For the Love of Lining

Almost two months ago I resolved to improve the finishes of my garments. Since then I made two lined Cynthia Rowley dresses that you can read about here and here as well as venturing into outwear. I liked wearing my cropped jacket so much that I immediately ordered another couple of lined jacket patterns, mainly to see if my success was a fluke.

I’d bought the green fabric in the post-Christmas Minerva sale, it’s not wool but more of a thicker cotton. For the lining I used some Amy Butler cotton which was again reduced to about £5pm. I’d bought three metres; enough for a dress, but decided the colours matched the green fabric so well it was meant to be. I think there should probably be enough left for a skirt. This time, because I wasn’t rationed to a metre, I even managed to cut out all of the lining pieces the right way up – result!

I opted for view B, but minus the braiding – which I had to research to check I understood. It meant I was basically making a dead plain jacket with no trims or fastenings, so I was glad my lining was so decorative. This jacket was different from the last, because instead of darts, the pattern pieces were shaped and curved to provide a more tailored fit. I was surprised that the seams matched up as I assembled it, but I matched notches and edges and they did.

There were no complications with this make, it came together easily and quickly and somehow even the sleeve insertion was straightforward. It was only after having the jacket hanging on the back of the door for a few days, (I do this with each completed make, using my granddad Sam’s Coldstream Guard hanger) that I realised turning the sleeves back, maybe as far as making them three quarter length, showed off the lining and broke up the monotony of the dark green. I’ve yet to wear this make but I’m hoping it will come in useful.