Pattern Review: McCall's 5762 Tweed Jacket

According to the McCall's website, this one is already out of print...



Pattern Description: Misses' Lined Jackets: semi-fitted jacket with pleated front, back, and collar has collar band and yoke, sleeve variations and button closing: jackets A, B have trim.

I made view C, with elbow length, cuffed sleeves.

Pattern Sizing: This pattern is available in sizes 6-20. I made a 16.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, very much so.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I thought the instructions were easy to follow. There are quite a few details including lots of pleats, yoke pieces, and lining to name a few. This took me 9 hours of sewing time (not including cutting) to make but this was also due in part to the fabric I used which I will explain below.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the large, pleated collar- I think it makes this jacket unique. I also like the pleating along the jacket front and back. I like the baby-doll shape as well. No dislikes.

Fabric Used: I used this tweed from Denver Fabrics. They called it a "boucle", but it is more of a tweed. I spent $12.50 on the tweed. I got a polyester satin for the lining.

The tweed became the bane of my sewing existence! I love the finished look but it was a pain in the tush to get there. To start with, it was very tough on the hands to cut out. The fabric is very prone to fraying and unraveling. By the end of this project I had little threads pulled from the raw edges all over my sewing room and tracked through the house. Although the seams are enclosed by the lining and facings, I did not trust the fabric to not unravel. So after I straight stitched the seam, I zigzagged each raw edge separately to prevent the unraveling. Certain parts of the garment such as the neck edge became very bulky with all of the layers of tweed. Needless to say, I think it will be awhile before I work with this fabric again. I need to wait until I have forgotten how much I despised it.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: So I cut this out to fit my pre-pregnancy waist of 31 inches. The baby-doll shape gives it so much wearing ease- it fits my now 42 inch pregnant belly and then some. I didn't make any changes except for omitting the interfacing. I felt that the tweed was bulky and sturdy enough to hold up in the areas that usually need it.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I don't think I will sew this one again because there are many other jackets I want to do. I do like how it came out though! I would recommend this one to others.

Conclusion: Great cool weather jacket and I think the tweed looks awesome in the end! *Note: I am not sure how much I would like this if I were not pregnant. The baby-doll shape gives it quite a bit of ease and it may look maternity on someone who is not pregnant. I could be wrong though- will try this on again after Baby arrives!



A view from the side:


Showing the lining:


~Jenny