stitchup, and loves to make classic retro styles in fun fabrics. Her Vintage Pledge project is a great example of using a vintage pattern to make a garment that is perfectly at home in a contemporary wardrobe - plus she has solved the age-old dilemma of 'Which colour fabric should I use?':

Pattern Details 
It’s been a long time in the making, so I’m super pleased that I got my Vintage Pattern Pledge garment made in time to share with you - it’s my “Twice as Nice” reversible jacket using Simplicity 2199 from 1957 - a fitted, waist length jacket, with rounded collar and kimono sleeves.

What attracted you to this pattern? 

My quest was to make a cropped jacket for in between seasons that I could wear with a dress or skirt, so first began my search for the perfect pattern. Most of the vintage jacket patterns I came across were too boxy for my liking so it took a while to find the right one, but this “Teenage” pattern was spot on. The envelope is a little tattered but the pattern pieces were all complete and in perfect knick.  

Fabric and Notions
Next I had to find the right fabric. It needed to be neither too heavy nor too light and I wanted a colour that would go with most of my clothes. My search took me far and wide but one day I ended up at a costume shop closing down sale and there I found a gorgeous green quilted silk (I don’t know if it actually is silk but I’m not sure how else to describe it) and I knew it would be perfect. Then I saw the same fabric in red - just as gorgeous - which one was I going to get? After to-ing and fro-ing for what seemed like forever I decided I’d just have to make it reversible so I could wear both! 

I wasn’t quite sure how I was actually going to achieve this but as it turns out it was pretty easy thanks to this tutorial from Cherie at You and Mie and I think it was actually easier than sewing in the facings as per the pattern instructions. Basically, all I had to do was make two jackets and stitch them together leaving an opening at the bottom edge to pull it through to the right side, turn in the hems and finish with topstitching.   

As you can see the jacket and sleeve form one piece which makes it super easy to sew and I really like the look of the kimono sleeves.

   

 The back has a centre seam with darts either side to give it shape.

Final Verdict
I really had planned to contribute a lot more to the Vintage Pattern Pledge this year but current circumstances in my life have unfortunately left me with very little time for sewing.

My commitment to the pledge forced me to find snippets of sewing time here and there over a period of weeks and I’m so grateful to Marie and Kerry for that because those snippets of sewing time have been a very welcome distraction and reminded me how therapeutic sewing can be.

I’ve also ended up with twice the garment I set out to make!

Thanks Coo! I love this stylish little jacket and the reversible element is genius! It doesn't look too tricky to do either, which is good to know, plus doubly useful as it goes with twice as many things.

K x