S8174 Moto Jacket

Hello everyone!

Today I am sharing my finished Moto Jacket with all of you!

I took the weekend to really "dig in" and close this project out.  I was mostly left with handstitching, so I worked on that while watching TV here and there.  Now that I have this complete, I can effectively plan my projects for this month (more about that later).  

So, here is the plan I started with:

I sewed a size 14 in an Olive pinwale corduroy from Cali Fabrics.  I usually sew a 12, but I reasoned that the additional roominess would be beneficial. In hindsight, I think the 12 would have been fine.  The jacket ends up being fitted, but not at all tight.  If you are unsure, a muslin would be a good idea.  

For instructions, I used a combination of Mimi G's accompanying Youtube video, and the written instructions provided with the pattern.  I definitely benefitted from the video, and it made the assembly so much easier.  The only drawback is that some areas of construction were left out.  Also, a small error was seen regarding the epaulet placement for the shoulders.  It made for some confusion, and a beginner sewist may have issues there. 

Thankfully, the written instructions were amazing and very understandable!  It filled in nicely on parts where I was not connecting the dots.  

If you have read any other reviews on it, then you know there are LOTS of pattern pieces.  It is upwards of 20+ pieces that you are cutting out and interfacing.  It doesn't look like that could be true judging from the size and length of the jacket, but it is.  I just took my time on this part and made sure to be thorough with my markings (I am bad at marking my pieces and usually have to go back).  For me, jackets are such a pleasure to sew because I truly relish the process.  

For fitting, I started out with a straight size 14.  However, I let some of the back shoulder out by 1/4" on each side to account for pulling in the shoulders.  I will have to pay attention to that for future jackets, or projects with wovens in general.  I also took about 1/4" out of the upper side seam, and blended to the SA at the waist. This was more for a bit of gentle shaping, though I don't think it is even noticeable.

Constructing the lining was where the fun began! I used a rayon challis from my stash, and it adds just the right amount of liveliness to the jacket!  The light weight of the challis, and the heaviness of the corduroy blended beautifully.  Though my machine struggled on some of the bulkier parts, changing to a denim needle made all the difference.  

 

As you can see, all of the finishes on the inside are clean and neat.  I originally cut the inside front off-nap, but had just enough fabric to re-cut it and fix it.  If I didn't have the extra fabric I would have left it, but it was a good reminder to watch for the nap direction while cutting out corduroy or other textured fabrics.

The zippered pockets were one of my favorite features of this jacket.  This was another first time skill for me, so there is some wonkiness that will get better over time.  For the buttons, I got these at Wawak in antique brass.  They are shank buttons that work well for the look.  The buttons were also supposed to adorn the shoulder epaulet, but I didn't like the look after I had sewn them on, so I took them off.  Either I will find another button or leave it as is.  My broad shoulders may not need any more accents anyhow, lol!

I am pretty sure I was able to machine stitch my lining to the sleeve when I made my Kelly Anorak.  However, this pattern has you catchstitch the sleeve hem, and then slipstitch the lining to that sleeve.  It looks so nice when you are done, and I am glad I did it this way.  There is an added sense of pride in my garment knowing I made the effort to finish it well.

Another stitching first for me was the ladder stitch.  Why didn't I know about this before?  It is amazing!  I know that seems like a lot of handstitching, but I was really getting the hang of it by the time I got to this part of the jacket.

A word about the sleeves: for some reason, they were very very long, even for me!  I usually have to add a cuff when I encounter a new-to-me pattern with this issue.  However, I ended up doing a 2" sleeve hem.  There is definitely enough excess to find the right sleeve length for you.

The details on the back of the jacket are really special.  I love the seaming detail, and the carriers.  The back sleeve vents are the only issue I had.  They kept pulling out when I put the jacket on, even when I added some room in the shoulders.  I finally decided to stitch them down. Done!  And it worked like a charm!

You still get the loveliness of the vent, but the undersides don't show!

Overall, my second jacket is in the books, and I cannot explain how good that feels!!!  I planned this jacket years ago--I mean, years!  I bought the materials when the pattern came out, and certainly had a "one day" mentality about finishing it. 

The moment I looked at my finished jacket I was so overcome by what it represented to me.  You see, I am slowly quieting the doubts that have crept up with projects I deemed beyond my scope.  And I am learning that I am far more capable than I sometimes give myself credit for.  

I will not allow doubt to settle itself in my sewing journey.  It will not rob me of garments that could have been made, nor ones that come to fruition.  My jacket is a barrier-breaking, doubt killing machine.  And I love that!!

Stay sew filled!