We went for a midsummer picnic this year. It was rather brave as it was well wet and very windy. Some years ago a group of us went one amazing midsummer picnic in the Burren (Limestone hills in neighbouring county) and it was a spectacular sunset, and every year since we have tried to do one (and each time it doesn’t come off). This year we made it a definite, and decided to go to a lovely beach and cliff nearby. And I wore my ten-year-old-2-sizes-too-big windcheater. Which I have had for years and its awful. Its mank. Fine for walking woods and doing firewood, but really……I decided that night I was not going to go to next years midsummer in that jacket.
Two weeks later, there are coats on the euro rail, I bought 3 (which means I now have 5 coats to upcycle…no pressure). I had great plans for this green coat, but in the end went for a simple make using Simplicity 5256 as one or two small holes appeared in the fabric when the 80s detailing was removed. The worst hole was a few inches up the sleeve, and I decided while sewing that to sew an obvious patch, which could look like a deliberate detail (and I am sticking to this).
There were no darts, so I ‘graded’ the pattern by tracing it without seam allowance (how technical is that!). The only concessions I had to make, were the sleeves had to have a seam down the centre, and the hood has a small insert in the back. The sew was straight-forward, and the only changes are that the pockets are side opening, and I did originally put them in -wrong…. I was going to reuse the strange lining (and padding) but didn’t (I thought it would be ironic, but luckily there was insufficient fabric), so I used some green lining from the lining scrap bag for hood and sleeves, and left over check lining for the main. I had hoped and thought I may re-use some of the epaulets etc but it was beginning to feel a bit fiddly and was simpler to leave as it was. Its turned into a useful jacket – very pleased with it, as it will also serve as a working model for the next coat to jacket remake!
upsew 
Wow! Totally redone. I love the green. And way more practical. I wonder how people can look at something and see something else. Nice work!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much Linda, and yes, sometimes I do look at something and see something else……and most of these times, the something takes more fabric so invariably I am sewing plan B!!! but I am delighted with this as it has given me a great framework for the next one
LikeLiked by 1 person
Like a “wearable muslin”!
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOVE the colour and your inventiveness as always. A midsummer picnic sound dreamy 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Aimee – the first picnic was so dreamy – and very random as it was only roughly planned on the day, and each subsequent midsummer we all say….must do it again….. and each midsummer the weather has been dreadful! however, despite the weather this year, our picnic (after the walk on the a small sea cliff), was in a concrete shelter on the beach and it was lovely.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Wow Eimear – this is brilliant. I adore this shade of green and the fabric looks nice. I think the pattern is an absolute classic and you look great against that blue door. Wonderful work.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you very much…. the jacket has been worn a lot since I made it (well realistically it was that or the manky pink one) and it seems to mix well with all my me-makes. I have another coat here to re-make so think I will try it a bit longer, and with a tab (or what ever its called) over zip, but as this jacket is working out…..the pressure is off
LikeLiked by 1 person
So many potential projects. I have so many clothes that I don’t wear that I want to copy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great remake, and I hate to use the word practical, but we all need those type of jackets and this one not only looks great but so so inexpensive! Nice pattern illustrations too
LikeLiked by 2 people
yup, all about the practicalities here…..especially as I am still not buying any new clothes so unlikely to get a jacket I like otherwise…….. and I am still mainly buying from the euro rail…. crazy the volume of stuff in it. I have also started to volunteer in a sewing room which is run by the charity shop – which should be fun! Its from next monday….I will keep you posted!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great fun and keep an eagle eye open for first choice of donations. All of the vintage fabric I have got recently, and some of the buttons are from the Remakery. They just want rid of it and since it’s already priced I can get look throughit all and choose. Although recently I think they’re limiting the intake to upholstery fabric only 😦
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ha – it seems they divert the fabric donations to the sew room! (which explains why I have not seen any fabric ends there in a while!) would love to get my mitts on some vintage prints!
LikeLiked by 2 people