Bringing Blazer Heat {Simplicity 3628}

Pattern:  Simplicity 3628
Version:  C without buttons
Sizing:  14
Fabric:  wool
Notions:  interfacing, felt
Assembly time:  about 20 hrs
Instructions:  not all that great despite the claim of providing "Step by step to sewing success!"
Modification:  added interfacing, padding, and curved hem; skipped the button loops
Recommend:  probably not

The week that it took me to make this blazer was marked by a record breaking heat wave. At 103 degrees, I have no idea what possessed me to make a fully-lined, interfaced, heavy-weight wool jacket. Maybe it was the dream of cooler days or the need to explore a new silhouette. Whatever the case may be, I am in-love with my new blazer. The mandarin collar is simple to construct, the top-stitching is easy to complete, and the faux pocket laps, well, are fake. Over the course of my life, I have made a number of coats (remember Butterick 4525 or Vogue 8754) without much complication. Despite this pattern being marketed with the Threads Magazine logo, the directions are sporadically helpful. I particularly found problems with finishing the sleeves for Version C and was confused by the method for connecting the lining to the outer layer of fabric.  



My ambition for completing another Simplicity 3628 may be fostered by the execution of adding iron-on interfacing to all of the outerwear pieces. The use of interfacing stabilizes the fabric, which has a fairly loose weave, resulting in seams the are smooth and unburdened by pulling, especially along the armhole, since the cotton backed fusing reinforces stitches.  Hemming is made easier with the interfacing; since, it gives something to stitch into other than the fashion fabric, so the hem stitch becomes invisible. Most of the sleeve was left without facing to avoid stiffness, but it is helpful to add a section to the sleeve cap. The extra support helps maintain the shape, and in this case preserves the volume created by the ruffles.

At the shoulder seam, the sleeve head, princess cut bust seam, and the collar meet. With this number of seams meeting, the shoulder became riddled with lumps. At first, I was tempted to add a small shoulder pad, but decided to use a different approach. A piece of felt, from the craft section, was used to wrap the upper portion of the armhole seam and then folded inward towards the neck. Surprisingly, this small amount of padding helps transition the seams together, making it smooth.

A large amount of hand sewing was used for this project to tack down the seam allowance. The fabric is thick and opening the seam was the only way to manipulate the fabric to lay flat. With the interfacing applied to the fabric, the stitching is able to be hidden between the layers. The tacking also helps keep the fraying in-check, since the edges are not finished.  

I have hinted at the frustration I suffered though with the instructions, but I also have issues with the pattern. The pieces I cut from the wool turned-out nicely since excess can be ironed out, but unfortunately the lining shows all the flaws with the pattern cut. Regardless of what I did, there is simply too much fabric along the bust-line seams. No amount of easing could eliminate all the excess acetate fabric. Other than cutting the lines to match better, I am not sure what to do. I figure, since the jacket ended up being beautiful, the extra fabric for the lining is just that—extra lining for easy movement.  

Based on ease measurement of 41.5 inches through the bust I cut a size 14 with the thought that the extra room would allow for a sweater to be worn underneath. Unfortunately made-up, this jacket ran small. If my favorite banana store (wink) carried this jacket, it would be sold as a size 8. The fact that fleece is one of the recommended fabrics swayed me towards the perception that this could be a looser fitting jacket. Maybe I should have known, but it turns out Simplicity 3628 is a tailored jacket.  

The other element that was misleading was the unclear directions for attaching the lining to the outer shell. Even as I write this, I am still perplexed of why the writing was so poor. This confusion lead to a great modification because it made me pause to think about the construction and lines of this jacket. The mandarin collar has a lovely curve and is one of my favorite elements to the jacket. Unlike the curve at the top of the jacket opening, the bottom hem is squared-off as drafted. I decided to mimic the top by adding the same curve to the bottom. I pat myself on the back for this design change, because it turned out better than expected. Another change I made was to leave off the buttons. After much thought, the fabric loop and button placement was ordained awkward. Right now, the jacket has no closures, but I MAY use hook-and-eyes made for fur coats. I am undecided.

 

The collar, pocket flaps, and cuffs all feature top-stitching for Version C. Instructions are included for finishing the collar and pockets, but I simply cannot find the directions for the recommended method on the cuffs. I went ahead and measured the sleeve length and stitched right on top of the fabric at quarter-of-an-inch intervals, similar to the collar and pocket. 

The finished product looks like there are pockets. There are no pockets on this jacket; there are only pocket flaps allowing the look of a pocket to be achieved easily. After following the directions, one thing I found helpful was to hand-stitch the seam allowance from the pocket to the pocket itself. Otherwise, the flaps have a tendency to protrude outward exposing the raw edge.   

I am on the fence to using this pattern again and will leave the pattern to fester in the stash. Even though the instructions could be better, I am extremely happy with the blazer. I find the cut appealing and am interested in trying the pleated cuffs from Version A. Without a doubt, I would only use a wool jacket material, if there is a next time.