It takes 9 full days of sewing to make this jacket. If you are keen and want to try making your own French style jacket, know that your hands will feel the effects of all the hand stitching required after the machine stitching ends.

You can’t go wrong using Linton Tweeds fabric.

Yes there is a lot of fabric wasted as you create your jacket. The seam allowances of 1″ are used to match the fabric lines and colours across your jacket. They also let you adjust the jacket fit as you go.

Are yes. You do machine sew the lined pockets however you’ll be hand stitching the pockets to your jacket. More hand stitching…

3 tips:
Use silk organza as your interlining.
Use soft silk fabric for the sleeve lining.
Do not set a deadline.

Silk breathes well so find silk from resellers. Poly fabrics don’t breath well so sewist beware. Deadlines will kill your sewing motivation and possibly lead to errors. Remember that sleeve ease is needed for the outer layer and lining.

Weekend 1 – 3 days:
Cut out 3 layers of fabric
Hand baste seams
Pin pieces together
Machine quilt
Machine sew bodice pieces together
Pin lining into seams for hand stitching

Weekend 2 – 3 days:
hand stitch bodice lining
hand stitch sleeve lining
hand stitch hooks
hand stitch hems
hand stitch neckline
Machine sew sleeve pieces together

Weekend 3 – 3 days:
Machine sewing sleeve placket needed and organza
Hand stitch sleeve to bodice.
Machine sew bottom of sleeve curve to bodice
Hand stitch lining at sleeve bodice join
Cut out pockets to match outer bodice
Machine sew pocket bags
Hand stitch trim to pocket
Hand stitch pocket to jacket
Hand stitch trim to outer jacket and sleeve hem/placket
Hand stitch buttons to pocket and sleeve placket
Hand stitch chain to hem of jacket

Preparation:
Have at least 300 metres of thread to match the fabric and lining. Buy 100m spools of thread.
Have thread wax.
Have 3 packets of pins – long size and silk pins.
Have basting thread and basting needles.
A few unpickers.
Embroidery scissors for precision cutting.
Any ironing tools you can afford.

Measurements no seam allowances:
Centre front – 48cm
Front princess seam – 53.5cm
Side seam – 34cm
Back princess seam – 53.5cm
Back centre seam – 51cm
Shoulder seam – 12.5cm
Sleeve centre seam – 56cm
Sleeve underside – 44.5cm
Sleeve back seam – 47cm
Placket length – 15cm
Upper arm girth – 33cm

Pockets
Upper pocket – 9.5cm x 6.5cm
Lower pocket – 11.5cm x 8cm