You may have already seen my completed Stevie Jean Jacket which I actually completed months ahead of Sew My Style’s October Denim Jacket month. I started super early to make sure I got everything done in time and I am finally here to share ALL the details! Yes, I realize it’s way after the fact, but it’s better late than never right?
Before delving into the details of my jacket, be sure to check out my other posts to help you make yours:
*This pattern was provided to me for free as a member of the #sewmystyle2019 leadership team. All views and opinions are my own.
Pattern
The Stevie Jean Jacket pattern is quintessential Style Arc which means you can’t count on detailed instructions but you can count on the fit and style being spot on. Unless you’ve made a jean jacket before, I’m not sure you’d be able to figure out the instructions without some aide. My previous posts on this jacket were created to help those also embarking on this make. I may be bias, but I’m pretty proud of what I was able to learn/share since this was my first time sewing a jean jacket.
Outside of the lack of instructions, the pattern pieces fit together perfectly and the finished jacket is exactly as described. Don’t think of it as the jean jacket you often see nowadays. This is more of a classic 80s/90s jacket which means it isn’t cropped or fitted.
Sizing + Modifications
One recommendation I’m glad I took was to size down. I measured size 6 according to my bust and made size 4. It’s still oversized on me and I can comfortably wear a sweater underneath. Outside of sizing down, I made no other sizing adjustments.
One modification I’d recommend would be to add a hanging loop which I remembered to do as I was making it. It’s a small detail, but definitely appreciated every time I use it.
Fabric + Notions
My denim fabric was from the Annex section of the Mill End store in Portland, Oregon. I knew I wanted the solid denim to be the main fabric, but I only had 1 yard so I played around with the line drawing to block where I could supplement with the striped denim before ultimately cutting my fabric.
I didn’t want to go too crazy with contrasting topstitching thread so I decided to use a light gray. I like that it’s visible without being too loud.
For my buttons, I purchased these antique nickel jeans buttons from Tailor Taylor and they were exactly what I was going for. They were the final finish to my jacket and I’m glad I waited patiently to receive them in the mail rather than use whatever my local shop had available.
Hand Embroidery
The whole time I was making this jacket, I kept thinking about how I could personalize it even more. Embroidery was at the top of my list and I learned how to hand embroider just so I could make my vision come to life. That sounds super fancy, but it really wasn’t as difficult to learn as I thought it would be.
After a crash course using the free beginning sampler pattern and video from Cutesy Crafts, I was ready to dive in. It was incredibly time intensive and I questioned my sanity several times, but I also fully enjoyed the process and craved getting back to my thread and needle. One thing I didn’t expect was how painful it would be for my fingers to push/pull the needle through thick denim repeatedly. I quickly got myself some silicone needle grabbers which helped.
Quick details on how I accomplished this on my jacket. I created the design on my computer then printed it out and traced it onto semi-transparent stabilizer which then served as my stencil. I attached it to the jacket with an embroidery hoop and went to town with backstitches.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed making this pattern even though I was frustrated more times than I can count. Partly because I was deciphering the pattern but also because I kept forgetting to finish seams before topstitching which resulted in a lot of unpicking. There were a lot of firsts in this make which explains why: first time working with denim, first jean jacket, first mock felled seams. The style isn’t something I’d normally choose, but I am a big fan of Style Arc patterns and absolutely love the custom jacket I ended up with!
Have you made a jean jacket before? I’d love to hear about your experience!
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