Girl on the Rocks

Boring Blazer to awesome jacket August 16, 2006

The origins of this jacket remain a mystery to me.

I am thinking garage sale of a friend, Ross impulse purchase, random hand-me-down… but i can’t really pin it down. I hate the color, and the fit is a little too loose for a cute little blazer. The only thing it really has going for it is that it is made out of a stretch corduroy. So i decided to hack it up for this month’s whiplash challenge. And since the final product will be a much awesomer jacket, I will enter it in the embellish/decorate category.

And to not agonize you with the details yet, I can show you that it turned out better than i expected

Now – the details… (click through to see larger photos)

First I had to get rid of the hideous color. so I hit the jacket with a strong dose of RIT dye

While that was stewing, i got busy on quilting some lining for the jacket. I wanted to add a little bit of insulation so the jacket would actually be warm. The secret inside every good jacket is a silky lining, so i had to have one of those. I figured it would be easiest to make the lining and trim it to fit later.

Unfortunately I decided to remove the buttons and pockets after dyeing the jacket. So there are the light shadows of the packets on the chest of the jacket, but I think it gives it a nice vintage jacket look. and dang did i have a time figuring out how to get those buttons off.

Snipping the lapels of the blazer changed the whole look of the jacket. It let the collar be free, and made an asymmetric opening for the front of the jacket, that i love.

I took the lining material I had made and sewed it to the seam allowances in the inside of the jacket so the stitching wouldn’t show on the right side. not too shabby.

here is where the real work began. to get a shaggy/faux fur (not FUN fur) to attach to the collar and cuffs, I made a knitted fabric. Using the loop stitch and a big fat skein of red-heart off-white yarn, i went to town. for several evenings. it took a while. actually a long time. i am totally not over how long it took. whew, am i glad that knitting is behind me. and it was totally worth it!

(good god. remind me to brush my hair once in a while) I LOVE the jacket. i love how the original stitching didn’t take the dye. I love how the lining and insulation filled in the jacket and now it fits like a dream. It is such an impovement! Instead of never wanting to wear it, i want to wear it all the time.