julien chore coat v2

I am writing this looking back at my journey through this project.

I started by washing my fabric. This is a step I forgot to do when I made my all blue denim v1. This forgotten step caused me a bit of a headache later on.

Listening to: The Talisman by Stephen King

Time frame: It took me most of a Saturday and about half a Sunday

Pattern: Julien Chore Jacket by Ready to Sew

When I picked out the two fabrics I didn't really consider the weight of the denim. It's a little funny that I mentioned in my post about v1 how the blue denim version was intended to be a test run; turns out, the first version was sewn with a thicker denim. Ha, this inherently made it a bit more challenging than v2, but since this natural denim isn't as thick, it will be great for a light jacket.

Tools used:

1. Rotary Cutter

2. Cutting Mat

3. Pins

4. Scissors

5. Tracer with tracing paper

6. Serger

7. Fabric pencil or marker

8. Seam Gauge

9. Seam ripper...always a seam ripper.

10. Snaps with setting tool

I don't have a dedicated sewing space. I kinda have to set up and tear down my sew zone each time. Below is a visual of my area:

After I took this picture I moved the dogs bowl but overlooked moving the cactus.

My pattern got a little crumpled in-between the time I sewed v1 and v2. An easy fix was ironing out the backside of the pattern.

One plus to using my dining room is that my table is glass and it's so easy to slide fabric around. Another plus is I can get around all sides of the table to cut out my pieces. There are a couple of tools that I especially appreciate. I know with certainty that a rotary cutter and cutting mat would both be in my top 5 favorite tools. I usually use a couple of pins to tack the pattern to the fabric. I then cut with the rotary cutter pushing away from me with the blade side up against the pattern. Check it out below:

On v1 I forgot to add a couple of the pattern markings on my fabric. This last Christmas my Mother-in-Law got me tracing paper and a tracer. These are awesome! I highly recommend getting these tools. Sewing is fun and having the right tools can make it all the more fun.

Woah. How have I lived without one?

At this point Everything was going pretty swell, pieces cut and marked, fabric washed, and cute little pocket.

So remember at the beginning when I mentioned I forgot to wash my fabric last time? Well... I hit a bump. I had already cut my pockets from the blue denim when I did all my cutting at the start of v1. I realized that these pre-cut pieces never went through the wash. So I threw my last substantial piece of blue denim along with the pre-cut pieces (serged sides) into the wash. The denim was pretty unraveled along the sides after. So I used the last of my scrap to cut all new pockets. Crisis averted.... so I thought. I moved on with sewing the pockets. Only after I went to attach my last pocket did I realize that I forgot to flip my pattern when cutting the second pocket. This mistake meant that I ended up with two pockets angled the exact same way. Ugh. Come on Sarah...

I looked at my options, I could go with the reverse side of the pocket, but it didn't feel right. My other option was to trim down and seam rip the surging on the original cut pieces. You can see the result of the trimmed pocket below. You aren't supposed to see the natural denim surrounding the pocket.

Luckily, the side is an enclosed seam so it won't be seen at all and the bottom is a pretty big

double fold.

I added this little patch on the inside.

Centered it on the back middle, and I am loving the stitched rectangle that will show on the back of it.

You know I think the most meticulous part of this project is the collar. Below, on the left, is the collar inside out before I attached in to my coat. The little triangles allow for when the collar is turned right side out the extra fabric doesn't bunch along the curve.

What would you grade this collar?

*sewing joke* -_-

This was an area from the first one I sewed that I wanted to improve upon. You may notice on v1 where the collar meets the torso there is a tiny bit of exposed cut denim which creates a little fluff. Here is where I referenced my conversions again because it deviated from primarily 5/8ths of an inch. I actually went a tiny bit off script and on the ends of the collars went with a seam slightly smaller than 5/8th so that I had a little extra to work with to make sure there wasn't that same exposed area that I had with v1.

The inside of the collar attaching to the jacket was where a little bit of hand stitching came into play. You kinda have to tuck it 1/4 inch under and "slip stitch" it in place to hold it, and then follow up with a machine stitch. I watched this video to help with the slip stitch.

Attaching the arms wasn't so bad. If you are considering taking up sewing, I highly suggest investing in a serger. My mother-in-law gave me her old one. IT IS LIFE CHANGING. Fully Finished Seams.

It was at this point I had the cactus casualty. While ironing, my fabric caught hold of the little guy and he went down (you can see him in my first photo right under the ironing board). smh.

I sewed a couple of french seams on the arms and torso. This is a cool seam because you sew the wrong sides together and then flip it inside out and sew the right sides together and like magic, there is no seam exposed because it's like you made a little pocket for it to live.

See below:

.:wrong sides together:.

.:right sides together:.

At this point everything was pretty smooth sailing, and it was time to move on to closures. On my first coat, I genuinely liked that there was no front buttons. But, on this one, I wanted to add snaps.

Here is the coat post first wash but pre-closures:

So for this coat I decided to add snaps. I bought black snaps and a setting tool on Amazon.

I tell ya, sometimes mistakes just happen. I followed the directions on the first arm snap so well, and my closure was beautiful.

The whole process on the first one made sense, and so I just continued to move onto the second sleeve. Well, I moved on a little too carelessly and attached the top part of my snap to the wrong side on my extended tab. Oops. I just have one cuff that now buttons on the inside of the cuff.

I don't mind the mistake, really it's just part of coat now.

After that snafu I stopped for a little tea to regroup and refocus.

After my break, the rest of the closures were done in a snap. -_-

Here are a couple of shots around my house of me wearing it.

Last fall we went to a friends 30th which was themed Dia de los Muertos. I made this flower crown for part of my costume. I love it but haven't had a lot of other appropriate occasions to wear it for.

If you made it this far, kudos to you! I definitely recommend this pattern. I love how both jackets came out. I think the Julien Chore Jacket is a really approachable project. Both of the ones I made are great for layering since the arms have a little room and I am excited to continue to wear them. I am considering doing a post with both jackets styled a couple of different ways...maybe after it warms up a bit.

(all images by me:)