Sewing

Blue Spring Showers

To no one’s surprise, I finished up a Spring Showers jacket for Emily soon after I made Natalie’s. It did, however, take me way too long to get some finished pictures of it! Taking the finished pictures is a big deal for me. It’s more than a record of what I made, and often, the only thing I have left after the coat has been outgrown and passed down. I’m not one to hang on to too many sentimental things (our house was build in the 40s with the smallest amount of storage space), but this is my favorite way to remember projects and my kids at this exact moment in time. You might even remember I made this exact coat for Emily four years ago. She loved it so much. It got worn every Spring and Fall for all those years and finally was outgrown. It lasted so long! And I love seeing it now, worn and hopefully will get worn some more by my niece. That really ends up being the best part of sewing for me. Making useful things and seeing the joy they bring to my family.

Once Emily and I determined that her former jacket was indeed too small to last one more season, we got to work deciding on fabrics. I think I sort of half way tried to get her to pick a different color, but blue has always been her favorite and I knew that it was the perfect wearing fabric for this jacket. I thought it might be less exciting to make this coat almost exactly as before, but it really was fun to sew. I think because I knew it was something she was going to love, that it made it really enjoyable to make and finish. This time around she chose a tiny rainbow print for the lining from Leah Duncan’s newest fabric collection from Cloud9 Fabrics, No Place Like Home. It’s kind of funny how both Natalie and Emily’s coat had linings from that collection, the colors are perfect with the twill exteriors and my girls just love her designs, too.

I added a couple inches in length the the body of the coat and sleeves. I knew that we really liked having the sleeves cuffed, and Emily being on the taller side of the size range, I knew that having it a little longer to last a season or two longer wouldn’t hurt. I made sure to have her try on the exterior of the coat before I finished the lining just in case we had to make any adjustments, but it went smoothly without a hitch and I think the fit is perfect.

The finishing details were the drawstring cord and leather pieces. Again, same as last time around, but fun to see come together in the finished project. I did have so much for sewing up these jackets for my girls! They’re definitely a favorite.

Pattern: Spring Showers Jacket by Elegance & Elephants
Fabric: Robert Kaufman Hampton Twill in Pacific, The Clouds are Far Behind (No Place Like Home collection) by Leah Duncan for Cloud9 Fabrics

7 thoughts on “Blue Spring Showers

  1. Megan says:

    It’s just lovely. Your children are very pretty and oh so co operative to do a photo shoot for you. I have to say I love this and it is driving me mad that you keep posting your beautiful photos… you see I have been on a mission, fruitless so far, to find a pattern like this for an adult. I love it and for many years I could shop in the children’s section for clothes as I was tiny but now I seem to have grown quite stout in my middle age. 🙁 Keep up the good work, love your creativity.

  2. Trine says:

    Such a beautiful jacket. You have inspired me to make one for Wilma (if I ever get around to printing, cutting and taping all those pages 😉

    It’s truly beautiful – and I totally get why she loves blue. It suits her so well. ?

  3. Lola says:

    Beautiful jacket, I wish this was available in adult sizes.

  4. Audrey says:

    Such a beautiful jacket! I really need to make this pattern.

  5. Kelly says:

    Love!!!

  6. Gorgeous in this blue…

  7. Trixie says:

    I love the idea of a sewing blog as a way to collect and save projects that aren’t going to stick around forever! I also think it’s so cool that your girls have someone to pass down the too-small things to. Also, this jacket is the bomb. I love the low cord waist and the overall shape. Too cool.

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