Of course I had to sew up a garment using Quarry Trail*, and the Ilford Jacket by Friday Pattern Co. was on the top of my list! Essex is such a versatile substrate, one of my favorite uses is for garments. The linen cotton blend makes for a quality garment that’s relatively easy to sew. Unlike a lot of garment fabrics, Essex is very stable, so it’s great for beginner garment sewsists and experienced sewists alike!

Details
The Ilford Jacket is such a fun a straightforward sew. I’ve seen so many great variations of it as well, have fun checking out the #ilfordjacket hashtag on Instagram. I chose to do a hong kong finish on my sleeve seams because I knew when I’d wear this particular jacket, I’d most likely want to wear it with the sleeves rolled up. Plus it adds such a nice detail to the sleeve. I used some scraps of chambray to make the binding.

I’m definitely wanting to revisit this pattern again. I can’t wait to try a few different options. For instance, maybe adding a lining or adding the different styles of pockets.

When designing Quarry Trail I wanted to make sure that the designs worked well for garment making (as well as quilting and bag making), and I think it works! I’ve made a few other garments using my past collections if you’re interested in those:
- Pearl Dress (Forage)
- Kalle Shirtdress (Forage)
- Cleo Skirt (Forage)
- Wiksten Shift Dress (Driftless)
Here’s my I’m excited to try making a few more garments as well. I’ve got the Burnside Bibs on my list, so maybe those? What garments have you made using Essex?

- Pattern: Ilford Jacket by Friday Pattern Co. (here’s the PDF, and this link is for the paper version)
- Fabric: Aspen, Quarry Trail by me (Anna Graham) for Robert Kaufman Fabrics
*Quarry Trail is slowly trickling out to shops. Be sure to check with your favorite shop! Or try an online search for “Anna Graham Quarry Trail” or check out the #quarrytrailfabric hashtag on Instagram.