Here’s my test Saler jacket from Pauline Alice. 

Test Saler jacket and Simplicty 2154 1960s pencil skirt.

Fabric

I chose this pink poly fabric because I love the colour although the fabric quality is average. However this fabric was easy to mark up, interface and sew. This fabric was especially easy to set in the sleeves – bonus!
I love this colour fabric because it’s not my ‘usual’ colour choice.

The back of this pattern is a bit wide as you can see so I’ll tweak that in a future jacket.

Pattern adjustments

Here are the usual adjustments I check and adjust on my projects:

• sleeve length and upper arm width (shortened the sleeve length)
• front and back bodice length (ok)
• sway back adjustment (adjusted)
• bust, waist and hip width (size 10 (38) bust and the rest is size 12 (40) )
• forward shoulder adjustment (adjusted on shoulder seams and sleeve cap)
• neckline (ok)

As this jacket has welt pockets, I checked to pocket position and pocket depth. Why would anyone check pocket depth? I’m short so if I lower a pocket, it will end up in the jacket hem. I’ve done this before so I’m conscious of it happening again and again, as I’m not getting any taller.

This is the jacket prior to it being professionally pressed.

I lowered the welt pockets by 5cm. I then lowered them again on the pattern. They were a bit high for me. 

The instructions were easy to follow and the pocket bag pieces matched perfectly.
I interfaced the outer pocket flap without seam allowance.

This is the back view so you can clearly see the buttons on the sleeve.

These buttons are from Addicted to Fabric – $4 for the lot in two sizes.

Published pattern

When I pattern test I follow the instructions as written to identify any issues that need to be fixed. Pauline does a clean sweep of all her pattern test feedback and then adjusts her patterns. 

The pockets were lowered on this jacket because of our feedback. The published pockets are an additional 3cm lower than the pattern I’ve adjusted so I think this is a more comfortable spot.

Skirt

There was just enough fabric left to whip up a pencil skirt using Simplicity 1407 but there wasn’t quite enough for the back pieces. 

From the remnant fabric resulted in the back pleating.

Hence the pleats at the hem line. Now called a ‘design feature’.

I feel quite confident to make up another jacket in the future,