Completed UFO: Vintage Simplicity 6180 jacket

Here I go again.....another attempt at getting back into blogging and another attempt at finishing off some UFOs! At the beginning of this year I set myself the goal of finishing at least 16 UFOs by the end of the year, this is number 8 so I guess I'm on track.

I started this jacket maybe 2 or so years ago, and didn't finish it at the time because it turned out overall too big and really shapeless. It's taken me this long to do some unpicking, take it in at nearly all the seams and finish it. It's now done, still a little oversized but I can live with that since it's a casual jacket and not a formal fitted suit blazer.

The pattern is Simplicity 6180, a 1960s era pattern. Unfortunately there isn't a pattern for that very cool hat in the envelope, but it does contain a pattern for an a-line skirt with princess seams to match those of the jacket.  

The fabric I've used is a double knit bought from The Fabric Store some years ago, probably at one of their famous sales. It was really easy to sew with and press, as well as having a bit of stretch to make it comfortable to wear with minimal wrinkling. 

The buttons are the real superstars of this jacket. I was originally going to make fabric covered buttons, but since we're back in lockdown here in Sydney I had to use what was in the stash so I decided to use some vintage buttons that I picked up from an Australian Sewing Guild industry day a few years ago. A lady used to have a stall selling her mother's stash of habadashery items that had been collected over a long time. I have no idea what era these buttons are, I think they are earlier than the 1960s but I think the colour and shape works well with this jacket. The inside buttons are just some pale pink buttons also from the stash.

As I said earlier the reason this became a UFO in the first place was because it turned out too big. I ended up taking it in through the side seams and princess seams to get a closer fit without losing too much of the boxy shape. The back view now looks better, but I think the sleeves are way too wide and too long as well - these photos make it look really obvious. I think I will have to do some more unpicking and narrow them a bit more. Who knows how long that will take me!?

One of the great things about this jacket is that although it's essentially a double breasted jacket it still looks pretty good worn open. The front facings fold back nicely to form a lapel and being a lightweight jacket it hangs open well.

And as I always say after every UFO I finish - I don't know why I took so long to get around to it! The good news is that I haven't created any new UFOs in at least the last 2 years, the bad news is that I still have quite a big box of past UFOs to get through!