I’ve just finished up this adorable coat for my niece today. It is the world’s cutest denim jacket, from AS&E #87.

I fell in love with it while I was planning to make the Eloise dress from the same issue and I really liked the fact that I could make something I knew Ellie would get lots of wear out of.

The pattern comes in sizes 2, 4 and 6. As with all AS&E patterns, it runs large. As you’ll see from the fit on Stanley, although it is tight across his shoulders, there is quite a bit of ease around the body and it closes easily. This means she should get at least two years of wear out of it, since the sleeves are designed to be worn as 3/4 length.

The pattern was exceptionally easy to put together. Everything fit beautifully and it sewed up in a very short amount of time.

The details like the topstitching added to the overall construction time but not so much that it was burdensome or even difficult. I found it most efficient to topstitch in bulk, doing as many seams at the same time as I could, so that my settings were consistent, and that also allowed me to sew more quickly. I used a 100% cotton quilting thread and it was fantastic – it gave a nice thick line without fraying or being too thick to work with.

The smocking was super easy, too. I was a little leery about pleating the denim. How would it go through my Read pleater? Would I break a lot of needles? The answer is, no. I had no trouble at all pleating the small rectangles and the slight stretch of the denim/lycra blend didn’t cause me any distress, either.

I was able to complete all five panels (two front, two sleeves and one back) in approximately one 3hr car trip. The pattern was easily replicated without reference to the chart, so once I found the centre on each, I was able to smock quickly and without fuss.

I did backsmock the holding row. Since a friend recommended this technique to me, I’ve adopted it for all my smocking projects. It makes a world of difference. Not only does it keep my pleats beautifully erect, it makes construction a breeze, too, because I have an accurate line to follow when I am stitching the inserts in place. No more ‘rip and fiddle’.

For such a simple jacket, there were a number of very nice details. The smocked inserts in the sleeves and back panel are very nicely done. Another very nice construction technique that I hadn’t used before is the method used to construct the notched collar. In a nutshell, the upper portion of the collar, top and bottom, are topstitched first and then sewn to the neckline. After that, the facings sewn in place. It makes for a very accurate and easy notched collar and I will definitely be borrowing this technique for other lapels.

Finally, on the advice of the author, I decided against working machine buttonholes through the denim. I was worried, given how visible they were, about how they would look if they were in the least uneven. Instead, I handworked the buttonholes. For a first attempt, I am satisfied. I used the instructions for the Women’s Institute’s classic “Principles of Tailoring” (I have a 1933 UK edition on my bookshelves). Waxing the thread made a world of difference in how it behaved and although time consuming, it was not particularly difficult, although getting the stitches perfectly even still eludes me.

I will certainly make this jacket again. It is adorable. I have had countless compliments on it as I was working on it and the number one question I fielded was “Do they make this pattern for adults?”

I wish.

I’m so proud of this dress.

Really. I love just about everything about it. The fabric. The lace. The silk ribbon. The smocking plate. For once the vision in my head and the final product actually coincide. Miracle that.

The lace collar came out beautifully and was surprisingly easy to do. A bit fiddly but I kept expecting *insurmountable problems* and none developed. I’d even made sure I bought enough organza and had sufficient lace to do it all again in case the first version was unsalvageable. Maybe that’s why – if I’d only bought just enough, I would have had problems galore!

As I mentioned in while I’ve been tracking the development of this dress in (this post and this one), I did make a few ‘invisible’ changes to this dress, starting with the pattern. Eloise starts at a size 4 and goes up to an 8. I wanted to make a toddler size, so I leafed through my back issues to find a suitable replacement. I thought I’d found it with “Precious Coral” from AS&E #44. Nice, partial yoke dress, long puffed sleeves. Designed for a heavier weight fabric so the pleating ratios would be correct.

One slight problem. Or rather, one *enormous* problem. I know AS&E sizes run big. They just do and I compensate for that. But when I chose to make a size 2, I had no idea how large. Stanley, my mannequin, is a size 4. This dress fits with ease and I traced a size 2!!! I thought, as I cut out the skirt pieces, “Boy, this seems big,” but I double and triple checked and yup, those were the dimensions for a size 2. And before I traced off the bodice, I double and triple checked. Size 2. So scissors away. And any self-respecting 2 year old would swim in it. It’s huge. Not just ‘they’ll grow into big’ but ‘hang on ’em, can’t wear it for at least a couple of years’ big. Whoever drafted this pattern must have been designing for giants or something because frankly, it bears no resemblance to the dress’ actual purported size.

It’s not the end of the world – I had promised friends of mine who have a three year old a winter dress and this will certainly serve but wholly guacamole! I’m flexible but if I had been designing this for a specific event I would be very disappointed that all of my hard work wouldn’t fit.

I do love the buttons though, just like the ones Gail used on her dress. And I’m doubly glad I went with the big full bow instead of the piped back-buttoning belt. Although my pictures are a bit cock-eyed, the wool has enough body to really ‘bow’ well.

Otherwise, the construction was very straight forward and once the smocking and collar were done, I whipped through it. I piped the bodice and used my usual trick of back smocking the holding row to ensure my pleats stayed perfectly square during the sewing process. Such an easy time saver! Love it.  Look at those nice, straight, pleats – and even better, the piping went in straight and even THE FIRST TIME thanks to the backsmocking guide!

The plate also really has a ‘lacey’ feel to it, which is funny because the original plate has four or five colours in it. But the silk ribbon and the open airiness of the design just pops against the grey wool, doncha think?

The last change I made was to echo the lace in the collar with a narrow lace cuff. I didn’t do a full band of lace but I think it adds a nice balance to the dress and sort of ties in the show-stopping collar with the rest of the dress.

My friend has promised me pictures of the dress when it is modelled – maybe I can wheedle her into letting me post some here on my blog!