DD3 has been requesting an aviator jacket in pink suede for a couple of years now, so naturally, I was delighted when Style Arc released their Carly Aviator jacket. It’s an oversized style so I wasn’t too worried about fitting it, but it does involve a lot of details that need time and care to look professional. Fortunately, I now have my brand new Janome 6700P so no excuses for wobbly top stitching, or at least I can’t blame the machine.

I could only find one review of this jacket online, over at Sewing Pattern Review. I was hoping that more people would have posted some details about making it, as Style Arc’s instructions are famously minimal, but it’s pretty straightforward to put together, especially if you’ve made a moto jacket with asymmetric zipper before (I hadn’t).

I did know that there are some excellent tutorials for moto jackets, and they were a great help. You can read Liesl’s sew along here, and Sham wrote some detailed posts about zippers here. Monica’s post about the Ziggi jacket is also excellent, with lots of pics and links to more resources.

I didn’t make any pattern alterations

I beefed up the faux polyester suede with fusible interlining but omitted it on the fur trim, which was already firm.

I used Shams and Lisette moto jacket tutorial for the zipper

I used the straight stitch needle plate for the construction. When I tried the wide needle plate it ate the fabric. I guess it needed the extra support underneath as the needle penetrated. The faux suede (which is a woven poly with a lovely peached finish both sides) is quite dense but beautifully soft and drapey. I’d use it again.

We wanted a luxe look so used grey satin lining and gold zippers, buckles and eyelets

Although this was to wear to a spring wedding we didn’t have quite enough fabric so added the fur trim to collar cuffs and hem. It was the hottest part of the year while I was making it, but as it happened the weather broke just before the wedding, so it was cool enough to wear this comfortably.

These are the techniques used. Eventually I plan to add links to posts with more details about techniques, as I write them. I’ll also link to Flickr albums.

• Making tabs/belts (perfect topstitching)
• Adding eyelets
• Asymmetric in-seam zipper
• Pocket zipper
• Jetted welt pockets with zippers
• Sewing fur fabric
• Interfacing
• Bagged lining

 

 

I’d never done the bagged lining thing before, either, and that was a LOT of fun. This had me flummoxed for a while!