Pattern Review: Lisette Round Trip Jacket [Simplicity 1419]

Pattern: Lisette Round Trip Jacket, Simplicity 1419
Fabric: linen blend from Joann Fabrics
Size: 10

Dress: McCall’s 6752

Had it not been for Me Made May this year, and following Liesl Gibson’s Instagram feed, I don’t think I would have discovered this pattern.  I guess it’s because the model on the pattern envelope is shown wearing only the dress, and the jacket is just an illustration that blends in with the dress it’s paired with.  I would have flipped right past it, since it seemed like just another fit-and-flare dress pattern, but when I saw Liesl pair her jacket with a tunic and pair of pants, I loved the shape and silhouette.  The perfect summer jacket!

(Disclaimer: I tried using my remote control for the first time outside with these shots.  They aren’t up to my usual photographic standards, but with a “creative director” who works different hours than I do, and a backlog of projects waiting to be shot for the blog…ehhh whaddyagonnado.  So yes, my head is cropped off in almost all of these pictures because I was on a hill.  Hah!!)

Ever since my sister came up in March and we went to H&M, I’ve been on the hunt for fabric for a white jacket.  I tried one on I fell in love with when we were in the store, but hated the puff sleeves and how it fit (and who buys fast-fashion anymore?  Not me!).  It was the fabric that was to die for, a heavy knit with a neat, basket weave texture.  This linen is nowhere even close to that fabric, but the H&M jacket put the idea in my head that I wanted to make a white jacket or blazer.  I think I still want to make another white jacket, more blazer-style, this summer.

The pattern was very straightforward and easy to sew, a beginner could make this jacket.  It’s not designed to be very fitted or tailored in any way, so it was a great jacket to make coming off of my Anise project – my mom laughed when I told her I was making another jacket!  It’s unlined, which makes it easy to wear with sleeveless garments.  I’m sure you could draft a lining if you wanted to, but I didn’t want to bother with it.

What I did do, though, is underline the front and back pieces of the jacket: the white linen is a little see-through, as you can see at the shoulder seams, and I didn’t want all of the seams and darts showing through.  I underlined the pieces with some white lining fabric I had kicking around in my stash, and serged all of the raw edges to finish the seam allowances.  I didn’t feel like underlining the sleeves, since heck, that would be a full jacket lining!

I think I’d make this jacket again, because I love the angled lapels.  I’m still not sure how I feel about the ruffle/peplum, it’s a little too “sweet” for my liking, but it’s starting to grow on me.  The ruffle stuck out like a tutu when I finished the hem, but it’s been in my closet for a week or two now and the fabric relaxed a bit.  Maybe it’s possible to leave off the ruffle on the next version, lengthen the jacket a little turn up the bottom to hem it.

Is it starting to feel like summer where you are?  Memorial Day always feels like the ushering in of summer, and we had some beautiful weather over the holiday weekend (Chris and I went to the drive-in on Sunday!).  Except it’s supposed to go back down into the 60’s again this week…the pool is open for the season now, and the lifeguard on duty must be so bored.