Pushing ahead under the category of figuring things out for myself is this self-drafted wool jacket & wide leg pants. The top is the Hepburn Turtleneck from Itch to Stitch. With this combo and the pervious sweater, my winter making goals are largely met.
This jacket is the best thing I've made in a while. Its warm, comfortable, a little bit interesting, and has pockets for miles. The version I made last winter was a really good start down the road to kimono inspired outerwear, but it had a few short comings (as first attempts often do). The fabric was a cheap textured knit, the length was a little off, and the fit was not nearly as generous as I wanted. It was a useful tool to pin, and rip, and tweak into work coat perfection. The main improvement made with this one is the fabric. This wool/viscose from Blackbird Fabrics (orange sold out, available in black) is the perfect pairing of body, drape, and warmth for this style. It's a fabric dignified enough that no one will mistake this for a bathrobe!
The turtleneck is the Itch to Stitch Hepburn Turtleneck that I turned into a dress last winter. I wear them a ton of turtlenecks in the winter, my RTW ones are getting a bit shabby, and I'm too stubborn to buy more. This design is meant to be quite close fitting, so I went up a size and straightened out the waist shaping to give it a bit of blouse. The new Monroe Turtleneck from Tessuti would be a great alternative for a more relaxed fit. The fabric is RK Dana Jersey from Fabric.com (fabric.com links are affiliate links). It has a nice drape, but still has the body of a cotton jersey.
The pants are my self-drafted wide leg pants. I have 4 lightweight linen versions, and I wanted to try a more winter friendly fabric. The fabric is RK Ventana Cotton Twill from Fabric.com. My WLPs could definitely stand a bit less ease in this heavier fabric, I would also take some of the bulk out around the waist with some back darts. You can get away with more gathering in the thinner fabric, these feel a bit overwhelming. Next time I'm going to try the RK Fineline Twill. I got a sample with this order, and I think the drape and weight would be a better fit for this design. Luckily, I don't mind tearing apart something I have just put together. #processperson
As an added bonus it works great with my last outfit too.
DETAILS
Jacket Pattern: Self-Drafted
Jacket Fabric: Boiled Wool & Viscose (black in stock) from Blackbird Fabrics
Turtleneck Pattern: Hepburn Turtleneck from Itch to Stitch
Turtleneck Fabric: RK Dana Jersey from Fabric.com
Pants Pattern: Self-Drafted
Pants Fabric: Ventana Twill in Black from Fabric.com
