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10.12.2012

kcwc days 3,4, and 5: Oliver + S Secret Agent Trench

As I was sewing the buttons onto Indigo's new trench, I was telling Dan how Oliver + S patterns are so brilliantly written that when I reach the final product I am both amazed and humbled that I was able to make something like this.  Never in a million years did I think I would sew my kids' jackets.   Oliver + S patterns make you feel like a rock star!


When making a jacket, there are so many pieces that are sewn together separately -  the sleeves, tabs, collar, skirt, and bodice.


The really fun part about it is when it's time to put it all together.   Suddenly a bunch of random pieces become a jacket... and fast!   It always excites me and frankly, mesmerizes me every time -   even on my fifth jacket.


Using this tutorial, I adapted the pattern to add ruffles to the back.  Indigo likes fancy.  I like streamlined.  I think this was a good combination of the two.


I had a few questions about the tutorial (I feel like the biggest sewing dunce sometimes) which were clarified in the comments section of the tutorial.  It was an easy adaptation.  I cut my strips 5"x27".  I used five layers of ruffles set 2.5 inches apart.  To hem each of the ruffles, I pressed the bottom raw edge to the wrong side by 1/2", then again by another 1/2" to encase the raw edge and form the hem.

This was my inspiration for the jacket.  I really liked the cobalt blue against the creamy jacket fabric.  So I used these fish eye vintage buttons, which I found on Etsy.


The fabric is canvas (from here).  I had a mini-freakout with the canvas initially.  I had never used it before.  It felt stiff and, at the risk of sounding flaky, I wondered if this was the same stuff artists use for painting (?).  But once I started working with it, I really liked it.  It's a great weight for Fall and sews up beautifully.  It's tough to get wrinkles out of it, so I would recommend not overdrying it and using a hot, hot iron with lots of stream.  And for the record, my kids did paint with water colors on my scraps and it was lovely for that as well!  ;)


This jacket is unlined and the seams are finished with bias binding.  The bias binding gives the jacket such a unique look, though if your sewing machine is rocky with bulk, you might run into a few probems.  It's b u l k y. 


I made my binding using this fabric, and was able to cut most of it on the cross grain instead of the bias because most of the seams are straight, not curved.  You only have to use true bias binding on curved seams.  This was great news for me since I only had a half a yard of fabric left.  I definitely recommend starching your bias binding if it's handmade.  It makes it so much easier to work with.


This jacket was really a dream to sew.  It did take more time than I had expected, but I'm the queen of underestimating how long it will take to do pretty much everything.  (Just ask my husband.)  I felt it took about as much time to sew as the School Days Jacket which is rated as being more difficult. Personally, I found these jackets to be about on par with one another in terms of difficulty.  Neither one was difficult but both were time-consuming. 


 Yay for another great pattern by Oliver + S!

17 comments:

  1. Wow, that's gorgeous! I love the addition of the ruffles. Do you want to make one for yourself now? I know I would ;)
    -Jaime

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    1. thank you so much, jaime! i would love to make one for myself! but my kids sewing list is waaaay too long for that! ;)

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  2. Oh my thatvis gorgeous. I have this pattern but am stuck with what fabric I should use. the canvas looks wonderful.

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    1. thanks so much! i really did like the canvas and it was inexpensive compared to the other fabrics that i've used for jackets (um, wool!). i'd definitely recommend it so long as you aren't expecting something that's super soft to the touch. it is stiff but not at all scratchy and thick enough to be wind resistant. it was so easy to work with too and looks so crisp when ironed. as you can tell, i'm a fan. :)

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  3. I completely agree!
    I love how one starts with a basket of 'bits' and it gradually becomes a garment.
    This is stunning.
    xx N

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    1. thanks so much, nicole. i absolutely adore the lined version you made.

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  4. I love love love the ruffles! I saw a similar coat on the character "Robin" on "how I met your mother", and have been thinking about trying to make it ever since! You did an amazing job!

    http://sewtlc.blogspot.com

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  5. It looks great!! Glad someone else made one too;)

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    1. thanks so much for taking the time to write the tutorial... and for the inspiration. we love it!

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  6. This is so gorgeous! I'm doing a round-up post of some of my favorites from the KCWC flickr pool and I'd love to feature yours using the photo from the flickr pool and a link back to your blog post if that's okay with you (just the outfit, not your child's photo...I believe firmly in privacy)!

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    1. oh wow, thanks so much for the kind words! i would be honored. thank you. :)

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  7. This is beautiful and your daughter is lovely in it.

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  8. This is just perfect! I love the ruffles and the inside looks just as beautiful as the outside. The buttons are gorgeous. I would absolutely wear an adult-sized version of this jacket. :-)

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  9. thanks so much! indigo wore it to school today and the girls told her it was too 'puffy' and that they "didn't like it". she said, 'well, mom, one girl liked it!' she's only in kindergarten! i told her they have no taste. haha! she said she still likes it. i'm glad she's so confident!

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  10. I stumbled over after following your cream wool wee dress from KCSC. You have such great skill and sweet style. So many of your things are perfectly executed. I'm excited to browse more.

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  11. What an awesome jacket! And Indigo is a great model! Regarding her classmates: obviously her style is too sophisticated for Texas kindergartners. :)

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