julien chore coat v1

I have had this project on my list since OCTOBER! It was so intimidating to me...collar, cuffs, and dun dun dun..... interfacing. Things I have never sewed onto a garment! In December, yes two months later, we spent a week visiting my mother-in-law, and it was the perfect time to take this project on. So I printed my pattern (first time I have tried a pdf pattern) and packed my machine. Here is my experience from my first tango with the chore coat.

Link to pattern

I had a vision for the chore coat I wanted to make. Spoiler alert, this post isn't about that jacket. I sketched a natural denim body with color block pockets in blue denim.

Remember when I told you I was intimidated by this project? I figured I would get enough fabric of the blue denim to be used on the pockets to make a test jacket before the real one I envisioned. This is the story of that jacket.

First thing I realized is that this pattern is all in metric, and I am inches girl. That's not so bad though because we have the internet which helped me convert it.

Looking at my final product I am going to do a little more top stitching on v2. On the next version I am also going to sew the collar just a 1/4 to a 1/2 inch longer. On each side there is the smallest unfinished area of fabric.

When sewing your own project you have the ability to fairly easily modify patterns, forgo aspects, and make it your own. There were a few ways this was reflected in my final outcome.

1. I forwent adding buttons. This wasn't planned, I bought adorable pearl like buttons with roses to add to the jacket. The white with the blue denim...yeah they'd look cute. I may still add them at some point, but right now it doesn't feel right on it.

2. Forwent double stitching in some parts. I sew a pretty straight line, but as they would say at work, double stitching is a "growth opportunity" for me. I also didn't feel like it took from the integrity of the project.

3. I added a hand embroidered design. This actually came a couple of days after I thought I completed the project. I liked the jacket but certainly didn't love it. On the way home from visiting our family, there is a stretch of land between Amarillo and Santa Rosa that I love! It has beautiful colors, mesa tops, and small canyons. I was inspired to sketch a design from the scenery. I don't know if the stitching translated from my original sketch as well, but I now love this jacket! The lines, colors, and movement gives this jacket what it needed.

Making this coat helped me figure out just a few small additional changes for next version. Hopefully it won't be so long before you see julien chore coat v2.